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November 2025 www.OverTheHumpSaver.com PAGE 67

PAW’S

CORNER

By Sam Mazzotta

PUPPY TRAINING 103: REGRESSION

D EAR PAW’S CORNER: of a healthy, happy young dog, and to focus on the basics of behavior
it starts at about 7 to 10 months of
I adopted a beautiful
training and maintain the routine
black Lab. “Sadie” was
you’ve established. If you walk Sadie
age.
each morning and practice “sit,” “lay
10 weeks old, well
socialized to people Much like human teenagers, puppies down,” “heel” and “come” (recall
and other dogs by the shelter staff, at this phase develop fun traits like from the end of the leash), don’t
and started training beautifully. Now selective hearing (they won’t always change.
she is 7 months old, and some days listen or respond when called),
it seems like she has forgotten all of challenging authority and testing It’s also important to manage your
her behavioral training. She won’t boundaries. Part of what’s happening frustration. That can be hard when
respond to commands, she pulls the is hormonal changes and growing an adolescent dog is tangling the
leash and she jumps on people at pains, along with more familiarity leash around your ankles! Breathe
the door. Why is she suddenly such with her environment and the rou- deeply, remind yourself that this, too,
a handful? -- Barry G. in Bellingham, tine you’ve set. These are important shall pass, and keep the leash short.
Washington stages in Sadie’s development, so
don’t get discouraged. You haven’t COMMENTS
DEAR BARRY: Congratulations! Your failed at training her. Send your questions or pet tips
to ask@pawscorner.com.
puppy is reaching the “rebellious
teenager” phase of growth. This is During a regression (which can also © 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
a totally normal (if irritating) phase happen in adult dogs), it’s important