How to Manage Your Teen Dog Through the Adolescent Stage of Potty Training

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There has been a huge emphasis on getting puppy owners to socialize their puppies and enroll them in training classes, but as your 2-4 month old pup grows into an older canine it can become easy to lose interest in reinforcing those good habits and return back to old ways of behaving as it did when they were still little puppies.

Adolescence typically begins between six months for small dogs and eight months for large breeds, and lasts up until 18 months to two years old. Your adolescent can quickly lose understanding of any training they’ve received as they become distracted by everything outside. They also may become more easily scared and develop higher prey drives causing them to wander off or chase things they never bothered them in the past.

At this age, bad habits may develop and management tools (crate or baby gate) should be on hand as a preventive measure to help guide them away from trouble and ensure a successful path toward adulthood.