Like our kids, dogs go through developmental stages – from puppyhood into adolescence and adulthood, exhibiting certain typical behaviors.
Ever wonder about the stages of a dog’s life?
While there is some disagreement as to how many stages and the exact cut-offs, they are generally the following. This makes sense, though, because we have kids we call late bloomers, etc. So your dog may just be at a different pace to hit the milestones.
Puppy
Puppydom starts at birth and lasts anywhere between a year to a year and a half.
During puppyhood, your dog is growing and learning a lot. This is the time they socialize both with other animals and humans. It is a critical bonding period, where they will inherently trust before fearing if they are healthy in body and mind and have been shown love. Typically the animals will not be interested in or able to reproduce at this age, though small breeds tend to reach sexual maturity sooner than larger breeds.
At around a month, puppies wean from milk from their mother to food. This is still good to switch over slowly, and by around two months, the puppies will likely be switched over to diet entirely.
Puppies tend to eat more frequently, from four times a day (until around three months) to three times a day (at approximately six months).
Adolescence
Between a year to two years after birth, puppies reach their ‘teens’ or adolescence.
Dogs need care for their teeth and gums their whole life, so make an effort to begin proper dental care when your dog is still a puppy. That way, it will be a natural thing for the dog. To clean their teeth, use a special toothbrush made for dogs or a bit of cotton gauze held tight around your finger. To clean the teeth, gently rub the teeth and gum area with a dog toothpaste or some baking soda and water mix. Remember that dog toothpaste is different than what we use and do not mix them.
Keeping on top of potty training most diligently at first will pay off over time. Remember that you’re investing your time in an accident-free future. Puppies are pretty easy to train once they are weaned. By the time they reach about half a year old, they will be able to signal, understand, wait, and go outside to go relieve themselves. I’ve seen great luck with potty pads, with pheromones that signal to your pup that it is for the elimination to happen on. You can simply move that outside further and further until it clicks with them that they just go outside for it.
Consider having your puppy spayed or neutered when they reach about six months to a year to keep them from reproducing and having puppies. Spaying and neutering before the reproductive cycle starts have been shown to help reduce problems like breast cancer and testicular disease as they age.
At sexual maturity, both males and females start marking territory. Aggressiveness between dogs at this time is likely due to an increase during sexual maturity as they are aware of social status, territorial regions, and access to potential mates.
Several rounds of vaccinations or shots are necessary during a dog’s first year. Get on a schedule with your veterinarian about which ones your dog needs and when to get them. Doing these visits regularly during the first year can establish a good feeling for the dog to visit the veterinarian. Try to be unrushed and make it a pleasant experience for the dog.
As your puppy grows into its skin and becomes more aware of others, hormonally driven behavior influences begin to arrive around the half-year mark. Again, this is typically sooner with smaller dogs.
By this age, dogs are typically housebroken. They can concentrate more that they were able to as puppies as their strength and agility improvements as they have grown into their bodies. Often they will start to show some character, but it can be much like you’d expect from a teen. While it might seem to be moodiness, it’s probably more their experience of life with the hormonal changes. They may even exhibit more signs of chewing, so be sure to establish some things that can be eaten like the rawhide and things off-limits.
This is the perfect time to consider obedience training since the dog can concentrate on a more extended period.
You may notice a tendency to growl or be a territorial ramp up. This is often when a real bark starts to emerge as well. Pay attention to what your dog barks at and see if there are ways to handle the situation better. In some cases, the barking may make sense, but when you start to notice barking inappropriately, see if you can train or redirect the behavior to something more fitting.
At this age, with dog parks and doggie daycares being so prevalent, try to make you keep up with socialization. Your dog is still learning to interact with others. Remember your teenage years?
Adulthood
Adulthood is a prime of life for your pets and begins between two to three years after birth.
This is the period when the teens end for your pup – usually sometime between one to two and a half years depending upon the breed, size, and particular dog.
Dogs are not growing as much by adulthood. This is when dogs start to get wider, both in chest width and their bellies.
By this time, dogs may be less playful but more of an endearing partner who you know and who knows you.
Exercise is crucial at this age as it is when your dog may be calmer and get less naturally. With less pulling on the leash and excitability, it can be a more pleasurable walk around the neighborhood as your dog is likely confident and well behaved and socialized by this time.
Don’t forget to keep routines with your dog, though, and also to keep your dog engaged. Just like us, they keep learning, and life is so much more interesting experienced vs. just watched from a window.
You’ll want to keep on with yearly visits to the vet to keep current on vaccinations.
Senior/Mature
By the time your dog hits around seven years old, they are much like us in our middle years. Remember that smaller breeds tend to have a longer lifespan. However, this year still manages to be over the hill mark for their behaviors.
Exercise is still just as important but may be slowing down. Some dogs experience hip and leg pains as we do by this age, so take it easy, and your dog will help show you what they are ready for activity-wise.
Again, keep up with the yearly checkups. This may be a time when the veterinarian calls for biannual teeth cleaning sessions.
Senior – Seniority is when the dog is in the last quarter of life span estimate. Remember, this depends on the dog’s breed, size, and individual health.
As a dog’s age, they might get even slower and more mellow. Take time to snuggle with your pup at this time, and make sure your dog still gets to enjoy the things they once bounded across a room for.
Due to less activity, older dogs may need a more specialized diet and less food than they did when they were younger. Check with your veterinarian before making changes because they usually recommend implementing changes slowly as to cause as little upset (both physical and mental) as possible.
Often as a dog’s age, we must take them to the vet more often. Just like us, when we get to our old age, we get more preventative checkups. They may need to be watched for arthritis and joint problems, diabetes, and other diseases. Simple, routine blood tests can help detect problems early, including kidney disease and even some cancers. Early diagnosis and therapy may not only help prolong their health and life.
Keep up on the recommended teeth cleanings from the vet.
Even older dogs still need exercise and want to go outside. Pay attention when there are extreme temperatures to protect your dog when they are less apt to be sprightly.
At this time, you may also wish to consider making the home more pleasant for your beloved. If your dog has bad hips or joint pain, you may consider getting some of the soft foam stairs that make it possible for them to climb up to the sofa they have slept on their entire life. There may also be supplements that help with the pain to consider. Speak with your vet about this.
