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People have been convincing themselves for years that true “doggy love” starts with a tiny puppy the size of a slipper and the IQ of warm pudding. Because who wouldn’t want to bring home a creature that pees from excitement at the sight of its own shadow, chews everything that costs more than 30 zł, and eats every piece of trash it finds but not the actual food in its bowl?
And that’s when I enter — dressed in white — with the topic people fear more than opening a letter from the dentist: adolescent dogs.
Yes. Older puppies. Those supposed “leftovers from the litter” that — God forbid — already have a few months of life behind them.
Except… they’re often the best possible choice. Society just treats them with the same resistance as a first dental appointment.
1. An adolescent dog is not a “reject.” It’s a demo version with updates installed
A good breeder does for free what most people pay trainers for:
socialisation, exposure to stimuli, emotional regulation, and basic manners.
Such a dog already knows that the world doesn’t end at the garden fence, that the vacuum cleaner isn’t a demon from hell, and that a man wearing a hat is not here to kidnap them.
Important: a GOOD breeder — someone who actually does something with the dog between 8 and 16 weeks, not someone who just sits and counts Facebook likes. And that’s exactly why an adolescent dog knows more, understands more, and learns faster once it arrives in a new home.
2. Starting life together is easier because half the work is already done
Instead of worrying whether your new dog will:
- chew your charging cable,
- eat your plant,
- breathe too fast,or wake you up at 3:12 a.m. because he suddenly remembered he’s bored,
- you get a creature that has already gone through the worst gremlin phase.
Will an adolescent still require training?
Yes. It’s a dog, not an iPhone 17 Pro Max.
But it’s MUCH harder to mess them up — and they forgive far more mistakes.
No time for 1,500 stimuli a day?
Not sure what proper socialisation even looks like?
Want a dog but don’t want to look like a sleep-deprived zombie for the first few months?
An adolescent dog is made for you.
3. Who are adolescent dogs perfect for?
For people who:
- have never had a puppy and fear they’ll mess it up,
- have jobs, lives, responsibilities, and no plans for a month-long puppy-maternity leave,
- want a dog but not total household chaos,
- prefer a pet whose personality is already visible (because from an 8-week-old puppy you can raise either pure gold or a lump of coal),
- and for breeders - older puppies after teething guarantee correct tooth placement, and for males 🥚🥚 their testicles are already exactly where they should be. Show potential is also much easier to assess.
An adolescent dog is the safest choice for beginners because it’s harder to ruin and much easier to live with from day one.
4. What you absolutely should NOT fear
Myth: “An older puppy will have issues.”
Truth: 95% of puppies have issues — people just pretend they don’t.
Myth: “He won’t love me as much as a younger one.”
Truth: A dog loves the person who gives them stability, predictability, and meals on time.
Age has NOTHING to do with it.
Myth: “If a puppy is older, something must be wrong with it.”
Truth: Most often the reason is that:someone wanted to wait for a show,the breeder is doing selection,or people left their brain at home and cancelled a reservation last minute.
And then you appear.
Which is a blessing for the dog.
5. People return 10-week-old puppies… and no, it’s not the end of the world
This is my favourite part because it shows exactly how little people understand what a small puppy really is.
Every now and then someone returns a 10-week-old puppy because they “can’t handle it.”
Meaning they’ve just discovered that:
- puppies bite,
- puppies whine,
- puppies don’t own a watch,
- and puppies are not born with the “behave nicely” feature installed.
And you know what?
It’s GOOD that they return them.
Seriously.
Realising you’re not cut out for raising a tiny tornado is painful, but it is a form of intelligence returning.
Late — very late — but still better than pretending for the rest of your life.
And for such people, an adolescent dog is a blessing. Because if someone can’t handle a 10-week-old puppy, they will handle an adolescent.That dog has already passed the phase of “I exist solely to test your limits.” They have more balance, more awareness, and they forgive far more human mistakes
The problem isn’t the dog — it’s people’s expectations.
And an adolescent dog fixes half of those instantly.
Summary (because life is short)
An adolescent dog is a dog who:
- already has half the early work done,
- is more resilient to your imperfections,
- won’t destroy your sleep schedule,
- and already shows their true character before you bring them home.
Buying an older puppy isn’t desperation.
It’s a sign of common sense, life experience, and a strong desire to avoid cleaning up 15 poops a day.
In short: adolescent dogs are the most underrated — and often the best — choice for normal people.
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