Concept
PUPPIES GROW UP very fast and the cuddly bundle in your arms today will look very different in a few months’ time. In the space of a single year most puppies complete the bulk of their physical growth and have become sexually mature – rapid growth and development are fairly important in a social predator whose parents would normally reproduce on an annual basis.
Domestication has had an effect on the development of our dogs, though. Unlike wolves, dogs retain some juvenile behavioural characteristics, a willingness to play for example, for most of their lives. Whilst most puppies are not mentally mature at a year old, and some larger dogs still have some growing to do, a year is approximately what it takes to turn your tiny puppy into a full-sized adult dog. And a year, more or less, is not a very long time in which to grow up and find your place in the modern world.
People tend to worry quite a bit about growth – how much their puppy should weigh, and how tall he should be, at any given age. It is tempting to make comparisons with other dogs, but there is great variety of form, even in dogs of the same breed. In this chapter we’ll look at the growth and development process, and how you can influence it in your puppy’s best interests.
I’ll also be talking about ways in which you can make the most of the opportunities that the different stages in his development will offer you.
It is not just your puppy’s body that will be changing rapidly during this time; his mind will be maturing, too. For the first few weeks in his new home, a puppy is emotionally dependent on his carers; he won’t want to stray far from the trusted grown-ups that represent his security and safety. This dependency can be a great asset.
Domestication has had an effect on the development of our dogs, though. Unlike wolves, dogs retain some juvenile behavioural characteristics, a willingness to play for example, for most of their lives. Whilst most puppies are not mentally mature at a year old, and some larger dogs still have some growing to do, a year is approximately what it takes to turn your tiny puppy into a full-sized adult dog. And a year, more or less, is not a very long time in which to grow up and find your place in the modern world.
People tend to worry quite a bit about growth – how much their puppy should weigh, and how tall he should be, at any given age. It is tempting to make comparisons with other dogs, but there is great variety of form, even in dogs of the same breed. In this chapter we’ll look at the growth and development process, and how you can influence it in your puppy’s best interests.
I’ll also be talking about ways in which you can make the most of the opportunities that the different stages in his development will offer you.
It is not just your puppy’s body that will be changing rapidly during this time; his mind will be maturing, too. For the first few weeks in his new home, a puppy is emotionally dependent on his carers; he won’t want to stray far from the trusted grown-ups that represent his security and safety. This dependency can be a great asset.
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