Canine Adolescence – Dude, where’s my pre-frontal cortex!?
That headline is from a human behaviour book that I am currently reading and it really made me chuckle. Adolescence or the “teenage years’ is a very a complex period of development in most mammals and none more so than in our dogs. Unfortunately, the challenges caregivers have during this period often result in frustration, a breakdown in the relationship and sometimes even rehoming. However, once you understand what’s really going on, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
When does adolescence start?
It typically occurs between the ages of 6 months and 2 years, but this is dependent on breed and individuals. Significant changes occur not only in brain structure, but also in important chemicals in the brain. Hormonal fluctuations also play a role with all these key factors influencing behaviour, learning and social interactions.
Do how do these changes affect your teenage dog?
During this phase the brain undergoes some ‘pruning’ of neural connections – this is to improve efficiency. The front part of the brain, known as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), is still quite immature during this stage and is still in the ‘development’ phase. Put simply, your PFC is where your logical thinking occurs – sort of ‘think before you act’, hence we see increased impulsivity and risk-taking behaviours during this time.
This is compounded by the fact that dopamine is increased during this phase, making your dog more motivated and sensitive to rewards, especially in the environment. We often see more exploratory behaviours and testing of boundaries – remember how your puppy used to stick to you like Velcro? They are now racing around the countryside, completely oblivious to your presence!
There is another factor that adds a little more fuel to the adolescent fire, and that is the amygdala. This is the fight or flight part of the brain which is involved in emotional processing. It is more developed during this period than the prefrontal cortex, so we see a lot of ‘BIG’ emotions in our teenage dogs. These can be exaggerated fear responses or stress- related behaviours.
Let’s not forget the hormones – fluctuating testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone all help to make adolescence a bit of a hot, spicy soup of emotions!
Something I often hear people say is that their dog is being stubborn or deliberately ignoring them. Well, there is a reason for this. The immature PFC has an influence on learning, and we can often see training regression because short term memory and impulse control are still developing.
A summary of the common behaviours seen in adolescence:
• Increased independence and selective responsiveness to commands.
• More exploratory and risk-taking behaviours (e.g., wandering, ignoring recall).
• Fear periods, where previously confident dogs may show heightened anxiety.
• Heightened reactivity to new situations or social interactions.
Understanding these neurophysiological changes help us to manage behaviour during adolescence through consistent training, patience, and positive reinforcement.
The most important things you can do for your teenage dog are:
• Allow them lots of rest – growing brains need sleep, proper sleep.
• Play with your dog. Not ball throwing, but proper play like tag, and tug and chase. This helps to build on your relationship and develop feelings of well-being.
• Adding enrichment, which should be breed and individual appropriate. This can include scentwork and food puzzles such as stuffed Kongs or snuffle mats, cardboard boxes etc. Sniffing and exploring are also important activities at this age.
• Train with patience. Your dog’s brain is going to be different every day. Train the dog in front of you.
• Train using positive reinforcement. Punishment is never going to build your relationship.
• Explore the world with your dog in a way that they can manage – don’t overwhelm them but do give them new experiences.
• Manage your own expectations and frustrations – can you remember what you were like as a teenager?
• Don’t compare your dog to other people’s dogs. Some dogs are just trickier than others, but they do make the best teachers.
If you feel overwhelmed by your teenage dog, do contact a reward-based trainer who will support and guide you – it’s always easier if someone is by your side.
I specialise in adolescent dogs, so if you would like some help, please don’t hesitate to contact me on fundog.training@icloud.com
Jocelyn Lander RVN DipCABT
COAPE certified Animal Behaviourist and Trainer
Categorised in: News
