Teenage Trials and Tribulations

Your pug puppy will enter adolescence and it will vary when and for how long. It might be around 6 months of age, but you'll definitely know your puppy is a teenager or "preteen" when you start to notice things like:

• Um, did you teach me that already? I don't remember ... (or pup is just ignoring the cue to do something at which they use to excel)
• Hey, I think I'll go hang with those other dogs over there .... running off to see other dogs ... OR perhaps totally avoiding other dogs
• Calls from principal's office telling you how your puppy was being pushy or rude with other dogs
• Your puppy may suddenly become more interested in humans they don't even know instead of you
• Increase in hyperactivity, lack of ability to concentrate or focuse
• Training sessions just going all wrong
• More reactive (barking, growling) than usual
• More needy and cuddly -- more sensitive
• Suddenly having potty training problems they didn't use to have
• Suddenly chewing and gnawing on things they never use to chew on
• More mouthy and play bitey than usual

If you see a major behavior change in your pug puppy between approximately 6-12 months of age, first rule out pain or injury or an emotional scar (something happen at boarding? with a neighbor or houseguest?) If none of the above, then it's most likely your puppy is starting to navigate the "terrible teens."

Sometimes pups enter this stage seemingly overnight and it almost always comes unexpectedly. The truth of the matter is, your puppy won't just seamlessly morph from a puppy into an adult .... There's a reason "adolescence" is not always a word most folks like to hear and it can be a challenging time for both the owner AND the puppy. So, this article is to address some things owners can do to be able to more successfully their pug puppy's teenage phase without the relationship becoming tainted, or everyone's sanity!

If you ask any animal shelter, you'll learn that the most common age for dogs to be surrendered is between 6-18 months of age. This is because canine adolescence is a tricky time if you're not prepared but, with a little preparation, patience it will pass quickly and be some of your best memories of your pug puppy once s/he is an old senior and you are reminiscing.

One of our favorite memories is when our pug Sebastian (who would sit off leash on the glider with us while we drank our morning coffee on our front porch) suddenly decided to sprint up our STEEP driveway to join a marathon! Yep, there were a bunch of runners with number signs etc. running down our street! He sprinted up the driveway with Jeff running behind in his slippers and robe ... unable to catchup ... and then joined the marathon! I'll never forget this image of all these runners, and a little black pug. In the next neighborhood several blocks away, exhausted, and still wearing his robe and slippers, Jeff finally sat down to catch his breath. He kept asking runners if they had seen a black pug and finally one woman responded, "yes! he ran alongside me for awhile but he stopped awhile back" and pointed in the direction she last saw him. Needless to say, Jeff finally got him and we learned that Sebastian was no longer the young puppy who would stick beside us off leash no matter what ..... he was ready for adventures and to move onto the next chapter in his life!

Always something. Other owners have noted that their pug puppy will suddenly start chewing on furniture when it had never done that before. Any behavior out of the unusual is your pug trying to tell you something.

How long will my pug stay a teenager? It will vary but a small toy breed tends to mature around 1 year of age.

"During this period there are several developmental processes at work. Being aware of what they are and the effect they are likely to have on your puppy's behavior will mean you can be prepared to deal with them. This in turn will shorten the time they will have an impact on both your lives."

Just as with human teenagers, your puppy is becoming more independent and starting to look at the world as adults rather than as an infant. Thus relying less on their human for security and more likely to "to go self-employed as they begin to form their own opinions and behaviors regarding the world around them."

Just remember = This is a NATURAL PROGRESSION and part of a dog's inherited survival instinct.

TEETHING: Is your pug puppy teething? As if all of this wasn't enough, with your pug puppy's full set of adult teeth around 6 months of age, the teeth will be needing to 'set' properly in the gums. To do this your puppy is really going to need to be able to chew.

Unfortunately, many owners don't understand this and think their teenage pug puppy is just being destructive when they actually have a PHYSICAL NEED to have appropriate things on which to gnaw.

Chew toys to the rescue!

Most owners might think that their Shark puppy is  a thing of the past, so they may not be providing enough chew toys like this "Treaster" or kongs. We love Treasters becuase they are durable yet fun for the pugs to chew and we can stick a treat or even their food into the nooks and crannies. You can add peanut butter, pumpkin, kibble,  and even add something like yogurt and then freeze. It's a wonderful texture that they love -- the rubber is pliable and soft.

It's tempting to think "I don't want to spend money on those puppy chews anymore" but, a little peanut butter and appropriate chew toy they like is MUCH cheaper than your furniture and shoes!  puppy teething guide.

Why is my teenage puppy suddenly scared?

Dogs also have a second fear period that happens somewhere between 6-18 months of age. Sometimes this just happens once but in other dogs it can happen several times which may coincide with growth spurts or hormone surges.

You might notice your pug puppy becoming reactive or scared of things that never bothered them in the past (other people, dogs, strange objects, places etc.). Single-event learning is most likely to occur during this teenage phase so HOW you manage this period is vitally important. A bad experience at this time can have a lasting effect on your pug's behavior for life .... EVEN IF all of their previous interactions have been positive. Their ability to make a split second decision on what is 'safe' and what is 'dangerous' is being developed so that they can survive as an adult ..... and they'll remember this for life.

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Why is my adolescent dog behaving differently?
Teenager pugs are dealing with hormone surges and this can increase excitability, intensity and over-reactions to just about everything. Shy dogs can become shyer and confident dogs can become more (sometimes over) confident. If your pug puppy did not receive enough socialization before it was 16 weeks of age (or a bit older) you will start to notice this now with more problems with fear -- reactivity and perceived aggression.

