OK, I realize the answer to this questions is always going to be: Every dog is different and it completely depends on the individual dog.
However, this is my first time raising a dog and while there’s a surplus of info on puppyhood, there seems to be a lot less about adolescence. I understand that patience, constancy and fairness are key elements to continue to build trust during the teenage years. Continued socializing and training also seem extremely important.
I guess what I’m really asking is: What do YOU expect of a 18 – 24mo dog? Do you give him/her any responsibilities (or different responsibilities)? Hold him to higher standards? Do the rules and expectations change as he gets older, and if the answer is “yes”, then how so?
I worry that I would be doing my dog a disservice if I treated him like a puppy for the rest of his life. I’d be very interested in hearing how experienced dog owners think about and handle the transition from puppyhood to adolescence and finally adulthood.