When does adolescence begin in dogs?

It depends on size: around 4-5 months in small breeds, a little later (around 6 months) in large ones, with puberty arriving on average around 13-14 months. The first signals: recall that wobbles, energy that climbs, and a dog who tests the limits. Nothing abnormal.

How long does a dog's adolescence last?

Roughly from 6 to 18 months, a little longer in large builds that mature late. It's temporary, but 'passing' doesn't mean 'it sorts itself out': you keep working consistently through the stage, and stability returns somewhere between 18 months and 3 years.

Why does my teenage dog no longer come back on recall?

It's a classic age-related regression, tied to maturation and attachment, not defiance (Asher et al. 2020). Put a long line back on and rework it from easy to hard over 2 to 3 weeks, marking his return with a cheerful marker word ('yes!'). Above all, stop repeating 'heel' into thin air: the cue loses its value.

From puppy to teenager: the transition

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From puppy to teenager: the transition

Q: At what age is a dog no longer a puppy?

He leaves the puppy stage for adolescence as early as 4-5 months in small breeds, a little later (around 6 months) in large ones. This teenage phase runs roughly from 6 to 18 months, longer in large and giant breeds (up to 2 years), then he becomes a young adult between 18 months and 3 years, when emotional stability settles in for good.

Q: When does a dog stop growing?

Small builds often finish growing around 8 to 12 months, large and giant breeds much later, sometimes up to 18-24 months (the sex hormones 'close' the bones). That's why we avoid jumps and intense effort on a skeleton that's still a work in progress, and why we discuss the timing of neutering with the vet, especially in large dogs (Hart et al. 2020).

Q: Should you neuter your dog during adolescence?

It's not an automatic cure for the hormonal peak: the effect on behaviour is inconsistent (Moxon et al. 2024) and it erases neither anxiety nor missing training. In large breeds, it's better to wait until growth is finished (Hart et al. 2020). The decision is made with the vet according to breed, sex and adult size, never at the first hot flush of hormones.

9 min read

What is going on in a teenage dog's head

Around puberty, a puppy goes through a genuine upheaval: more appetite for independence, more testing, and obedience that wobbles for a while. He isn't doing it on purpose, and he isn't trying to get the upper hand over you: a 2020 British study, which followed puppies from 5 to 12 months, shows that at 8 months, right in the middle of puberty, a dog responds far less well to cues given by his main person. His response to a stranger, on the other hand, doesn't change. It is a matter of attachment and of a brain still maturing, not of a hierarchy to win back.

The same study, run with female dogs, shows something else: those with the most secure bond with their family came into season a little later, and those whose attachment was more fragile (they quickly worry about being separated, they demand a lot of attention) came into season earlier.

That is still a good reason to nurture a secure bond with your dog at this age: play with him, keep calm moments that belong just to the two of you, answer when he comes looking for you, and don't punish him when he goes over the top.

And if your female came into season early, it doesn't mean you did anything wrong: it is one signal among many, draw no conclusion from that fact alone, since every dog's physiology is unique.

The recall goes up in smoke

He came back perfectly at 4 months, and now he turns a deaf ear at the park.
It isn't defiance: at this age he takes his distance, and that's normal.
You can rebuild it with consistency, but it won't fix itself.

Energy running over

Same outings as before, yet by the evening he is climbing the walls.
He is at his physical peak: he needs more outlet, not less.
Mental work (scent games, tracking) counts at least as much as physical exercise.

The dog friends who tell him off

Adults who adored him as a puppy are now less patient with him.
His puppy scent is fading: other dogs no longer treat him like a baby.
It doesn't mean your dog is turning nasty.

The hormones doing the talking

Males mark more and take an interest in females, females have their first season: the hormones are settling in.
It is biological and temporary, not a whim.
Neutering is not a “calm” button: that decision is made with the vet.

Rebuilding a recall that has gone wobbly

Go back to basics without hardening your tone: the long line first, consistency next.

a few weeks

Put the long line back on for a few weeks

A 5 to 10 metre long line: he keeps his freedom of movement, you keep a hold on him if you need to bring him back.

Rebuild it from easy to hard

Start in the garden or a quiet corridor, then a neutral place, then with distractions. Aim for two or three mini sessions of 5 minutes a day, five or six recalls per session: that works better than one long session. Only change location when he comes back almost every time to where you are.

Mark the exact moment he turns back

Keep a treat he already loves in your hand or your pocket. Say a short, cheerful marker word (“yes!”) exactly as he turns towards you, then hand it over straight away. A toy he loves can replace the treat if play motivates him more.

