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Adolescence 6–24 months

Your dog is 2 and it is not too late, though the history is the part that takes time

Nothing is ruined at 2 years old. A habit rehearsed for a year takes longer to replace than it took to build, and the plan is the same one.

Your dog turned 2 last month. The pulling, the ignoring and the jumping are all still here, and the internet keeps talking about windows closing. Nothing has closed. You are at the far edge of adolescence, which is usually where this gets easier.

The brain is maturing, not broken

Adolescence runs roughly from 6 to 24 months, and larger dogs generally sit at the later end of that range. Dogs show reduced responsiveness to the cues of the person who raised them around the onset of adolescence. That responsiveness returns later in the stage, and at 2 years old you are on the returning side of it. Reward-based training has been associated with higher reported responsiveness and fewer problem behaviours, at any age.

The honest part: the history counts

A behaviour rehearsed 1,000 times over a year is not undone in a fortnight. Replacing a practised habit takes longer than building a new one from nothing. So expect the same sequence a 9 month old dog would get, with more repetitions and a longer runway. The advantage is real too, because your 2 year old sleeps better and concentrates longer than they did at 9 months old.

Where to start this week

  1. Pick 1 thing. The most expensive problem in your week, not the longest list.

  2. Stop the rehearsal first, with a long line, a baby gate or a quieter route, so the old version is not being practised.

  3. Drop the difficulty to a level your dog can answer today, even if that feels embarrassingly easy.

  4. Train 3 sessions of 3 minutes a day rather than 1 of 30, and pay far better than you think you need to.

  5. Write down what your dog managed each day. Across 3 weeks the numbers show movement that the feeling does not.

  6. Add the second problem only once the first has held for 2 weeks.

Behaviour change is built from management plus reinforcement together. Skipping the management is the usual reason the last attempt felt like it went nowhere. We will not tell you how long your dog will take, and nobody honest will. We will tell you the direction and the method, and both of those hold at 2 years old.

Safety note

Some of this is not a training problem, and starting late does not change that. If aggression toward people or dogs, any bite, or severe fear or anxiety is part of the picture, stop here. Contact your veterinarian and ask for a referral to a veterinary behaviourist. Sudden behaviour change warrants a veterinary examination, and pain frequently presents as a change in behaviour rather than as obvious lameness.

Get help now

Today's version, in one line: name the problem that costs you most, and do 3 minutes on its easiest version tonight.

Where this comes from

  • Reduced responsiveness to the caregiver's cues around the onset of adolescence, and a return of responsiveness later in the stage.

    Harvey, N. D., Craigon, P. J., Blythe, S. A., England, G. C. W., & Asher, L. (2020). Social rearing environment influences dog behavioral development. Biology Letters, 16(5).

    Biology Letters, Royal Society

  • Reward-based training was associated with higher reported responsiveness and fewer problem behaviours.

    Hiby, E. F., Rooney, N. J., & Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2004). Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behaviour and welfare. Animal Welfare, 13, 63–69.

    Animal Welfare

  • Behaviour change is built with management plus reinforcement, and sudden behaviour change warrants a veterinary examination.

    American Animal Hospital Association (2015). AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines.

    aaha.org

  • Pain frequently presents as a change in behaviour rather than as obvious lameness.

    American Animal Hospital Association (2022). AAHA Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.

    aaha.org

  • Reward-based methods are recommended for training and behaviour change; aversive methods carry welfare and behavioural risk.

    American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (2021). Position Statement on Humane Dog Training.

    avsab.org

Find out where your dog actually is

This article is one problem. The Assessment looks at all of them together, names your dog’s stage, and builds the Plan in order. Free, and no email address.

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