Why Is My Puppy Suddenly Forgetting Everything They Learned?

Have you ever looked at your puppy and thought, “Um, I thought you knew how to do this”?

Here's one example: Maybe potty training had been going great for weeks, they were coming when you called, and you finally felt like everyone was settling into a good routine. Then suddenly, your puppy is standing across the yard staring at you like they have never heard their name before. There’s an accident in the house. They’re distracted by absolutely everything. The things that felt pretty solid a month ago suddenly feel a little shaky again, and it’s easy to wonder if you somehow went backward.

This happens with a lot of puppies as they get older, and I think it catches families off guard because we expect training to keep moving in one direction. We teach something, the puppy learns it, and naturally we assume we’re done with that part. Puppies don’t always work that way, especially once they start moving into adolescence and becoming more independent.

Think about how much your puppy’s world has changed since those first weeks at home. In the beginning, everything was new and they depended on you for almost everything. As they get more comfortable and confident, they start noticing a whole lot more. Now there’s a dog walking down the street, someone mowing a lawn two houses away, an interesting smell in the grass, kids playing nearby and who knows what else competing for their attention. You might be asking for the exact same “come” they’ve practiced a hundred times, but doing it with all of that happening around them is a completely different challenge. That’s why I don’t automatically look at this stage as a puppy forgetting their training. A lot of the time, they know exactly what you’ve taught them. They’re learning how to use those skills in situations that are harder than the ones where they originally learned them.

If things start feeling a little messy, go back to what was working before and make it easier for them to get it right. You don’t have to start over or suddenly spend hours a day training. Practice recall somewhere quieter before expecting it in a distracting environment. If potty training starts slipping, keep a closer eye on the routine for a while. When your puppy makes the choice you were hoping for, reward it. Those little reminders can go a long way, especially during a stage when their attention seems to be everywhere all at once! I’d also look at what the rest of their day has been like because sometimes what looks like a training problem isn’t really about training at all. Your puppy may be bigger now, but they still need plenty of sleep. A puppy who is tired can get wild, mouthy and surprisingly bad at listening, which can make it seem like every bit of training has gone out the window. Changes at home, a busier-than-normal day or simply having too much going on can affect them too.

Then there’s the fact that puppies do start developing a little more independence as they grow. They may test a boundary that they haven’t tested in a while or see what happens when they don’t respond right away. This is where I encourage families to stay steady. You don’t need to get stricter just because your puppy is getting older, but you do want to stay consistent about what you expect. It also helps tremendously when everyone in the family is following the same general rules instead of your puppy getting a different answer depending on who happens to be in the room.

Of course, not every behavior change should be written off as your puppy becoming a teenager. If something changes suddenly and dramatically, your puppy seems uncomfortable or fearful, or you’re seeing behavior that feels completely unlike them, it’s worth checking in with your veterinarian. You know your puppy, and there’s nothing wrong with asking questions when something doesn’t feel right.

For most families, though, this stage is simply another part of raising a puppy. There will be times when everything seems to click and other weeks when you find yourself repeating something you were sure they already knew. Keep working with the puppy you have in front of you that day instead of worrying that all of your earlier work disappeared.

I promise, it didn’t. Your puppy is growing, their world is getting bigger, and now they’re figuring out how all those things you’ve taught them fit into it. And as always, we are here for you beyond gotcha day for any questions and concerns!