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tashi love

This site has a lot of good scientific information on the behavioral development of dogs and as there are always new pups joining us here at STCT I thought it might be of interest. It is somewhat technical in nature but very informative.

http://www.nwk9.com/dehasse_pupdev.htm

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mojomuppet

that was the most boring thing ever! there is nothing i need to know that badly. if i have a question ill ask you as you have already suffered. :pray:

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Okay, it was a bit dry, but held my attention and interest--I read it all! Good stuff.

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Humm to comment or not. I started to read it, than I went to scanning, than I went to where is the plan english that is going to help me be a better mom.

I"m sure it's got lots of information, and I"m sure it was posted as a help for us all, but I'll have to admit it was pretty,, oh , dry is a good word. I am sure I have read a less clinical reveiw of puppy stages someplace. Maybe I can find that again because my phd in clinical jargin is outdated. Sorry,, thumbs down on that web page.

p.s... you did warn us in your openning it was technical,, my own fault for not heeding :-)

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tashi love

This is easier................

"Age 3 ½ months – 6 months: Teething can create multiple side effects including housebreaking and chewing. The smaller teeth usually fall out without notice. The canines and molars are a different story. Some dogs get very sick including vomiting and diarrhea. I would never suggest a wait and see attitude if those symptoms appear; obviously, a vet visit, though expensive, is necessary when symptoms could develop into a life threatening situation through dehydration or intussusception (telescoping of the bowel from severe gastroenteritis).

I have one valuable recommendation for pups that have major discomfort while teething. Dr. Pitcairn, the veterinarian who wrote in Prevention magazine for many years turned me on to Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets to help dogs through teething. Available at any health food store, these handy little pills can make a huge difference for your dog. The most common side effect of the pain of teething is housebreaking. At four months of age you think you have conquered the potty issue. Then, all of a sudden the dog is going potty everywhere. You are so discouraged. Teething occurs anywhere between three and one-half months to six months of age. The later in that period of time, the bigger the teeth she is cutting. Other than housebreaking, the side effects of teething can include crankiness, vomiting, diarrhea, depression and destructive chewing.

Be prepared to defend your use of homeopathics if your veterinarian should attack your judgment. I had a client who had to make a trip to an emergency clinic with a puppy who had eaten some daffodils. When asked about any medications given to the dog, my client showed the bottle of teething tablets. The vet shouted at my client, "You are poisoning your dog!" Fortunately, I had forewarned of this possibility and the client asked a test be performed to prove the vet's assertion. Fifteen minutes later the vet returned to say the teething tablets were not the problem. When reviewing the bill, my client was charged $75 for a call to the National Animal Poison Control Center who had educated the veterinarian that the homeopathics, given as directed, could not be the cause of the dog's symptoms.

Age 7 months: The first pre-programmed computer virus that attacks your dog's hard drive hits at this age. It says "It is time you move up a little ways on the ladder of leadership." It might produce the first growling you hear; particularly to protect (possess) chew bones and toys. She might urinate on another dog's bed, or your own. This stage is especially evident with litter mates in the same home. If you have acquired puppies from the same litter, watch for aggressions to appear at this age. They must be addressed with certainty to avoid a lifetime of progressively more violent aggressions.

Dog from hell stage: For the female pup the 10th through the 12th month; for the male pup the 8th through the 10th month represent the most difficult, obnoxious, frustrating period of time in the dog's entire life. The shelters are full of dogs in this stage. In my private training practice I teach my clients to consider it a success during this period if they just don't go backwards. Please don't give up on your pooch during this phase. Your best bet is to create a dog-proofed environment to weather this storm. It will pass.

Natural protective aggressions: In most breeds the 16th to 18th month will produce the motivation to protect your home territory. In the largest breeds this stage does not occur until the 20th to 24th month. If you walk your dog around the block every day, be prepared for the day when your home territory now includes the perimeter of your walk. It is possible for your dog to consider anyone and any animal within that perimeter as a threat. I think it is helpful to describe this phase as though the dog grows a pair of suspenders and goes around snapping them to see who she can impress.

Most important, remember she is not an adult until she is 2 years old. The male is not an adult until 3 years old. So now you have a juvenile delinquent with a loaded gun! With the small breeds, you just pick them up. With the larger breeds, you find yourself overpowered and could face a lawsuit if you don't get her under control.

Age 2 years: Your female dog just became an adult. She will take on a more serious attitude. She may even assume some leadership characteristics. And as happy as you are to have a more mature dog, she cannot participate in the running of the household. You will have to go back to working her in demanding and exacting obedience for awhile.

The male dog will not be an adult until 3 years of age; however, the male still goes through a developmental glitch at age 2. You must have realistic expectations. Since big dogs get so big, so fast, we tend to expect far more adult-like behavior than they are developmentally able to produce. As a result, we set them up for failure. Once again, obedience will get you through this phase.

Age 3 years to 5 years: The bigger the breed, the later this developmental phenomena occurs. This is the final pre-programmed computer virus that becomes active and says, "It is now time to move to as high a position in the pack as you will ever achieve." Not all dogs are meant to lead; however, no dog will bypass this stage entirely. Sadly, the shelters are filled with this age dog. If they don't know the actual age, you can bet it is either the "dog from hell stage" or the 3 year to 5 year stage. The Chihuahua will change attitudes at 3 years. The Great Dane will change attitudes at 5 years. Consider the size of your dog to determine when to expect this stage. It occurs at the same time for both males and females.

