THE TWO PUPPIE STAGES

Yes puppies go through two stages. The second stage is the one, which can make a grown man cry, and any woman pull her hair out in frustration. It is also the most misunderstood stage of any dog’s life. Sorry, but all puppies have this stage in-between being so cute and cuddly and being an adult dog.

First he/she is just an adorable, fat little ball of joy. Oh sure, they get into a bit of mischief, galloping around the house with one of your socks stolen out of the laundry basket. But you rescue the sock and it is unharmed. Yes, they chew on your shoelaces but really no harm done. Outside on the lawn, they run here and there but never look twice at your flowerbed. Okay they run through it but your flowers survive, maybe a bit bent over for a day or two. They love to try and chew on your fingers as you cuddle them on the couch, but your fingers survive the attack without a mark on them.

But then they become what I refer to as TEENAGERS. No longer little puppies but not intelligent thinking adults yet either. Personally, myself, I stayed in my teenage years until well into my twenty’s but that is another story, another time. Now you rescue your sock and it has a giant hole in it, toasted. They no longer try to just chew on your shoelaces. No, they eat the insides out of the shoe but you don’t know that for two days until you finally find the missing shoe hidden in the now torn up and destroyed patch of one time flowers.

When you are trying to bond with your half-grown pup on the couch, his/her needle sharp teeth puncture your thumb and it hurts like hell. You don’t notice the chewed up corner of the couch until you stand up to go get a Band-Aid for your bleeding thumb.

Are you still with me here? Yes your puppy is in the full blown stage two of his development. Don’t despair, there is still hope and things you can do to curtail their stage two.

Stage two can last until they mature at one to one and a half years old, depending on the breed. Sorry to say this, but some breeds start stage two earlier and trust me, lasts even longer.

• If you haven’t started some sort of obedience training classes with your pup before, now is the time to start. Or at least visit your local library and read some excellent books on at home obedience training.
• Teach him the words NO and QUIT and STOP IT NOW. Never ever strike your puppy, simply find ways to teach him what is allowed and what is not. When he does what you ask, always remember to praise him. They are smart creatures (I have never yet met a truly dumb dog, just untrained ones). Though I have met an occasional dumb owner. Sorry, but it’s true.
• Lots and lots of interesting and fun excercise to get him through this stage. No, locking him in his kennel or crate isn’t the answer.
• And of course, lots of his own toys and acceptable things for him to chew on and play with.
• Talk to other dog owners, read books, visit websites that are good ones, just so you know you are not alone in this stage two.
• And please remember, you were a teenager once too!!!