Is it me, or is he rebelling?

by RJ
(Washington, DC)

Please help. Your advice has been so great for me in the past, that I knew you could shed some light.

My maltipoo is about one year old (human)years. I don't know what that is in dog years, but it seems now all of a sudden he is going through a rebellion stage like a teenager.

He's urinating on the sofas, ignoring basic commands, barking and whining a lot more.

Is it possible that this is somewhat like a teen stage for dogs? I can't figure it out.

He gets the same amount of attention, more time outside, lots of hugs and family love, but continues to do the things he knows he is not suppose to and ignore all the things he has been taught.

What am I missing here?



Hi Rita
You're not missing anything, in fact you've hit the nail right on the head! Your pup is maturing into an adult, and just like human teens, he's testing his limits and flexing his 'muscles' as it were.

Everything he's doing is typical (both for canine and humans!). It's very important that you continue to treat him the same way as you always have. Give him lots of love and attention, but be sure to discipline him (firmly but lovingly) when necessary.

Male pups tend to be a bit more prone to this type of behavior, but it happens to all pups to some degree or another. You need to continue to show him that you love him, but that you are 'in charge' and his displays of temper or 'brattiness' will not get the desired result. If he's allowed to feel as though he is getting his own way, or is able to manipulate or 'bully' you, the behavior will get worse, and could become problematic.

However, if you stay calm, act lovingly and be patient but firm with him, he will outgrow this phase and it will leave no lasting 'scars'! One advantage to smaller dogs is that they mature more quickly than the larger ones, therefore each stage is shorter-lived.

If you've not attended obedience classes with him, or even if you have done a puppy class or beginners class in the past, now would be a good time to enrol/re-enrol in a class and work with him in a controlled setting. This helps to reinforce your authority, and improve the communication between you. It also gives him the chance to socialize with other dogs and for you both to benefit from spending time with others in a similar situation. The instructor can also give you individual attention and help you with any lingering issues or concerns.

I'm sure you'll sail through this phase and will come out the other side unscathed. Just keep up the good work. Best of luck to you both.