Puppy Development

At training session with puppies, I'll take a bit of time discussing typical developmental stages with owners. I find many owners view puppy-hood as a rather extended time period, and that they often accept poor behaviors thinking "he/she'll outgrow this stage". To my mind, dogs actually mature more quickly mentally than they do physically. Many 9 month old dogs can begin training for advanced work - jobs such as service, search, and military, etc.

Because of this, I believe owners are better served setting fair expectations for puppies vs rationalizing problems. Maturity comes sooner when an owner is teaching mature behaviors and energies. Having fair expectations, and taking a proactive approach to a dog's education, can mean enjoying a good dog sooner (after a few months) vs later (many years).

Good trainers will understand and appreciate a dog's emotional and mental development. They use this knowledge to help dogs and owners move along as quickly and fairly as possible. This understanding is also key in helping owners identify normal developmental behaviors, vs unusual behaviors which may indicate some underlying problem(s).

The video below show a dog's physical development (from a 2 month old pup to a 3 year old dog) in less than 2 minutes. I find the second half of the video, with shots where the dog is interacting with its owner or environment, the most interesting. Here, I'm watching a dog that is becoming more confident, trusting, and relaxed. A dog that is maturing not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally.