And why you don’t need puppy training. Yet.
It’s true. They may be a little mischievous or get into trouble because they don’t know any better sometimes, but toddlers usually do not commit felony criminal mischief. Oh, we joke about the Terrible Two’s and the Tyrannical Threes but toddlers are mostly just cute little dickens.
This is what I keep in the back of my mind when people are telling me how well behaved their new puppy is.
The puppy follows them everywhere, pays attention to everything they say and other than mild behavior problems like chewing on things or not yet knowing where to go to the bathroom, they are mostly just cute little dickens.
But then the day comes when things change.
For puppies, this is usually right around sixteen weeks of age when they enter the exploratory development stage. They have realized that there is an amazing world out there full of fun things to explore. They start to exert their will and act independently.
Answering the Call of the Wild
This all makes sense when we look to the dog’s wild canid cousins. Young wild canids are tasty little snacks for all of the hungry predators in their world. There is safety in numbers so they tend to stick close to family members and don’t stray far from the den.
But once their motor skills are developed, off they go to explore the world! Not such a problem for wolves and coyote puppies; big problem for domestic canine puppies.
That puppy that used to follow you around the front yard is now darting across the street to visit the neighbor or to follow the jogger going by the house. Left unchecked, this behavior can turn into a game of chase, bite and wrestle. This is not the way you want to meet the neighbors! Or your local animal control officer.
When you bring your new puppy home, there are two possible courses of action. You can enjoy all the cute and fluffy adorableness of your new puppy and deal with the problems as they come up later.
OR. . .
You can get ahead of the curve and prevent problems before they even begin.
Learning Machines
Young puppies are wired for learning! Think about how much they have learned from birth until the time you take them home. And they can keep on learning! The first sixteen weeks of your puppy’s life are magical. This is the time to teach them what you expect from them as a full-grown dog.
You can teach many of these things on your own and the process is pretty simple. Reward the behaviors you want to see in your adult dog and correct the ones you don’t. There is no need to be overly harsh; just find a way to get your message across that is meaningful to the pup.
If your pup has gotten the jump on you and you want help getting back on track, we would love to talk to you. You can schedule a phone consultation with us here to talk to us about the problems you are having with your new puppy.
Our Fresh Start Puppy Training Program has helped Traverse City puppy owners just like you!
