Canine adolescence represents a critical welfare risk period when many dogs are relinquished due to misunderstood behavioral changes.
Canine adolescence is the developmental stage most likely to result in relinquishment and, for many dogs, euthanasia. Owners frequently misinterpret normal adolescent behavior — selective hearing, increased reactivity, training regression — as defiance or character flaws rather than developmental phases. This misunderstanding drives surrender decisions that are devastating for individual dogs. Veterinarians and trainers have a critical role in preparing owners for adolescence before it arrives, reframing behavioral changes as normal development, and providing practical management strategies. Dogs who survive adolescence with their homes intact typically stabilize into well-adjusted adults.