Adolescence, Antics & Almost Retrieves – Surviving the Teenage Gundog

Training a teenage gundog? Expect chaos, comedy, and confusion. Here’s how to survive the sit-less, stay-less, sock-stealing adolescent phase.

Adolescence, Antics & Almost Retrieves – Surviving the Teenage Gundog

Ah, adolescence. That magical time in a young dog’s life when all your carefully laid training plans are gleefully ignored, socks go missing daily, and your recall cue becomes more of a polite suggestion than an actual instruction. If you’ve ever tried to train a teenage gundog, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

One day, your puppy is nailing their sit stays and enthusiastically trotting back with dummies like a mini champion. The next, they’re sprinting off with the dummy like it’s a prized rugby ball, ears flapping and tail wagging in triumph while you stand in the field wondering why you ever thought dog training was a good idea.

Welcome to the rollercoaster of adolescent gundog training. Please keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times.

The Forgetful Phase

First on the itinerary: the complete and utter disappearance of all known cues. Sit? Never heard of it. Recall? Not when there’s a squirrel within a five-mile radius. Heel? Only if it happens to coincide with the general direction they’re already heading. It's not that your dog won’t listen… it’s that they literally forget how to dog for a few months.

Take my own Griff, a 14-month-old working golden retriever, as a perfect example. This dog, who has definitely been taught how to sit, regularly looks me dead in the eye as if the concept of “bottom on the ground” is some outrageous new trick I’ve just invented. Stay? Don’t be ridiculous. He’s got places to be, apparently.

The Wobble in Confidence

Adolescence can also bring a strange mix of boldness and nerves. One moment they’re launching themselves at a jump they’ve never seen before, the next they’re spooking at a suspicious-looking leaf. Gundog training at this stage often involves as much emotional support as it does actual training. "You’re a brave and clever retriever," you whisper as you lure them past a terrifying wheelbarrow for the fourth time this week.

The Return of the Mouth Monster

Remember when your pup stopped mouthing everything like a teething crocodile? Yeah, that’s over. In adolescence, many dogs rediscover their inner chomper. Dummies may be chewed. Game may be chomped. Your gloves are fair game. This is where teaching a calm, soft delivery can feel like training a dog to hand over Excalibur.

The Great Testing

Adolescents love to test boundaries. Will they still get their treat if they half-sit? What happens if they just nudge forward on the stop whistle? Is there a loophole in the “no hooning around the house with the slip lead” rule?

You can almost see the thought bubbles over their heads. And sometimes, their creativity is impressive. (Even if it makes you want to cry into your treat pouch.)

The Glimpses of Glory

But then – oh, then – there are the magical moments. The times they pause, look to you for direction, and actually listen. The retrieve they deliver right to hand, calm and proud. The way they rest their head on your knee at the end of a session, muddy, tired, and still your partner through it all.

Those moments don’t come every day during adolescence, but when they do, they’re golden. They’re the reminders of what’s to come if you keep going, keep showing up, and keep laughing (instead of screaming into a cushion).

Top Tips for Surviving the Teenage Phase

Lower your expectations. This isn’t the time for perfection. It’s the time for connection.
Train short and sweet. A tired teenager is a bitey teenager. Don’t overdo it.
Keep your sense of humour. One day you’ll laugh about that time they legged it with your best dummy. Maybe.
Celebrate the little wins. A nice heel? Woohoo! A retrieve without a victory lap? Break out the biscuits!
Remember: this too shall pass. Just like with human teens, eventually they grow up (mostly).

So here’s to the adolescent gundogs: the joyful chaos, the maddening moments, and the unforgettable journey. Behind every polished picking-up dog is a once-ridiculous teenage hooligan who made their trainer question all their life choices. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.