Understanding Your Dog's Life Stages
Understanding Your Dog's Life Stages
Understanding your dog's life stages as a dog owner will help you become familiar with all your dog's life stages. Knowing this information will provide you with sufficient knowledge about your dog and what you can do as they go through each stage. You will be prepared as they grow from a puppy and into their senior years.
During your dog's life, they will:
Upset you--or, at the very least, frustrate you. Housetraining is no picnic, nor is cleaning up vomit or finding your slippers chewed beyond recognition. Even if your puppy never misbehaves (ha!), her never-ending need for you will sometimes feel overwhelming.
Surprise you. Your Australian Shepherd loves agility training. Your Doberman can bark her name. Or your Cocker Spaniel actually draws a smile from the grumpy neighbor across the street. Sometimes, you'll just be astonished by your adolescent dog's endless desire to please you.
Bring you incredible joy. They don't care whether you made your sales goals or how good you look for your high school reunion. Your dog is thrilled simply to be around you--and will demonstrate those feelings on a regular basis.
And probably grief. No matter how long they live, saying goodbye to a treasured friend is difficult. If it weren't, the relationship wouldn't be worth it.
Your Dog's Life Stages
Puppy - Birth to 6 weeks
Juvenile - 6 Weeks to 6 months
Adolescent 6 to 18 months
Adult 18 months to 7 years (This will vary according you're your dog's breed)
Senior or Geriatric 7 years plus (This will vary depending upon your dog's breed)
Basic needs for all dogs regardless of their life stage are:
Collar
Leash
Food bowl
Water bowl
I.D. Tag
Microchip (Health information)
Dog License (if required in your community)
Chewable Toys
Treats for training
Crate (Traveling, and a place to stay while your are away)
Odor neutralizer
Requirements for Each Stage
Here are some requirements as your dog goes through each stage:
Birth to 6 Weeks
The basic needs during this time is to ensure that your puppy is getting the mother's milk to help develop his immune system and growth. Gradually, taking him off the mother's milk and begin feeding him puppy food.
Juvenile - 6 Weeks to 6 Months
Exercise - Play games that encourage cooperation: hide & seek, find it, round robin recalls etc.
Grooming Daily brushing, bi-weekly nail clipping, weekly teeth cleaning and a bathe as needed.
Health Care Puppy vaccinations, rabies, stool check, deworming, and early age spay/neuter decision.
Diet Premium quality dry kibble or wet puppy formula, 2-3x/day, treats for training.
Training Supervision, consistent feedback regarding house manners, basic commands, handling exercise and socialization.
Behavior Impressionable learns quickly, best time to begin training sessions, and learn lifelong habits.
Adolescent - 6 Months to 18 Months
Exercise Problem prevention program, and 2 hours aerobic exercise daily.
Grooming Maintain grooming program, flea/tick control program, bathe as needed.
Health Care Annual vaccinations, stool check, heart worm test, traditional spay/neuter heart worm preventative.
Diet 6 to 12 months puppy formula 2x day; 12-18 months formula 1-2x day, and treats for training.
Training Training program emphasizing impulse control and leadership; agility and/or tracking skills.
Behavior Sexually mature; typical head strong teenager and rebellious.
Adult 18 Months to 7 Years
Exercise Maintain exercise program; can include jogging and cycling activities, agility classes.
Grooming Maintain grooming program, note any skin growths or changes in pigment, bathe as needed.
Health Care Annual check-up vaccinations every 1-3 years, check for periodontal disease, heartworm test and monthly preventative.
Diet Watch for obesity; switch to less active formula and treats for training.
Training Maintain training; guarding breeds may need additional supervision and training to prevent problem behaviors.
Behavior Emotionally/socially mature, behaviorally predictable, may try to dominate.
Senior 7 Years Plus
Exercise Light exercise program to maintain weight; avoid overexerting on hot or cold days.
Grooming Message therapy; maintain grooming, report to vet growths/lumps pigment changes.
Health Care Report any sudden changes in diet, activity, stool to vet, heartworm test, and monthly preventive.
Diet Senior formula diet; vet prescribed diet for kidney and other problems, and treats for training.
Training Maintain training according to dog's ability (loss of hearing, vision, stiffness/pain), more frequent opportunities to soil outdoors
Behavior Reduces sensory input may result in confusion or irritability, canine cognitive dysfunction.
Bottom Line
Dogs are as individual as people; there's no hard-and-fast rule for what they'll do and when they will do it. If you treat your dog with the love and respect they deserve, what you can count on in return is devotion, adoration, and a mistake or two along the way as the two of you learn to communicate across the human-canine divide.
Dogs age at different speeds, with large dogs generally maturing more slowly than small dogs. But timing aside, they all go through the same stages: energetic puppyhood unpredictable adolescence, the relatively smooth ride of adulthood, and the slower, lazier senior years. NZD|USD Looks Appetizing How to Choose Your Cat Insurance Policy What You Need to Know About Cat Insurance Making Savings On A Cat Insurance Policy Explaining Dog Insurance in Easy to Understand Terms How Can Dog Insurance Help You Financially How To Train Your Yorkshire Terrier Why It Is Important To Obtain The Best Pet Insurance Available The Puggle: An Adorable Mixed Breed Dog Advantages Of Rspca Pet Insurance Yorkshire Terriers: Small But Mighty Pet Insurance Can Be Hip Dog Cages Are A Must