08/12/2024
PSA: Your puppy is not an ADULT DOG until they are 2 or 3 years old! Some breeds mature slower, some faster, but your dog still has a LOT of maturing to do after puppyhood has past.
I often meet people who expect A LOT of their young dog as soon as they're done teething, or they're fully potty trained, or they reach 6, 9, or 12 months. They think "Okay, puppyhood is past. My dog is now an adult" and start to ask the dog for a TON of obedience, or they expect their young dog to be less playful or to rest more quickly.
And while I understand where this is coming from, I urge you to think twice and give your dog some grace!
After puppyhood comes ADOLESCENCE. Adolescence in dogs, just like in human kids, is a tumultuous time where the brain lends itself more towards impulsivity and "act first, think later" behavior. This stage may last up to 2 or 3 years for some dogs, and when they are in the thick of it during adolescence they literally DON'T have the emotional regulation in place to make good choices as much as we'd like them to.
Dogs at this age benefit greatly from even MORE patience, and the opportunity to continue regular socialization time with their peers (just like it's NORMAL for human teens to be around their friends a lot!). Dogs this age need to be set up for success just as much as young puppies, even though they may start to LOOK like adults.
Please, your dogs are only young once. One day you're going to be looking into the soulful eyes of your 13 year old senior dog and wishing you could have their puppyhood and adolescence back. Don't rush your dog's growing up.
