5 Teenage Dog Habits You Don't Want to Become Permanent

Your adorable puppy is growing up, and suddenly life together looks a little different!

Perhaps your dog has started pulling you towards every interesting smell, launching themselves at visitors, or running off with your socks in the hope of starting a game of chase.

Sound familiar?

Adolescence is a normal stage of development, but it's also a time when dogs can develop habits that follow them into adulthood.

And here's something important to remember: dogs don't automatically grow out of behaviours just because they get older.

Behaviours that work for them tend to get repeated. And the more opportunities they have to practise those behaviours, the more established they can become.

Let's look at five common teenage dog habits and what you can do to prevent them from becoming lifelong challenges.

1. Pulling on the Lead to Get Somewhere Exciting

Your teenage dog spots an interesting smell, another dog or their favourite patch of grass. They pull towards it, you follow, and they get exactly what they wanted.

From your dog's perspective, pulling worked!

Dogs naturally repeat behaviours that produce rewarding outcomes, and reaching something interesting can be a powerful reward.

What can you do instead?

Start rewarding your dog for walking with a loose lead, even if it's only for a few steps at a time. Practise in quiet environments before expecting the same skills around exciting distractions.

And remember, loose-lead walking doesn't mean your dog needs to walk glued to your leg. Allowing opportunities to sniff and explore is an important part of an enjoyable walk. The aim is to teach your dog that keeping the lead loose is a successful way to get where they want to go.

2. Jumping Up at Everyone They Meet

Your teenage dog LOVES people!

So much so that every visitor is greeted with enthusiastic jumping, bouncing and perhaps a few muddy paw prints.

It's easy to accidentally reinforce jumping, particularly when people respond by talking to, touching or laughing at an excited dog.

Even attention intended to discourage jumping can sometimes keep the behaviour going.

What can you do instead?

Teach your dog an alternative way to greet people. You might reward them for keeping all four paws on the floor, approaching calmly or going to a designated mat when visitors arrive.

In the meantime, management can make a huge difference. Using a baby gate or lead when visitors arrive can prevent your dog from repeatedly practising enthusiastic jumping while you work on building new skills.

And don't forget to reward calm greetings generously!

3. Stealing Things to Start a Game of Chase

Does your teenage dog love running away with socks, shoes or anything else they can get their paws on?

Perhaps you've noticed that the moment you get up to retrieve something, your dog takes off!

For some dogs, this quickly becomes a fantastic game. They grab something, you chase them, and suddenly they've created their own entertainment.

What can you do instead?

First, make it harder for your dog to access items you don't want them to have. Keep shoes out of reach, use baby gates where appropriate and provide plenty of suitable toys and enrichment activities.

Teach a positive 'drop' cue by practising exchanges with toys and treats, rather than forcibly taking things away.

Avoid turning every stolen item into an exciting chase. If your dog has something dangerous, prioritise their safety and use a calm approach to encourage a trade.

The goal is to teach your dog that giving things up is worthwhile, not something they need to avoid.

4. Demanding Attention Through Barking or Pawing

You're sitting on the couch, trying to relax. Your teenage dog approaches and paws at your arm. You respond.

A few minutes later, they try again. This time, perhaps with a bark!

Dogs are very good at discovering which behaviours get our attention. And because attention can be rewarding, even occasionally responding to demanding behaviour can help maintain it.

Of course, it's also important to recognise that dogs communicate their needs through behaviour. Barking, pawing or restlessness may indicate that your dog needs something, is uncomfortable or is struggling to settle.

What can you do instead?

Make sure your dog's needs for exercise, enrichment, rest and social interaction are being met.

Then start actively rewarding the behaviours you'd like to see more often. If your dog lies down quietly while you're watching television, reward them! If they choose to settle on their mat, acknowledge that lovely choice.

Rather than waiting until your dog does something you don't like, look for opportunities to reinforce what you do like.

5. Ignoring Recall Because the World Is More Interesting

You call your teenage dog. They glance at you, then return to sniffing that fascinating patch of grass. You call again. Nothing. Eventually, you walk over and collect them.

Recall can become unreliable during adolescence, particularly when the environment offers much more exciting opportunities than returning to their person.

But there's another important factor: what happens when your dog actually comes back?

If returning to you always means the end of their fun, they may become less enthusiastic about doing so.

What can you do instead?

Practise recall in manageable environments using rewards your dog genuinely values.

Use a long line where appropriate to keep your dog safe while building reliability.

And here's a particularly useful tip: sometimes call your dog, reward them generously, and then release them to continue exploring!

This helps teach your dog that coming back doesn't always mean the fun is over.

Small Changes Now Can Make a Big Difference Later

The teenage months can certainly be challenging, but they're also a fantastic opportunity to build habits that will benefit your dog throughout adulthood.

The key is to be consistent, set realistic expectations and look for opportunities to reward the behaviours you'd like to see more often.

It's also important to remember that training isn't just about teaching new skills. Managing your dog's environment to prevent unwanted behaviours from being repeatedly practised is just as valuable.

And don't forget to celebrate the small wins! Whether it's choosing to walk beside you instead of pulling, settling quietly while you have a coffee, or coming back when called despite an interesting distraction, these are all skills worth recognising and rewarding.

Your teenage dog doesn't need to be perfect. With patience, consistency and the right support, those small successes can add up to lasting habits.

Help Your Teenage Dog Build Good Habits for Life

At Paws & Reward, our Teenage Dog Academy is designed for dogs aged 6–18 months.

This small-group class focuses on building practical skills that make everyday life together easier, including loose-lead walking, emotional regulation, calm greetings, disengagement, settling and learning around distractions.

We use positive, reward-based training to help adolescent dogs develop skills that will benefit them throughout adulthood.

🐾 Ready to help your teenage dog build good habits?

Learn more about our Teenage Dog Academy

And if you're interested in understanding why teenage dogs sometimes struggle with behaviours they previously found easy, read our other article: The Teenage Dog Brain: Why Less Can Sometimes Be More