Understanding Puppy Life Stages
By the time most of you bring home your puppy, its well into its Socialization Phase. This phase begins at 4 weeks old and lasts until they are about 12 weeks old. At this point in their lives, they are like furry little sponges. Everything they encounter will shape their lives and personalities. They need to be exposed to new sights, sounds, dogs,people and places. This should all be done in a positive way because any negative experiences can have lasting effects. This is the ideal time to start a training class, group or private, or consider a dog daycare or age appropriate playgroup.
Between 13-16 weeks old, a puppy will try to assert their role in the “pack” (your family). They try to claim more authority for themselves at this point. This is when problem behaviors can start. Such as chewing, nipping, grabbing at the leash during a walk, not coming when called and signs of dominance. This is when you, as the “pack leader” need to patient and also firm. Assertive and effective leadership takes consistency and NEVER rewarding unwanted behaviors, as well as rewarding good behaviors.
At 16 weeks, your puppy will enter its Adolescent Phase. During this phase, they behave much like a human teenager would. They become more unpredictable and more independent than they were previously. Channel their adolescent energy into play and learning to avoid destructive behaviors.
You should also be prepared to experience another “Fear/Avoidance” period between 6 months and 14 months, much like when you first brought them home. An otherwise confident puppy will suddenly start to seem frightened of encountering new things or things they haven’t encountered in a while. Your best response to this is to let them resolve it on their own , as reacting to it or keeping them away from it will only reinforce the behavior and cause it to continue. Some dogs when they hit this phase its hardly noticeable and others require major training through this phase.
Consistent and continued training will curb a lot of unwanted behaviors in any age but being consistent from the beginning is the key to successfully living with a dog. Behavioral issues are the #1 reasons why dogs are turned into shelters every year . Remember proper mental and physical stimulation can completely eliminate most behavioral problems in time.
In conclusion, keep in mind dogs and puppies alike are result driven animals. When a behavior they have offered produces a positive outcome, they will be more likely to repeat this behavior.I.E., teaching your puppy a simple sit…they puppy gets a happy marker word and a treat every time his bum hits the ground. Therefore teaching the puppy that to get that treat he must sit. If they get an undesirable result consistently, they are less likely to repeat the behavior. I.E, every time your puppy gets too rough and starts nipping while playing you make a high pitched noise like a puppy and get up and walk away …play time stops and the puppy learns if i want to continue playing I can’t nip.Therefore eliminating the nippy play. Consistent training and leadership from day one is key to raising a well- rounded member of your family. Four basic rules are: Repeat & repeat, keep it short and simple, make it fun, and lastly, don’t send mixed signals!
