Listen to This Sweet Puppy’s Baby Bark

A beagle puppy with the cutest little bark is melting hearts in this post from puppysherpa. Puppies typically begin to bark around eight weeks old, but unfortunately, they won’t keep the adorable “puppy bark” forever. Dogs experience vocal changes as they mature, just like human adolescents. Puppies also go through an awkward “teenage” stage that may begin as early as 6 months old, depending on the breed. It can be a rocky road, but it helps to remember that we were all teenagers once.

How Do Puppies Transition to Their Grown-Up Barks?

Scientists often look to vocal changes as indicators of maturation, particularly in human males. Reproductive hormones have a significant impact on vocal organs throughout humans’ lives. In fact, the larynx is considered a secondary sexual organ due to the considerable differences in size and shape between males and females. At the onset of puberty, reproductive hormones cause the larynx, vocal tract, and vocal folds to thicken and grow larger and longer. These modifications result in voice deepening of around one octave for men and 3-4 semitones for women.

Experts suspect a similar process takes place in dogs. Unfortunately, there are few scientific studies relating to vocal changes in dogs during puberty. Yet there is evidence that as puppies mature, their vocal organs grow and thicken. Researchers found a correlation between the length of a dog’s vocal tract and the body mass of the dog, indicating that larger dogs had lower frequency barks. While small dogs will still lose their puppy barks, the changes will be less noticeable than in large breeds. However, when can owners expect to see this transformation in their pups, and what else does puppy puberty have in store for them?

Puppy Puberty

For many mammals, adolescence brings dramatic changes in both the body and the brain. This is especially true for dogs. During a pup’s first year, it grows and develops to the physiological age of a 15-year-old human. Adolescence begins around six months old and ends around 18 months old, although the timing can vary depending on the dog’s breed. Large breeds like Great Danes mature slower than small breeds like Pomeranians. Many veterinarians recommend spaying and neutering during adolescence to prevent heat cycles in females and reduce inappropriate spraying and fighting in males.

Hormonal changes can make pups moody and irritable, but neurological changes can wreak havoc as well. Researchers found that a young dog’s prefrontal cortex is still developing, just like human adolescents. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for problem-solving, self-control, and social behavior. Teenage pups are more impulsive and reactionary than adult dogs, because they are still developing the skills they need to make good decisions.

Coping with Canine Adolescence

Researchers note that there was more conflict when dogs felt less secure in their attachment to their humans. Owners can help their pups navigate this challenging time by sticking to a routine, providing mental stimulation, ensuring they eat right and exercise, and offering positive reinforcement. To reduce the risk of lasting complications, it is important that owners remain engaged with their pups and avoid punishment-based training techniques.

Fortunately, problematic behavior during the puppy teenage years has been shown to be a passing phase — just as it is with humans. Hopefully, fewer mischievous pups will be re-homed as dog owners become aware this rebelliousness doesn’t last long.