"Well, I'll just neuter him/spay her and we won't have any more problems." Honestly, this is not a cure for behavior problems and sometimes it can exacerbate others. Spay/neuter at the correct time for HEALTH reasons (we believe only after they have matured more, which is closer to a year, but definitely NEVER BEFORE at least once cycle or the equivalent with a male).

Instead, the important thing to do is STAY CALM.

Don't Punish your dog in ANY way as this will just damage your relationship and make your pug even less likely to want to work with you.

(Would you rather train an enthusiastic pug puppy who is engaged and focused on you or a zombie pug?)

Go back to the basics with your training cues -- teach every single exercise again FROM THE BEGINNING. And don't forget positive reinforcement with LOTS of encouragement and treats. 

Instead, go back to the very basics with your training cues – and teach every exercise again from the beginning. Don’t forget to include lots of rewards as teenagers need plenty of encouragement and positive reinforcement (even more so than puppies).

For example, let's say your pug puppy just stopped coming when called.

They  just forgot? Nope.

So, make it into a game. Get a long line and, away from other dogs/people in a quiet time of the day, work on recalls again. Have them chase you, and just remember what it was like when you worked with them as a tiny puppy.

Remember, the goal is to always set your pug up for success and not failure. Why? Avoiding stress and training failures means your pug will have more capacity both mentally and emotionally and be able to cope with day-to-day teenage challenges. They will avoid that negative experience that might shape the way they look at the world.

During this time, your pug is re-evaluating everything and everyone in their life. She/he is starting to look at the world with the eyes of an adult rather than a puppy.  Bad experiences now can go on to shape how they view the world and how they behave in the future.

It might seem like a step back in your training but, you'll find that your pug will come out on the other side of adolescence well-behaved and with both training skills AND your relationship intact.

STAY ON TOP OF SOCIAL SKILLS. If you pug has another canine friend, get together, go on walks together, schedule some play time. (Make sure they don't play too rough -- )

ENROLL IN ANOTHER TRAINING CLASS or activity.  An organized activity helps the teenage brain (and you). Scent work classes are AMAZING. Look for things that will use the puppy's brain and problem-solving skills, earn rewards but not strain their still growing bodies.

Scent work

Avoid stress. Don't over-exercise. Conversely, you'll want to keep your teenage puppy calm and stress free and perhaps let physical exercise take a back seat for the time being. Many owners think "more exercise will tire them out" but this is just a fallacy. It might make them fitter, but then they'll need MORE physical exercise to become exhausted. An exhausted pug does not deal with stress well, nor learn well. Enrichment dog games, toys, indoor training, hide-and-seek, scent work and other things that USE THE BRAIN tires your pug out. Teach some new tricks (or proof and improve duration or elegance of a current skill or trick.) Scatter feed. Stuff a rubber toy inside a cardboard tube they can rip/tear. etc.

Some pug puppies sail right through as teen angels while others are hooligans. One is not better or worse than the other -- just how God made them. They are just doing the best they can with their own individual personality and trying to find ways to deal with this development stage.

Some sail through adolescence as teen angels – while others are definite hooligans. Neither is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, they are just doing the best they can and all have their own individual personalities and ways of dealing with this unavoidably developmental period.

Remember, do not think they are being difficult, tell them off or punish them for the unusual behaviors, otherwise you will exacerbate their fear.

Don't force your pug to ‘face their fears’ but instead keep a comfortable distance where they do not feel they have to react or be worried, let them approach, retreat and explore in their own time, and reward them with treats to keep all interactions positive.

Avoid negative encounters or potentially worrying situations as far as is possible in this time as a bad experience now could color the way your puppy looks at the world and affect his behavior as an adult.

When you socialize, make sure it is always a positive experience. Encounters need to be positive and fun.

• Don’t think your teenager is being difficult; these hormonal changes are challenging for them and they need your guidance.
• Keep training and working with your dog. Don’t lose your patience if they are not so focused as they were or seem to have forgotten everything they ever learnt.
• Keep all social interactions positive and be as careful as you can be not to let your dog encounter antisocial or aggressive dogs as this is a time when these encounters can shape the way your adult dog interacts with those around them.
• Only let your dog play with dogs they know and get on well with.
• Be prepared for your dog to be worried or fearful around things or situations they took in their stride in the past. They are reassessing everything with the eyes of an adult so be just as sensitive to these fears as you were when they were a puppy. Let them approach, retreat and deal with things in their own time.
• If you are at all worried about your dog’s behavior, talk to a certified behaviorist who can help you get through your dog’s adolescence. Don't let bad behaviors become a habit or destroy your relationship.

TEAMWORK is the key. Don't give into thinking that your teen puppy is intentionally trying your patience. remember that this is a complex developmental time for your dog.

As a piano teacher, I've always found it challenging when my longtime students I've taught since age 4, 5, or 6 enter the terrible teens. Very often that would be when they would discontinue their piano studies so I am always picking the brains of Jr High school teachers. They are all pretty cool, down-to-earth, and genuine,  and many of them mention that their secret is to laugh it off. They use sarcasm and other things that make all the "big stuff" seem smaller and more manageable. Also, don't forget to look at how cute these guys are at this awkward age! That pug puppy's adorable cuteness will give you the motivation to make it through these few months (or days or weeks).