TEEN SOCIAL
Keep Strengthening Resilience, Confidence, & Sociability
For adolescent ("teen") dogs between the ages of 5 and 24 months. Available exclusively to approved participants of our Puppy Social, Life Skills, and private training programs.
The Teen Social program is specifically designed to continue building on the foundation communication skills with other dogs established during puppyhood. Small class sizes, organized by size and play style, with a majority of the time spent in free play closely supervised by a certified trainer. The trainer is available to discuss topics and provide guidance to support you during the "teenage" phase of your dog's development.
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Drop-In*
$20+GST
*Reservations Required, for more info see our FAQ on this
**Expiration dates apply - Click here to view policy details on our FAQ page
Go Beyond Early Socialization
Studies indicate that certain dogs/breeds may have a predisposition to heightened levels of general fearfulness. When these dogs feel afraid and their concerns are disregarded, it can frequently result in the manifestation of aggressive behaviours as a means of communication.
Interested in learning more about this? Check out this study & this study.
Positive experiences around people and other animals should not stop after puppyhood - it should continue through to adulthood. It is believed that many dogs experience a secondary fear/sensitive period during their adolescent development phase, most often occurring any time between 6-18 months of age depending on individual factors. Researchers have found an increase in avoidance and fearful behaviours during this time frame, but don't yet know if this result is more likely due to learned experiences, or as a part of the natural maturation process.
During adolescent development, dogs undergo hormonal (even if spayed/neutered) and cognitive changes. Puppies are especially impressionable in their first few months, which is why it’s best to introduce Fido to new experiences and situations in a pleasant way early in life. However, continued socialization (pleasant exposure) throughout your dog’s first two years of life has been shown to have many significant benefits.
Come to Our Next Teen Social!
Raising Fido Canine Behaviour & Training offers a teen social program to clients who've participated in our Puppy Social and/or Life Skills programs with trainer approval. Teen Socials are designed to safely compliment and bolster your young dog's broad socialization journey with off leash dog-dog interactions guided by a certified trainer.
It can be nerve wracking to visit an off leash area for the first time with a young dog. We understand the need to balance keeping experiences positive with the need to continue developing their sociability during this time so that you can include your dog more fully in your life. This time also brings about a need for increased daily exercise and a decreased need for sleep compared to puppyhood. For this reason, it's necessary for your teen to have opportunities to run, explore, and if interested, to engage with their own species in a way they find enjoyable.
Let us help you safely navigate this time. You and your dog can experience the full benefits of a high-quality adolescent social program that's curated according to a variety of factors including age, size, personality, and play style preferences to provide the best learning experience possible for everyone.
Teen Social
Small
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Adolescent dogs aged 5 to 24 months.
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Limited to 6 teens per session with reservation always required.
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45-minute sessions.
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Saturday mornings @ fully fenced private dog park.
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Adolescent dogs aged 5 to 24 months.
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Limited to 6 teens per session with reservation always required.
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45-minute sessions.
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Saturday mornings @ fully fenced private dog park.
Teen Social
Medium & Large
Class
Overview
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Continue with trainer-lead active dog-dog socialization activities.
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Free play supervised and guided by skilled certified trainer.
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Key adolescent dog training topics discussed.
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Demonstrations, Q&As, and coaching/guidance.
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Trainer may make individual changes such as switching a dog to the other group social class, or another suitable training option all together.
Please note that our Teen Social Program is only open to approved teen dogs who have participated in our puppy programs, Life Skills program, or private training program (where suitable).
Be sure to review our Policies, and Terms & Conditions before booking.
Get Started!
Follow our guide below to set up your account and get booked in.
Once your account in Gingr is created this is now your portal for everything Raising Fido.
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It’s easy to book your pup in for courses, make or cancel reservations, communicate directly with us, process secure payments, receive written training updates with photos or videos and more.
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You can download Gingr for Pet Parents on your phone or tablet using invite code: 467221
A Quality Dog-Dog Interaction Program
Backed By Science
"Age-appropriate socialization practices should begin within a few days of birth, and should extend well into adulthood. These practices should aim to provide exposure to many of the types of experiences, people, and objects that the dog is likely to encounter over the course of its life, in a controlled and pleasant way."
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(Howell, King, and Bennett 2015)
"Whilst experiences during the socialization period are of great importance, dogs may regress and become fearful if exposure to socio-environmental stimuli is not maintained as both social and environmental learning continue throughout the juvenile period & adolescence."
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(Thompson et al., 2010)
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Sociability
Under socialized dogs can be prone to developing more problematic behaviour traits such as aggression and anxiety. Teen Socials with Raising Fido dog training are a great way to help your dog continue developing their skills on the specific area of dog-dog communication skills and sociability. Classes are always led by a knowledgeable experienced certified dog trainer and designed with our proactive approach in mind. Ongoing participation in safe and fun social opportunities can help with raising a happier and healthier Fido.
During this drop-in class clients are provided with the opportunity to continue regularly exposing their adolescent dog to positive learning experiences that can favourably influence temperament development.
When dogs go through adolescence (approx. 5-24 months) it can feel like we're experiencing similar pain points to that of a human teenager. Suddenly we seem to no longer be at the centre of their world like we once were during puppyhood. A preference for not hanging around with us when their friends are about seems to become apparent. A desire to roam farther away from us; letting their sense of smell, sight, sound AND hormones guide their behaviour more than ever before. A resurgence of chewing and a decrease in responding to cues we taught them early on can make us feel like our dog is choosing to ignore us, being stubborn, or spitefully "misbehaving" on purpose. These are all normal behavioural changes for young dogs as their brains literally re-wire during this time. However, they can cause a lot of stress if we are not expecting these changes or prepared with the understanding and knowledge to make this time easier. The team at Raising Fido is always here to support and guide clients through this stage of their dog's lives so that both come out happy on the other side.
