Suzanne Clothier - Maddening to Maturity

Do you wonder where your once wonderful puppy went? And why has he turned into a sometimes maddening, unpredictable, maybe even out of control adolescent? Relax — you’re not alone. More than a few puppy class stars have gone on to be champion buttheads as teenagers!

For many dog owners, the 18-24 month period of adolescence is problematic. Even with a great start in puppyhood, many dogs hit adolescence and become frustrating, unruly, and simply maddening in some ways. While puzzling to many owners, this is a natural, but poorly understood stage of development.

Did you know that adolescence begins around 20 weeks of age?That a year old dog is roughly the equivalent of a 14 year human?That adulthood in the dog begins at 2-4 years of age?That the most annoying teenage dogs are often geniuses?

The Relationship Centered Training (RCT) approach focuses on three areas of the teenage dog’s…