Stop repeating “come” into thin air

A cue thrown out fifty times with nothing behind it ends up meaning nothing at all. Call once, and make yourself interesting: cheerful voice, step backwards, a bit of play.

Make freedom the real reward

Once he comes back when called several times in a row, across several different outings, you can let him off the line: going off to sniff or play then weighs far more in his mind than any treat.

Increase his outlet without turning it into a marathon. In adolescence the need to move explodes, but it is often mental work that settles him most lastingly: wearing out a body doesn't calm an emotion, and an over-trained dog simply becomes tireless. Two easy examples: scent searches, where you hide treats around the room or the garden and let him sniff them out one by one; and self-control exercises, where he learns to wait in front of his bowl or not to pounce on an object dropped on the floor before you give the go-ahead.

Mistakes to avoid during adolescence

Is it the teenage phase, or do you need help?

This is adolescence, you can handle it at home

The recall is slipping, but he comes back with the long line and a bit of consistency.
He is bursting with energy, testing limits, forgetting cues he did know.
He has the odd friction with other dogs, but it defuses quickly.
You stay consistent, you increase his outlet, you go back to basics.

Here, get some support

Aggression that is settling in, a bite, fear or marked reactivity: that is the ground of a trainer or a behaviourist, not of a guide.
Behaviour that changes abruptly (see the health box): the vet must first rule out pain.
The decision to have your dog neutered: it is weighed up with the vet, according to his breed, his sex and his adult size.

Asher L. et al. — Teenage dogs? Evidence for adolescent-phase conflict behaviour and an association between attachment to humans and pubertal timing in the domestic dog (Biology Letters) (2020)
Hart B.L. et al. — Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs (Frontiers in Veterinary Science) (2020)

Going further

guideTeaching your dog to come back when calledThe recall is worked on at exactly this age, when distractions explode: the full method.Read the guide guideYour puppy's behavioural developmentTo understand what lies behind these changes: the key stages of behavioural development, explained simply.Read the guide guidePuppy socialisation (3 to 16 weeks)The socialisation window doesn't stop dead at adolescence: how to consolidate the good habits built earlier.Read the guide guidePuppy biting and mouthingBefore the teenage phase came the milk teeth: where this stage comes from and why it ends.Read the guide guideSpaying or neutering your dogThis is often the age when the question of neutering comes up: the markers for deciding calmly.Read the guide guideFear of thunderstorms, fireworks and loud noisesAdolescence sometimes comes with a second fear period: how to spot it and how not to reinforce it.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

At what age is a dog no longer a puppy?

He leaves the puppy stage for adolescence around 5 to 6 months, becomes a young adult around 18 months (up to 24 months in large and giant breeds, which mature late), then an adult. One word of caution though: “young adult” doesn't mean settled, and real emotional stability often only arrives between 18 months and 3 years.

When does a dog stop growing?

Small breeds often finish growing around 8 to 12 months, large and giant breeds much later, sometimes up to 18 to 24 months. Until then, the ends of the long bones still hold soft areas, the growth plates, which finish hardening under the effect of the sex hormones. That is why it is better to limit big jumps and intense effort while that skeleton is still a work in progress, and to discuss it with the vet when neutering comes up, especially in big dogs (a 2020 veterinary study on 35 breeds confirms this).

When does adolescence start in dogs?

Trust the signs more than the exact age: a recall that wobbles, energy that steps up a gear, a dog who tests limits he used to respect. It generally happens around 5 to 6 months, at the same time as puberty, a little earlier in small breeds. A 2020 study places the peak of difficulties at around 8 months. There is nothing abnormal in any of this.

How do you handle a dog through adolescence?

Above all, do three things: stay consistent (the rules don't change because he pushes back), give him as much mental as physical outlet (scent searches, waiting exercises), and don't harden your tone. For a recall that is slipping, go back to the long line for a few weeks. And keep the bond peaceful: play with him, answer his signals, don't punish him when he goes over the top.

Why does my adolescent dog no longer come back when called?

It is a classic regression at this age, linked to maturation and attachment, not to defiance (a 2020 study measured it). Put a long line back on and rebuild from easy to hard over a few weeks, marking his return with a cheerful marker word (“yes!”). And stop repeating “come” into thin air: in the end, the cue stops meaning anything.

Should you neuter your dog during adolescence?

It is not an automatic cure for the hormonal peak: studies on the effect of neutering on behaviour give contradictory results, and it erases neither anxiety nor missing training. In large breeds, it is often better to wait until growth is complete (a 2020 veterinary study on 35 breeds confirms this). The decision is made with the vet, according to breed, sex and adult size, never in the heat of the moment.

Updated on July 11, 2026Sources

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