October 7, 2026
There is a moment that many Xoloitzcuintli owners remember very clearly.
Yesterday, your puppy was wonderful.
She listened to you. She followed you everywhere. She happily came when called. She was curious about the world, friendly with people and dogs, and everything you had taught her seemed to be working.
And then, suddenly…
Something changes.
She becomes much more energetic.
She starts ignoring commands she knew perfectly well.
She becomes more independent.
She tests boundaries.
She may become much more interested in other dogs.
She may suddenly become afraid of something she had previously ignored.
She may run confidently down the street one day and then suddenly stop, startle or retreat from something completely ordinary the next.
And you may find yourself thinking:
“What happened to my dog?”
Welcome to adolescence.
At Sine Metu, we often say that the teenage period is one of the most difficult stages of raising a Xoloitzcuintli.
Not because something is wrong with the dog.
Because this is the stage when the puppy is becoming an adult.
In our experience, Xolos can begin showing adolescent behavior surprisingly early, sometimes around 4–6 months of age.
The exact timing varies between individuals.
Some dogs pass through this stage relatively easily. Others make their owners question every decision they have ever made. 😄
Modern veterinary behavior sources also emphasize that adolescence is not a single fixed period. It is associated with puberty, changes in motivation and independence, and continuing brain development. Social maturity can take considerably longer than sexual maturity.
For many Xolos, the most challenging period may continue through the first year and sometimes toward 12–15 months, although individual development varies.
And that is important:
Do not compare your dog too closely with another dog of the same age.
Every dog develops at its own pace.
Your puppy is not suddenly becoming “bad.”
Her brain and body are changing.
Adolescent dogs become more independent, more exploratory and sometimes more impulsive. Their ability to control themselves is still developing. Research has also documented a temporary reduction in responsiveness and trainability toward owners during adolescence — very similar to the frustrating “teenager” stage people describe.
This is why a puppy that knew a command perfectly well at five months may suddenly behave as if she has never heard it.
She has not forgotten everything.
She is developing.
And your job is to help her through that development.
This is one of the most difficult parts for owners.
The puppy begins asking:
What can I do?
What happens if I don't listen?
Does this rule still apply?
What if I pull?
What if I jump?
What if I ignore my owner?
What if I bother that other dog?
This does not mean you need to become a harsh “leader.”
Quite the opposite.
Your Xolo needs to discover that you are predictable.
The rules today are the same rules tomorrow.
If something is not allowed, it is not allowed because you are tired, angry, busy or in a good mood.
The same principle applies to children.
An adolescent dog needs a calm adult who provides structure.
The Sine Metu approach is exactly this: clear rules, consistency, contact and stability rather than pressure or force.
This is one of the most confusing things about adolescence.
A puppy may have walked past a particular object dozens of times without caring.
Then one day:
She stops.
She looks.
She becomes suspicious.
She may retreat.
She may bark.
She may try to get away.
And the owner thinks:
“But she wasn't afraid of this yesterday!”
This can happen.
During juvenile and adolescent development, dogs can show increased sensitivity or avoidance toward unfamiliar or previously neutral stimuli. Merck notes that avoidance responses can increase during the juvenile period, while veterinary behavior guidelines warn that fear can be aggravated if a dog is forced into overwhelming exposure.
Your Xolo has not necessarily “lost” her socialization.
She may simply be processing the world differently at this stage.
Do not force her toward the frightening thing.
Do not drag her closer.
Do not punish her for being afraid.
Do not laugh at her.
And do not turn the situation into a dramatic event.
Instead:
Move far enough away that your dog can think again.
Your dog watches you constantly.
If you become tense, frustrated or frightened, she can become even more concerned.
Give her time to look at the object from a safe distance.
If she looks at the strange object and remains calm, reward that calm behavior.
If she is comfortable, you can reduce the distance little by little.
Socialization is not about forcing a dog to tolerate everything.
It is about teaching the dog:
“I can handle new things, and my person will keep me safe.”
This is exactly why modern behavior specialists emphasize that socialization is more than simply exposing a puppy to as many things as possible. Exposure needs to be gradual, appropriate to the individual dog and associated with positive experiences.
This is a very important point.
The first three months are especially important for puppy socialization, but social learning does not stop at three months.
AVSAB recommends continuing positive exposure to people, animals, environments and experiences after the primary early socialization period.
Your adolescent Xolo still needs:
But now the work becomes different.
You are no longer simply introducing the puppy to the world.
You are teaching an adolescent dog how to behave in the world.
This is another reason the teenage period can be exhausting.
Your Xolo may suddenly seem to have an endless battery.
She runs.
She plays.
She jumps.
She wants attention.
She wants to interact with every dog.
She finds something to investigate.
Then she runs again.
And again.
This is where many owners make a mistake.
They think:
“I need to tire her out.”
So they increase exercise more and more.
But an adolescent dog also needs to learn something equally important:
A dog that only knows how to be active can become even more difficult to live with.
Mental work, sniffing, chewing, training, calm interaction, rest and predictable routines are all important.
