If you’ve ever raised a puppy, you know the early days are filled with wonder. Wiggly tails, floppy ears, clumsy paws—and that sweet innocence that melts your heart. But just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, something shifts. Suddenly your puppy starts barking at strangers, pulling on the leash, or ignoring cues they used to nail.

Welcome to puppy adolescence—a crucial and often confusing phase of development that deserves just as much attention and care as those first few weeks.

At Hillary’s Hound House, we think of adolescence not as a problem to solve but  an invitation—to help puppies and their loved ones navigate the often confusing period  between young puppyhood and the dawn of adulthood. 

It’s where your puppy begins forming a deeper relationship with the world and testing the tools they’ve been given to navigate it.

When that foundation is in place, adolescence becomes an opportunity instead of an obstacle.

What is an Adolescent Puppy?

This stage is marked by significant changes in brain chemistry, hormone levels, and behavior. Many puppy parents are surprised to find that their previously sweet, cooperative pup suddenly seems forgetful, defiant, or overexcitable. But don’t worry—this is all part of the process.

Common Characteristics of Adolescent Puppies:

• Selective hearing: That perfect recall you had at 4 months? Suddenly gone.
  

• Testing boundaries: Just like a teenager, your pup may start pushing limits to see what flies.
  

• Increased independence: They may start to explore more, wander farther, and act like they “don’t need you” (even though they do).
  

• Hormonal shifts: Especially in unneutered/spayed dogs, this can result in new behaviors like marking, mounting, or increased interest in other dogs.
  

• Fear periods: Temporary regressions where things that were once fine now seem scary.
  

• Restlessness and energy spikes: Your pup may need more physical exercise and more mental enrichment.
  

• Emotional sensitivity: Emotions run high—frustration, excitement, anxiety, even joy—all of it can get amplified.
  

• Magnification of early issues: Small behavior quirks in puppyhood may now show up more dramatically (e.g. leash reactivity, fear of strangers, separation anxiety).

  In short, your adolescent pup is still very much a baby—but now with more strength, bigger feelings, and more curiosity about the world. This is a pivotal time to nurture the relationship, revisit training foundations, and create a safe, structured environment that supports healthy social and emotional development.

Adolescence is often when subtle challenges show up in big ways. Maybe your previously chill pup starts barking at the mail carrier or struggles to settle in new places. These issues didn’t appear out of nowhere—they were almost always there in some form beforehand.

But in adolescence, brain chemistry shifts, hormones surge, and emotional responses intensify—much like a human teenager. 

Adolescence is between early puppyhood and adulthood—and just like in human teens, it’s a time of transformation, exploration, and sometimes, confusion. For dogs, adolescence typically spans from around 6 to 12 months of age, though this can vary by breed and size (larger breeds tend to mature more slowly).

Think of it like that time in your menstrual cycle when everything is just… more. Emotions run higher. Everything feels louder. It’s not all bad—it’s just heightened.

That’s adolescence for your puppy.

The gift of this phase is that it shows you what you missed. And more importantly, it gives you the chance to course-correct with compassion.

Not all puppies experience adolescence the same way. Some become a little clingy. Others test boundaries. Some withdraw or become hyper-sensitive to sounds or movement. At Hillary’s Hound House, we see it all.

Take Koji, for example—a sweet pup who recently graduated from our Jumpstart Puppy Program. When he first arrived, he was full of charm but needed help translating that charm into confidence. Thanks to his family’s dedication, Koji made huge strides in early socialization. Now, they’re enrolling him in our Teen Tune-Up program—because adolescence, as we say, changes the game.

Watch Koji in a café, before and after his puppy jumpstart.

Before

After

Then there’s Stinson, a 7-month-old doodle whose adolescence unearthed some deep fears. Stinson became wary of people, dogs, sounds—pretty much everything. One day, his family sent us a video of him reacting intensely to a rug delivery.

But here’s the beautiful part: With the right support, structure, and trust-building, Stinson began to blossom. 

One of our favorite moments was his introduction to our staff. We simply sat on the floor, facing away from him, and let him come to us—on his own terms. That single act of choice gave him confidence, and soon, he was exploring, wagging, and engaging.

Watch Stinson find confidence with our staff