We begin this week’s “RUFF TAILS” featuring a beautiful one year old Vizsla Coonhound named Chase.
My mom and dad said I am fun loving, high energy, and love cuddling on the couch.
I can run for hours and I love to silently “point” at the squirrels until bedtime.
My mom and dad have loved me from the moment we met.
I have made them laugh, and cry, but they said “I AM WORTH IT” !!!!!
Welcome to Doggie Dialogue:
Understanding a dog’s “life cycle” helps us understand canine behaviour and what to except in every stage, throughout our dog’s life.
There are four stages of the life cycle, puppy, adolescent, adulthood, and senior years.
The puppy stage begins at birth where the pups are born deaf, blind, and unable to regulate their body temperature.
Between 2-3 weeks old the puppies will start to hear and see. This is when puppies will learn about their surroundings and how to interact with humans and other pets.
The puppy’s first 8 week’s are spent with their mother and siblings. Most breeders will have the pup’s 1st set of vaccinations and the pups will likely be microchipped as well.
When the puppy begins his/her new life with you, their new owner, it is important at this stage to house train your pup.
At the puppy stage, we recommend it is important to establish a sound foundation of behaviour modifications, within your canine pack.
We highly recommend hiring a professional dog trainer who is registered, licensed, and insured. (like Caissie Canine Instruction)
At the adolescent stage, between 6-12 months, your dog’s hormones will start to kick in. You may notice male adolescent dogs starting to “mark” with urine and sniffing, while females will go into heat. Your dog may become reluctant to pay attention to instructions and exhibit poor behaviours.
This stage can continue until your dog reaches 18-24 months.
Therefore, when your puppy training is completed, we HIGHLY recommend to continue your training goals for obedience and behaviour modification before they become an adult dog at 24 months and beyond.
Adult stage begins around 18-24 months for a smaller dog, 24-36 months for larger dogs. Your dog becomes easier to manage, as earlier training pays off, however mental stimulation, playtime, and walks must be maintained.
A lot of dogs at this age love joining agility classes, dock diving, learning how to track, etc….
The senior stage will begin between 7-10 years old. The face will tend to become grey and your canine will slow down, needing to sleep more.
Joint and dental health become more common issues. Larger breed dogs typically age faster, average lifespan being 10-12 years. Small dogs can live 15-20 years.
However, we can all agree the time we have with our dogs is never long enough!!!!!
Comments