Rohan Irish Wolfhounds - The five stages of development

The Five Stages of Development

Anyone who has raised a puppy knows that, like kids, puppies develop in stages. How you cope with the ups and downs, your survival tactics, and the solutions you choose all affect your pup's outlook and how comfortable he is with you. Feeling overwhelmed? Take a deep breath. This section gives you an overview of the five stages of development. With this information you'll know what to expect and how you should behave.

Infancy (8 to 12 weeks)

At this point in your pup's development, her life centers around satisfying one of four basic needs: sleeping, eating, eliminating, and playing. You should be feeding her three to four times a day, taking her out constantly, and letting her sleep when she wants.

You can also expect to witness the "wild puppy energy spurt." It is something to behold. Several times a day, your pup will get a crazed look in her eye, and then she'll suddenly dash around the house or yard, completely out of control. If she were a cartoon, all four legs would be in the air, and she'd be leaving a trail of smoke. You can't do much to influence her behavior at this time. I've found that the best strategy is to redirect her energy with an empty plastic milk/juice container or soccer ball.

Always remove plastic objects after play. Never play with a damaged bottle because the sharp edges can cut or be swallowed. And place it out of reach when you leave your puppy unattended.

Here are a couple of simple, interactive puppy play lessons. These let you get to know your puppy and help her become the well-behaved, well-adjusted dog you've been dreaming about. The first lesson is a simple Name game; use your pup's name before you offer anything positive: food, treats, and love. In the second game, Leash Training, you do the following:

First start with the collar. Put it on your puppy at 20 minute intervals throughout the day until you puppy accepts it. (Your puppy will probably already be at this stage as collar and leash training is something we would already have started)
Next attach a light 4-foot leash and let your puppy drag it at 20 minute intervals. Once he's used to the feel of the leash, pick it up and follow him. Once this routine is enjoyed, move on to step 3.
Call you puppy to you, putting increasingly more pressure on the lead. For the first few real leash walks, carry a cup full of treats to shake and encourage your pup to follow.

Warning: Puppies go through a fear-impression period between 8-10 weeks and again at 4-5 months. As with people, fear can be a very debilitating emotion for a dog. Puppies can be afraid of anything, including vacuums, hairdryers, food processors, cars, grates, and so on. Unchecked, these fears can last a lifetime. To prevent this, keep these things in mind.

Never race after your puppy or poke him with an unfamiliar object.
If your puppy is experiencing fear, don't bend over to soothe him. Your puppy will think you're afraid, too. Instead, calmly investigate the object and ignore him until he follows your lead.
Set up scenes to introduce your puppy to new appliances, people, and unusual objects. Place treats around, staying focused on whatever the new thing is until your puppy is confident. Remember, puppies "see" things with their noses; smelling is believing in the canine world.

Tip: At this age, your puppy learns best if her new words are part of the fun.

Keep your expectations low; she's got so much new information pouring in she might not remember a new command from one day to the next. That's okay - she's just a baby. Enjoy this stage!!

The terrible twos (12 to 16 weeks)

As your puppy matures, his personality develops. At 12-16 weeks, he's a bit bolder, braver, and harder to impress. He marches right up to company and demands attention. He insists on being at the center of all household activities. Your position as all-knowing leader doesn't impress him as much. He's growing up.

Who's in charge here?

Has your puppy begun a training program for you? Here's how to tell:

He solicits (and gets) your attention by jumping, nipping, whining and barking.
He has taught you how to wrestle and play tug-of-war during walks.
He grabs your clothing and tries to carry it around the house (while you're still in it).
When he wants a biscuit or part of your lunch, he expresses this desire by barking in your face. Advanced dogs-as-trainers may simply help themselves.

If any of these scenarios sounds a little too familiar, don't despair. You can turn the training program around so that you're in charge, but in order to do so, you need to understand this stage in your puppy's development.

By twelve weeks your puppy's brain is fully development, and he's ready to learn. This age is the best time to begin training because your puppy is old enough to understand and remember your direction but still a little too young to take matters into his own paws. Remember, your puppy is starting to learn things - whether or not you train him - and if you don't train him, he'll train you.

At this age, your pup's starting to learn what behaviors get attention and what games last the longest, and he's keeping score on who wins. Your puppy may be acting bold, but he's still unsure about his world and needs direction from you now more than ever. Keep these points in mind while you're working with him during this important developmental stage:

Attention is key. He wants it, he needs it, and he'll do anything to get it. Remember the canine credo: All attention is good; positive or negative doesn't matter.

Eye contact - who's watching who? If you watch him more than he watches you, he thinks you're looking for direction.

Is your house a dog house or a people house? You need to tighten up the rules on housebreaking, chewing, nipping, and jumping. If your puppy is making the decisions on these things, you're living in his house. That's one expensive dog house.

Sometimes I think puppies are made so cute because they can be so annoying. And sometimes I think they know it. I've seen looks that as much as say, "How can you possibly get mad at me when I'm so completely adorable?" Just remember: This darling little bundle is keeping score.