You can expect your dog to exhibit this attitude: "It is now time for you to show me all the important documents appurtenant to the running of the household. I want to go over them with you." The dog that was so obedient and waited for your every command now completely ignores you. Furthermore, she looks a little bewildered when you correct her for her failure to obey. When you see this attitude surface, it's back to the obedience once again.

Age 7 years: It is now time to pass the baton of leadership. If your dog is the only canine in the home, this stage will pass uneventfully. You might take note of her slightly lessened interest in life. You might even remark about the evidence of her aging. If you have more than one dog, your seven year old pooch will not age gracefully. She will have a chip on her shoulder. She can be cranky and inhospitable. Although this is a natural stage, you will want to be certain she does not have chronic pain from any degenerative condition. There are many medications, both allopathic and holistic to help the aging dog.

If there is no physical malady present, I recommend you correct the dog inappropriate behavior. There are several reasons for this. First, you don't want your younger dogs to mimic bad behavior. Second, the younger dogs can gang-up on the older dog. This can be considered a natural phenomena; however, the older dog's ornery behavior definitely contributes to the gang mentality in the youngsters. Third, it is only fair to your older dog to provide some guidelines for her senior years. Re-asserting your dominance is profoundly helpful to a pooch who has entered this phase. Fourth, you probably have not put her on a leash and worked her in obedience for a long time. She will appreciate the time you invest in her."

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CrazyTzuLady

:aktion033: Tashie Love that is some very good information I will be printing that off for future reference.

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mojomuppet

i was just thinking...now im not going to be able to find that later. i think it should be a sticky. OH STICKY IN CHARGE PERSON! i wonder if she heard me?

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shihtzumomof2

i was just thinking...now im not going to be able to find that later. i think it should be a sticky. OH STICKY IN CHARGE PERSON! i wonder if she heard me?

Thanks! That made me laugh.... :)

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ShihtzuBeauty

Pinned :)

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I'm sorry, I am an idiot--just what does "pinned " mean?

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ShihtzuBeauty

LOL :) you're not an idiot. I've just pinned it at the top of the forum. Here's a link to it. :)

http://shihtzuchattertwo.sunlitesplace.com...hp?showforum=22

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Tashi-Love thanks for reposting that in english for me. I read through the whole thing and I am going to print it out to keep as reference for when Abby has me baffulled. I swear it's like raising my kids all over again,, but this time with more hair.

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tashi love

You're very welcome. :unsure::head_hurts_kr:

( I just noticed that we have a whole bunch more emoticons to play with, thanks)

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Thanks, Melissa. So if you pin it, it's kind of permanently available.

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ShihtzuBeauty

Yes:) Easy to find too

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  • 2 years later...
Emma's mommy

:)

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Oh, Debbie, I think when they pin a topic, it's kind of permanently accessible. If I'm wrong, somebody please correct me!

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When a thread is "pinned", it always appears at the top of the forum. Some forums call it "stickied". It won't move down the page the way regular threads do over time.

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  • 1 year later...
storyweaver

This is an old yet extremely useful thread that I am resurrecting, and just wanted to comment on it.

...for the male pup the 8th through the 10th month represent the most difficult, obnoxious, frustrating period of time in the dog's entire life. The shelters are full of dogs in this stage. In my private training practice I teach my clients to consider it a success during this period if they just don't go backwards. Please don't give up on your pooch during this phase. Your best bet is to create a dog-proofed environment to weather this storm. It will pass.

Hmmm....now that is interesting. I have noticed some changes in Theodore. At times, I think he's testing me. An example of this was the mudbug house incident. He wasn't interested in them before, and suddenly he was. He also started chewing my furniture. Again, he had no interest in furniture as well. Yesterday, in particular, we had a bad day. He just flat out refused to listen to my commands, and he had several time outs yesterday.

After reading this last night, I had to re-examine my methods. What was it that I was doing before that I haven't been doing lately? Answer: Exercise! This month has been busy for me since I've been going to job interviews and errands that involved going out of town. Sometimes I'm gone all day. I used to walk him everyday, but sometimes I skip a day or two. Last week for instance, I was sick for a few days and I just didn't feel like going out. I know. I'm full of excuses and I feel like a bad owner. But now I know. Maybe I just need to re-assert myself and give him more physical as well as mental exercise. After I walked him today, he was still full of energy. I then gave him his kong toy afterwards, and he's passed out in my living room.

I'll be working full time soon so I know he and I will be going through a lot of changes. But now that I know what I'm up against, I'm looking at this with eyes wide open.

Thanks for reading. I'll definitely print and keep this info for reference.

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storyweaver

Ian, do you mind sharing some of your experiences with Hunter? I'm just curious. Theodore is nine months. Despite his baffling behavior lately, he's not a bad dog.

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We sure can tell when Beau hasn't been able to get enough exercise - it's almost always weather related as the reason why he's not getting out. I feel so bad! It's not only good for him, it's good for me as well. His demeanor is completely different when he gets regular exercise. But even regular exercise won't change his incredibly picky eating habits - he can be soooo stubborn.

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