Zen Dog's Vancouver Teenage Dog Training

 Just when all things “puppy” start to settle, the smoke clears, and the human end of the leash catches their breath: the biting is (mostly) over, the house training is complete, and daily routines are established…surprise! The teenager moves in.

The Adolescent Dog

Suddenly your once-adorable baby dog is regressing into a gangly and somewhat feral youth! You might be seeing environmental excitement or reactivity for the first time. Or there could be a sudden lack of impulse control in high-charged situations. Perhaps that well-started recall has suddenly turned into a chase-me game. All the lovely things you have taught to your puppy are now met with a blank stare.

Yes. That is adolescence!

The truth of the matter is, most people are quite prepared, on some level, for puppyhood. They expect some sleepless nights, a few soiled carpets and maybe the loss of a household item or two to those sharp puppy teeth. They sign up for puppy socialization classes and read all the right books. But few people are ready for, or understand the stage of development that hits around the 6 to 8 month mark and runs until 2 or 3 years, depending on the breed.

What The Adolescent Dog’s Training Needs Look Like

Adolescence is commonly when potential life-long behavioural problems start. Sadly this is the age when most young dogs are dropped off at the local shelter or breed-specific rescue organization. People are often not fully prepared for, nor do they understand, this stage of development, and they may see these new behaviours as a life sentence. What traditionally has worked for the puppy and what works well for the adult dog is not necessarily what the teenage dog needs, as they are caught in the middle, somewhere between sexual and social maturity.

As part of our extensive line-up of Vancouver dog training services, we have a course specifically designed for that troubled teenager. Our approach acknowledges the key behavioral patterns that emerge at this age. Adolescent dogs are independent. They struggle with impulse control, and attention to their person. They often go through fear periods and wrestle with risk assessment.

They may lack motivation during training and the ability to stay engaged on a training task. And they need an incredible amount of sleep!

Vancouver’s Teenage Tyrant Dog Training Class

Zen Dog Canine Training’s Teenage Tyrants is a private course designed to target these emerging patterns. We will give you exercises and tools to navigate this stage of development in your puppy. Typical Vancouver dog training classes may not address the struggles you are dealing with and a private approach might give you the reassurance that all things crazy will return to normal, as social maturity sets in. Teenage Tyrants will help you pivot your training and keep you on track so those emerging behaviours are not around for life. You may even come to enjoy this transition period as you discover your adult dog slowly emerging.

In Teenage Tyrants your first lesson will be held over zoom where you will get guidance on how to create better management strategies, bring in impulse control and focus exercises, review your current training plan and introduce the concept of games and choice-based training as a part of effective learning for young dogs. We then transition to two lessons in your home and neighbourhood focusing on the areas you struggle most: be it outdoors with distractions or i mproved behaviour in the house. Often the two go hand in hand.

What Zen Dog Canine Training Will Give You

We will address how to give your adolescent the freedom highly needed at this stage without jeopardizing safety. We will help you teach your puppy to work around reinforcement and to make good choices (that honour that i ndependence). We will show you how to teach your puppy to relax when necessary and also to gain confidence through body awareness.

We will tailor Teenage Tyrants to your specific dog’s needs and help keep you on track, especially when times get tough! We are also great at lending an ear; sometimes just talking through things can be a game changer. As with all of our private dog training lessons, we offer full phone and email support throughout the duration of the course. And you can always add on additional lessons if you feel you need the help.

Zen Dog Canine Training takes a big departure from traditional obedience training in Teenage Tyrants and focuses on creating that all important connection