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The researchers found that dogs ignore commands and are more difficult to train at eight months of age, when they go through puberty. This behavior was more pronounced in dogs that had less attachment to their owner.
Scientists studied a group of 69 dogs. They monitored the obedience of Labradors, golden retrievers and crossbreeds of these two breeds aged from five months to adolescence and from eight months throughout the problem period.
Dogs take longer to follow the "sit" command during adolescence, but only when the command was given by a handler rather than a stranger. The probability of repeatedly refusing to follow the command was higher at eight months than at five.
Further evidence was found when the team examined a large group of 285 Labradors, golden retrievers and German shepherds and crossbreeds. Owners and trainers, less familiar with each dog, filled out a questionnaire that looked at training and obedience.
Educators gave lower ratings of dogs' training in adolescence, compared to when they were puppies or already fully grown.
Experts also found that, as in humans, female dogs with weak attachment to their owners reach puberty early. These data provide the first evidence of a cross-species effect of relationship quality on reproductive timing, highlighting another parallel in parent–child relationships.
"Our results show that the behavioral changes observed in dogs parallel the parent-child relationship. It is very important that owners do not punish their dogs for disobedience or begin to emotionally withdraw from them during this time. This can worsen problematic behavior," experts comment.