The budding adolescent (16 - 24 weeks)

It's going to happen - be prepared. That sweet little compliant puppy you held in your arms days before is going to do a 180 degree turnaround. He'll become defiant, strong-willed, and fussy. He's entering the bratty zone. But don't panic. This stage is normal. It's even survivable. And it won't last forever if you train him through it.

Here are some surefire signs that let you know this stage has begun:

Leash walks become confrontational battles over who holds the leash and who is walking whom, and corrections only result in jumping.
You call him. He looks, he pauses, he bolts - in the other direction.
He insists on being the center of attention every moment of every day.
Corrections make the behavior worse.
He's driving you crazy.

Remember, this stage (like the others)) is normal. As much as you want to hide under the couch for the next three months, don't. This stage is the best time to start more advanced training. Keep your lessons short and use each new command during lesson time only for the first week. This process allows your puppy to feel successful, mastering each word before you apply it to his day-to-day world; the concept is similar to letting children master their addition skills in school before asking them to balance your checkbook.

I call this stage the "rude awakening." When confronted with the sometimes aggravating adolescent, all dog owners think wistfully of the endearing infant stage. But try to look at the situation from your puppy's point of view: He's getting bigger, the world is less scary, and he's aching to find out just how much he can get away with. Teach him your expectations patiently, be persistent with your training, and take a deep breath because the adventure isn't over yet.

Puppy puberty (6 to 9 months)

Your puppy is about to go through a major transformation. He's growing up. Remember growing up? Hormones, rebellion, confusion, curiosity... in another word, puberty. An exciting time but not always pretty. Well, puberty's no different for your puppy.

At about six months, those hormones start coursing through his veins, and he begins to experience a jumbled mix of internal signals: Dominate! Submit! Explore! Hide! Approach! Retreat! If he were a child, he'd get an unusual haircut and laugh at your clothes but still be a little nervous when you're not home. On top of these typical growing pains, add the awakening of breed-specific instincts that tell herders to herd, hunters to hunt, guarders to guard, pullers to pull, and so on. You end up in utter canine chaos, and he's still cutting his baby teeth.

So here you have this puppy/dog, pumped full of hormones, high spirits, and anxiety. No wonder he may give you the puppy equivalent of a teenage eye roll when you give him a command.

You may wonder whether you can tell when your puppy is shifting into this stage. You can. Trust me. The most telling sign is unpredictability. You may feel like you have two different dogs: The precious angel who gazes up at you with adoring eyes and the wide-eyed demon dancing just out of reach with your shoe in his mouth. the one you show off during walks through the park and the one you say belongs to your brother. The one who makes you smile and the one who makes you cringe. The ease and speed with which your puppy can transform herself if truly amazing. Here are some other signs that your pup has hit puberty:

He knows all his commands but is selective in his response.
You see a recurrence of jumping, nipping, and leash pulling.
If you leave him alone, he begins destructive chewing or house soiling.
You see excessive whining and bossiness.

As if the bratty stage wasn't fun enough.

The toughest thing to control during puberty isn't your dog; it's your temper. Having the right attitude is extremely important. We humans are a control-oriented bunch, and we want our dogs to come when called, stay calm in exciting situations, and control their gamy impulses. But these young dogs want to play! Have fun! Chase a butterfly! They are often unimpressed by your frustration. Some may show fear, but most think a shouting, foot-stomping Top Dog is inviting play, and the game accelerates - as does your blood pressure.

The trying teen (9 to12 months)

By now your puppy is starting to calm down. He manages better on his own. He chews his bone. He responds immediately to your command. He doesn't assault your visitors. Why, he's almost perfect.

Okay, sometimes he ignores you. Every now and then, he runs right by you when you call him to come. Occasionally, he fidgets himself out of a Sit-Stay or faces you when he ought to be at your side. What you have to understand is that he wants to behave, but his teenage genes are relentlessly telling him to make one more glorious attempt for Top Dog status. To that end, he begins a subtle campaign of defiance. You may not think a sloppy sideways sit is a very big deal, but your dog makes a little mental check mark every time you let him get away with it. Here are some other signs he's trying to make his ascent to Top Dog position.

He shifts positions before responding to a Sit or Down command.
He faces away or pivots in front of you during a Heel command.
He slams into your leg on the Come command.

These are all little acts of defiance. Nothing earth-shattering but not acceptable. During this stage, some dogs become more aware of your weaknesses and continue to highlight them in a last attempt to lead the pack. They will continue this until they have exhausted all options and are content to follow your lead. If your dog remains skeptical of your leadership, hang tough. Persist in making your point clear. Consider an investment in group or personal dog training. Don't quit.

Think for a moment. If you asked your puppy to describe you, what would he bark out? "Fun to be around, confident, and in control!" Or would he wag his tail nervously and say, "Impatient, easily fooled, and unsure". Don't think for a minute that your dog doesn't have an opinion. During your time together, he's learned to read you well. Make a good impression.

Stand tall, be patient and firm, and don't be afraid to have fun!!!

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