Unfortunately not!
If a behaviour is repeated and reinforced and by that I mean your dog gets what they want out of it, they will keep doing it to achieve their goal. So if your puppy jumps up at you to say hello and you give them a fuss because they only reach your knee, then your puppy will continue to jump up and get a fuss even when they can reach your head height. If your puppy squeaks and pulls towards other dogs to say hello and it works, they will continue to do this when they weigh 30kg.
The more your dog practises these behaviours, the better they get at it. Their goals don't always change. They don't often want your attention less or become disinterested in dogs as they age, in fact, during adolescence, they might want it more! The problem then comes when they don't get what they want and their predictions aren't met. This is when we can start seeing more significant problem behaviours as they get frustrated and their behaviour intensifies, sometimes becoming dangerous.
Now, it's true that your dog does start to settle as they reach 2-3 years old and their goals may change slightly and they might become less persistent but their behaviours are now becoming part of their routine. Your dog is forming habits. Habits are far more difficult to change. You can teach an old dog new tricks, but you need an alternative and consistent way for your dog to meet their original goals. This takes time. Often more time owners anticipate.
So the solution? Reach out to a trainer or behaviourist the minute you feel you are losing control of your dog's behaviour. Don't wait until they have rehearsed it so many times it's habitual. Don't wait until your dog is 5 times as big and strong and you can't control them. Don't wait in the hope that they will just grow out of it. The longer you leave it, the more you're gambling with your dog's development and that is risky business!
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