At 5 months old, puppies are usually in the “teenager in training” stage — full of curiosity, energy, testing boundaries, and rapid growth. What you experience can vary by breed and personality, but this is what you will notice around this age:

Physical changes, rapid growth spurts, longer legs and a leaner body. Adult teeth beginning to replace baby teeth (heavy chewing is common). Increased coordination and stamina, bigger appetite during growth phases, teething & chewing.

This is one of the biggest 5-month milestones. Puppies typically start teething at approximately 4 months old and finishes approximately between 6-7 months old.

There is an Increase in chewing, even on furniture, shoes, cords, or hands. They are seeking relief for their sore gums and become obsessed with chewing objects.

Some Helpful options:

Frozen carrots

Natural Rubber chew toys, like KONG (can add WEST PAW Creamy Peanut Butter & Banana Dog Treat to stuff the kong and freeze it to keep them busy), and Betterbone (soft), and Yomp BallBone MAX. Rotate toys so they don’t get bored.

Natural Chews to keep them busy are Amazing Dog Treats - Beef Cheek Rolls, Earth Animal No Hide Chews and Red Barn Braided Bully Sticks.

Make sure they are appropriate for puppies. Redirect to a chew toy when trying to teeth on us hoomans (reason they want to chew on us is because our hands are soft), therefore supply some softer toys like Sedioso Donkey dog toy.

Avoid giving unsafe chews that splinter, ones too hard or contain questionable chemicals.

Growth spurts, their body is changing shape as they mature and start gaining weight quickly. Make sure that you provide a balanced diet that is appropriate for their age, breed and size to support their growing bones and development. A large breed puppy should always be fed a formula recommended for large breed puppies. If you haven’t started some supplements, now is a good time. Nupro Joint Support is an all-Natural Dog Supplement! Helps support a healthy immune system and promote synovial fluid to lubricate joints and collagen formation. Also provides relief for working, senior, or athletic dogs that have arthritis or other joint problems. Even the most finicky eaters will love the liver base gravy that it makes when the powder is mixed with warm water. Probios has DIGESTION & IMMUNITY BENEFITS, Probiotics support the replenishment of good bacteria to manage occasional gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort while supporting immunity & wellness. Grizzly Salmon oil is sustainably sourced wild alaskan pollock and salmon. Promotes healthy immune system and supports healthy skin and coat plus supports your pet's long-term health. A new bed will be needed at this age also, Bedsure XL Orthopedic Dog Bed consists of Pet Safe Materials. Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX(24.HCN.46956) certified pet bed consists of CertiPUR-US certified foam.

Behavior Changes that you may notice: Selective listening (“forgetting” commands they knew). More independence, testing boundaries, zoomies and bursts of energy and increased confidence or fear phase. This is normal puppy development, not stubbornness or dominance.

Training priorities, consistency matters most right now. Focus on recall (“come”), leash manners, bite inhibition, calm greetings, crate training & impulse control (“wait,” “leave it”). Teach your puppy the “off” command when jumping up or counter surfing and redirect them sit command or down command. Remember positive reinforcement, such as praise and rewarding with treats can be highly effective at this age. Grandma Lucy Organic Treats and/or Wellness Rewarding Life Soft Dog Training Treats are size appropriate at this age.

Make sure to establish a regular potty schedule and take them outside frequently, especially after meals, upon waking and playtime.

Keep training sessions short and positive. Socialization Still Matters! Even if your puppy already meets people and dogs, continue safe exposure to different sounds, surfaces, car rides, grooming, friendly dogs and people. Positive experiences now help shape adult confidence.

Your puppy will still need a lot of sleep (often 14–18 hours daily). Overtired puppies can become wild, mouthy, or hyper. Many behavior problems at this age are actually exhaustion plus overstimulation.

Possible Fear Periods. Some puppies suddenly become cautious around trash cans, men with hats, loud noises and new environments. Avoid forcing interactions. Build confidence gradually with treats and calm reassurance.

If you’re concerned about chemical exposure in flea/tick products, there are natural alternatives. Tick-borne diseases can be serious, especially in areas like Pennsylvania where ticks are common. So, it is very important to repel! Wondercide Flea & Tick repel top spot. It is also recommended to treat your yard as well. Wondercide - Ready to Use Flea, Tick, and Mosquito Yard Spray with Natural Essential Oils KILLS & REPELS BUGS. Its Plant powered pest protection that works. A flea and tick yard treatment and preventative, this pest repellent spray is powered by natural essential oils and is proven to protect your pets and family from fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.

Some common challenges at 5 Months are jumping, mouthiness, counter surfing, barking for attention, pulling on leash (use a front-clip harness like Petsafe No Pull Harness to discourage pulling and use positive reinforcement to reward) and difficulty settling down. These behaviors are common and improve with consistency, exercise, sleep, and mental enrichment.

Helpful Daily Routine

A balanced day often includes short walk/sniff time, training session, nap, play (even fetching INSUM Tennis Balls and Outward Hound Firehose Fetch toy which are non-toxic), or enrichment toy like Outward Hound by Nina Ottosson Snuffle Mat, then rest again!

Signs Your Puppy Is Doing Well:

Curious and engaged

Recovering quickly from new experiences

Eating and sleeping normally

Learning despite distractions

Showing affection and playfulness

The 5-month stage can be a fun and rewarding experience, it also comes with its challenges and can feel chaotic, but it’s also when personality really starts shining through. Understanding what you can expect from your puppy at this stage and addressing common concerns with knowledge, patience and consistency, you can help your puppy grow into a well-adjusted, well-behaved adult dog. Remember what you put into your puppy, will shine through as an adult later!