Emerging independence
The next phase in your puppy’s life, emerging independence, is heralded by a fairly rapid increase in confidence and an equally rapid decrease in your puppy’s dependence on your presence to feel safe. The age at which this phase begins varies from breed to breed and from individual to individual.
Many dogs will reach emerging independence in the final third of their first year. A few will reach this point much earlier, and a very few will remain highly dependent for the rest of their lives. You need to assume, however, that the independent phase could begin at any point after four months. As the puppy grows in confidence, he will start to take pleasure in exploring by himself and in moving farther away from you.
As emerging independence gets under way, your dog will leave behind some of the more annoying puppy behaviours. Teething is usually over by around seven months and your puppy will no longer be biting everything in sight. His need to chew the furniture may start to subside, and he should be reliably clean in the house, provided that you don’t leave him shut in for too long.
However, emerging independence brings its own challenges, and this is the point at which many people get into difficulties with training their puppies. In Part Two, to ensure this doesn’t happen to you, I’ll explain how you can establish the foundations of good behaviour and take your first steps in training your puppy to be obedient.
Many dogs will reach emerging independence in the final third of their first year. A few will reach this point much earlier, and a very few will remain highly dependent for the rest of their lives. You need to assume, however, that the independent phase could begin at any point after four months. As the puppy grows in confidence, he will start to take pleasure in exploring by himself and in moving farther away from you.
As emerging independence gets under way, your dog will leave behind some of the more annoying puppy behaviours. Teething is usually over by around seven months and your puppy will no longer be biting everything in sight. His need to chew the furniture may start to subside, and he should be reliably clean in the house, provided that you don’t leave him shut in for too long.
However, emerging independence brings its own challenges, and this is the point at which many people get into difficulties with training their puppies. In Part Two, to ensure this doesn’t happen to you, I’ll explain how you can establish the foundations of good behaviour and take your first steps in training your puppy to be obedient.
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