Adolescent Dogs Most at Risk of Being Given Up
New digital course from Dogs Trust helps dog owners navigate the tricky ‘teenage’ phase
In 2025 alone, we have received 885 requests from people looking to give up their adolescent dogs. This makes up 42% of all surrender requests we received so far this year, indicating that adolescent dogs are the group most at risk of being given up.
To support owners through this challenging life stage and help keep dogs and their owners together, we launched a new digital course designed to help dog owners navigate their dog’s teenage phase, covering the critical 6-24 month period.
The Teenage Dogs Training Course offers practical tools and expert advice helping owners understand what’s really happening during adolescence and learn how to guide their dogs calmly and confidently through this tricky time. Available on-demand and designed for mobile use, the course explains the fear periods, hormones and big emotions that go with this stage of their dogs’ lives, allowing owners to learn how to support their dogs.
The course begins with Foundations of Training, helping dog owners strengthen communication with their dogs by understanding how they learn. It also offers specific advice on the four most common adolescent behaviour challenges: Loose Lead Walking, Recall and Leave It, Reducing Jumping Up, and Excessive Barking. Throughout, the course promotes kind learning methods, helping owners strengthen their bond and make training enjoyable for both.
We are encouraging dog owners to start training early, recognising that while adolescence can be a challenging stage to navigate, it’s also a valuable opportunity for growth and bonding.
"Unfortunately, unwanted behaviours are consistently among the top three reasons dogs are given up, which is why starting training early is so important. What can start as playful puppy behaviour can become harder to manage during the teenage months and translate into adulthood, making early support crucial. We know that adolescence can be a challenging stage, but with the right guidance, it’s also a time to build trust, communication and confidence. Our new Teenage Dogs Training Course is designed to make this transition easier by offering step-by-step guides, real-life solutions, interactive games and videos to make the training enjoyable for both dog and owner.’’
Amy Synnott, Group Head of Operations, Veterinary and Behaviour at Dogs Trust Ireland
Dog owners can purchase the full course or select individual modules depending on their needs. Individual modules are priced from €19.99, with the full course available for €59.99. To buy the course, or find out more, visit dogstrust.ie/training.
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