How to Love and Survive Your Teenage Dog

Book excerpt: All dogs (and humans) have to go through the teenage phase to reach the stability of adulthood. Some dogs breeze through this stage with barely a glitch, but most of us will have a challenging time.It is normal to sometimes feel despondent or disappointed because we thought we did everything right when they were puppies and now nothing seems to be working. The challenges of the teenage phase are real and can put our relationship with our dog at risk.It does not have to be like this! This book will help you to understand your teenage dog better and navigate these challenges, by covering: an understanding of the unique challenges you and your teenage dog face; why and how your relationship matters in the training process; the role of anthropomorphism and consideration of dog emotions and minds; the benefits of positive reinforcement; the importance of lifelong socialisation; promoting the value of calmness; and how to keep your and your dog's sanity despite some common setbacks. You can - and should - enjoy your teenage dog despitethe difficult behaviours they show. The reward is a happy and well-adjusted friend for life!