The goal is not:
“Exhaust the dog.”
The goal is:
“Teach the dog how to regulate herself.”
This behavior can suddenly appear during adolescence.
And it can be embarrassing.
A male may mount females.
He may mount males.
A female may mount other females or males.
It is not automatically a sign that the dog is “dominant.”
Mounting can occur for different reasons, including sexual motivation, excitement, play, stress and general over-arousal.
In adolescent dogs, hormonal and emotional changes can make this behavior particularly noticeable.
The important thing is not to allow your dog to repeatedly annoy other dogs.
If another dog is clearly uncomfortable, intervene.
Call your Xolo away.
Redirect her.
Give her a break.
Help her calm down.
Sometimes the most useful training is not another command.
It is teaching:
“Enough. We are going to stop now.”
For a teenage Xolo, calmness is a skill.
It does not always appear automatically.
Teach your dog that life contains both activity and rest.
After exciting play, help her settle.
After meeting dogs, allow quiet time.
After a walk, give her something appropriate to chew.
Use calm games.
Reward relaxed behavior.
Give her a predictable place where she can rest undisturbed.
And don't constantly entertain her.
A dog also needs to learn how to exist without something happening every second.
This is probably the most important advice I can give a Xolo owner.
If the dog was not allowed on the table yesterday, she should not suddenly be allowed today because she looks adorable.
If jumping on people was not acceptable before, it should not become acceptable now.
If pulling on the leash was something you were teaching her not to do, keep working on it.
If coming when called was important, continue practicing it.
Your dog needs to understand:
The world is predictable.
This is exactly the principle described in the Sine Metu approach: the rules, boundaries and logic of interaction should remain stable rather than changing with the owner's emotions.
This distinction is extremely important.
A stable owner is not a frightening owner.
You do not need to shout.
You do not need to physically overpower your dog.
You do not need to “show who is boss.”
You do not need punishment to prove that you are the leader.
Modern veterinary behavior guidance recommends reward-based training and warns that forced exposure can worsen fear during sensitive developmental periods.
Your leadership should look like this:
I know what we are doing.
I am calm.
I will protect you.
I will not allow you to make bad decisions.
The rules are clear.
You can trust me.
That is much more powerful than intimidation.
One of the beautiful things about the Xoloitzcuintli is the strength of its relationship with its person.
And during adolescence, this relationship becomes particularly important.
Your dog may appear more independent.
She may suddenly prefer exploring rather than listening.
She may become more interested in other dogs.
But that does not mean you have lost her.
It means she is growing.
Research on adolescent dogs has found that the owner–dog relationship can temporarily become more challenging during adolescence, including reduced responsiveness to the owner, but that this is a developmental phase rather than a permanent change in the relationship.
So don't take it personally.
Your puppy is not rejecting you.
She is growing up.
If your Xolo suddenly ignores everything she knows, go back to basics.
Make the exercise easier.
Work in a quieter environment.
Use better motivation.
Keep sessions short.
Reward immediately.
Stop before she becomes frustrated.
Then gradually increase difficulty again.
Your book describes exactly this approach: when a Xolo seems not to listen, return to contact, simplify the task, use food or play as motivation and avoid increasing pressure.
Think of adolescence as rebuilding skills at a new developmental level, not starting from zero.
Do not wait until the situation becomes unbearable.
If your Xolo is:
speak to your veterinarian.
A veterinary behavior professional can help determine whether you are dealing with normal adolescent behavior, a fear problem, anxiety or another medical/behavioral issue.
And if medication is ever appropriate, that decision should be made with a veterinarian, rather than giving calming drops or supplements on your own.
This is the part I want every Xolo owner to remember.
There will be days when you think:
“I cannot do this anymore.”
There will be walks where your dog behaves like she has never been trained.
There will be moments when she suddenly becomes afraid of something ridiculous.
There will be days when she has endless energy.
There will be moments when she tests every single boundary you have.
And then, gradually, things begin to settle.
The adult dog starts appearing.
She becomes more predictable.
She understands the rules.
She knows you.
She knows the world.
She learns how to regulate herself.
And one day you look at her and realize:
The difficult teenager has grown into the dog you were raising all along.
Remember these ten rules:
1. Don't panic.
Your puppy has not been ruined.
2. Don't give up.
This stage is temporary.
3. Keep the rules consistent.
4. Don't use force.
5. Don't punish fear.
6. Give your dog enough physical and mental activity.
7. Teach calmness, not only excitement.
8. Continue socialization throughout adolescence.
9. Protect your relationship with your dog.
10. Be the calm, predictable person your Xolo can rely on.
The teenage period is not something you have to “win.”
You have to go through it together.
And perhaps the most important lesson is this:
Is a mono-breed Miniature Xolo kennel.
We know everything about the Xolo breeding and even more.
We choose only the best Xolo bloodlines in the world for the breeding purpose in our kennel.
Our graduates live in more than 15 countries in Europe, the USA and Canada.
All our breeding dogs get tested for genetic diseases and are in excellent health condition.
