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The Go-Home Guide
The Labrador Teenage Phase: Why Your Good Puppy Stopped Listening
What is happening, when it hits, and how to come out the other side with a great adult dog.
By Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA. Family-raised Labradors in Sanford, FL.
The bookThe Go-Home GuideFrom Chapter 13: The Teenager Warning.See it on Amazon
The short version
- Lab adolescence usually runs from about 6 months to 18 months.
- Ignoring commands at around 8 months is normal and documented.
- It is temporary. Most dogs return to normal or better by 12 months.
- Refresh the basics weekly, keep the exercise up, and do not give up.
Your puppy knew sit, come and stay. She was house-trained. Then, somewhere around her first birthday, she started looking at you like she had never heard those words. You did not break your dog. She hit the Labrador teenage phase.
It is real, and it is documented
For years, breeders and trainers said dogs go through a teenage stage. Now there is research behind it.
Researchers led by Newcastle University tested Labradors, Golden Retrievers and crosses at five and eight months. At eight months, the dogs were slower to obey “sit” from their own caregiver, but not from a stranger. Most were back to normal or better by twelve months.
Source: Newcastle University and University of Nottingham, Biology Letters (2020)
The same researchers warned that adolescence is a peak age for dogs being given up to shelters. The behavior that makes owners quit is the same behavior that passes if they hold on.
When it hits
In the Borosky house, regressions show up at three predictable points: around four to five months, again near eight months, and again around eighteen months. Each time, a well-behaved dog starts testing limits. Each time, it is a signal to go back to basics, not proof that training failed.
What it looks like
- Recall falls apart, especially outside.
- Old habits come back: jumping, counter surfing, pulling on the leash.
- House-training slips, with an accident or two in a dog who had none.
- More energy, not less, especially in American Labs.
- Selective hearing with you, and perfect manners for a stranger.
How to get through it
- Refresh the basics once a week. Dr. Paul picks Saturday and runs sit, stay and come with every dog, Dunkin included.
- Make it easier, then reward more. Go back to an easier version of the command until it clicks again.
- Keep the exercise and the outings going. A tired teenager behaves better, and social skills fade if you stop practicing. In Florida summers, walk early and late. Our exercise guide and socialization guide have the details.
Remi’s keep-away game
At about a year old, Remi decided recall was a game. Called in from the yard, she bolted the other way, usually right when Dr. Paul needed to leave for work. The fix was a long line in the yard to guide her in, a reward every time she came on her own, and a lot of patience. The game died, the recall came back, and Remi is a great adult today. Meet her on her profile page.
If you slacked in the first 90 days
The game is not over. Dogs keep learning their whole lives. It is just easier when they are young. Start the weekly refresh now and be consistent. The rest of the plan is in The Go-Home Guide, and the training basics are in our Lab training guide.
Common Questions
At what age do Labradors go through a teenage phase?
Is it normal for my Lab to stop listening at 8 months?
How long does the Labrador teenage phase last?
Should I hire a trainer for my teenage Lab?
Raising a Borosky puppy?
Our next litter is Luna x Louie, white and cream English Labradors due at the end of November 2026. Deposits open once the puppies are born. Every family gets this same playbook at pickup, plus Dr. Paul’s phone number.
See upcoming littersCall (321) 948-9588