Can you believe that your puppy technically only has a couple of weeks left of puppyhood? They are growing up fast! Adolescence begins around 6 months of age, so your pup is on the precipice of teenagehood!
This is the age where your pup's personality really starts to shine through, and you might see their independent streak come out. They are also approaching sexual maturity, so you may notice more behaviors influenced by hormones like humping or marking — it's just a normal part of growing up. We've got tips and tricks to make the most of these last couple of weeks of puppyhood, so read on!
This week's focus:
Playing tug
Put an end to destructive chewing
Using treats to train without bribing
Training "stay"
Preventing car sickness
Caring for your dog's coat, and more
Play Tug, Not War!
You may have heard a rumor that playing tug with a dog can cause aggression, but this just isn't true! As long as you play with some simple rules, tug can be a great way to build your relationship with your puppy, practice training skills like Drop It, and burn excess energy with play.
It's a perfect chance to help your puppy learn to keep their teeth to themselves as they learn how to play with people (compared to other pups, which does involve teeth). However, if a puppy has shown tendencies to guard toys, then tug is not the best game to play because it can make resource guarding worse.
Chewing is an essential part of a puppy's development and a great way to keep their teeth clean and healthy. But we don't want them to make a habit of chewing on your shoes or other household items!
Provide lots of safe and appropriate chews and rotate them regularly to keep them new and exciting – and more enticing than your stuff! Offer a variety of textures and flavors, and always supervise your pup's chewing to make sure they stay safe and satisfied. Regular cleaning of toys is advisable as well.
Treats are one of the easiest rewards to use in training your puppy, but for some reason, many people shy away from using them to their fullest potential. Perhaps it's because we're scared of bribing our dogs to do things, and that's understandable.
But it's easy to use treats in a way that isn't bribing – instead of food making the behavior happen (a bribe), the behavior makes the food happen (not a bribe). This is where using a marker word is so helpful!
Once your pup has a foundation of how to sit and lay down when asked, then you can start practicing stay. Don't expect too much too soon though! Stay is hard for wiggly excited puppies, so start easy.
Focus first on duration – just holding position for a few seconds before saying, "all done!" and treating. Once you have some duration trained, then you'll want to layer in distance – taking one step away while they hold their stay... then two steps... then three... and on and on.
Practice in a low-distraction area to set yourself up for success!
Your dog likely has all their pearly whites in. If everything seems great in your pup's mouth, be sure to brush those beauties daily to keep them healthy. Train your puppy in stages, taking it slowly and making it a lifelong habit. If you can't brush regularly, or even if you do, incorporating dental chews, water and food additives, and supplements can help keep harmful bacteria at bay.
Being car sick isn't fun for your dog or you! Work on conditioning your dog to the car. Take them on short trips to start and then gradually increase the trip time.
Be sure the car is cool when driving your pup around. It is best to avoid feeding them anything about 2 hours before leaving. If you find your dog just can't travel without getting sick, consult with your veterinarian about medications that may help. The sooner you help your pup overcome car sickness, the better. Feeling sick in the car can contribute to travel anxiety, which takes much longer to fix!
Pro Tip: Make car rides fun! Once your puppy has the appropriate vaccines, take them on fun field trips that start with a short car ride. Feed them their meal in the car (not while driving) to create a positive association, or stick a licking mat on the window for them to work on as a positive distraction.
Your dog's coat condition gives you a glimpse into their overall health. Keeping your dog's coat clean and brushed not only helps prevent furballs from drifting around your home, but it also strengthens your bond, makes spotting medical concerns easier, prevents matting (and reduces overall grooming costs), and it helps keep your dog cool in hot weather. Different types and lengths of coat require different brushing tools and techniques.
Looking for a fun way to burn off some puppy energy? Get your puppy a flirt pole! Flirt poles are basically just larger versions of a cat wand but are a bit sturdier to hold up to dog play. It's a perfect option to get your dog moving when you're tired and not up for a long walk.
Be sure to use it safely: Keep the lure on the ground (avoid your dog jumping up to catch it), and avoid sharp turns. Let your puppy catch it and make a big deal when they do! Then practice drop it so they can chase it again.
Pig ears and rawhides may seem like the perfect chew, but more times than not they can cause problems that can be dangerous. Both are known to cause gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhea but the negative effects can go beyond that. There are cases of dogs choking on them, developing pancreatitis, and suffering from blockages. There are many safer options that you should consider using instead.
Sago palms are highly toxic to dogs (and cats) if eaten. These plants can be found indoors and outside.
While all parts are dangerous, the seeds, which can even be found in jewelry, have the highest concentration of toxins and are the most dangerous. It is highly recommended to either switch to an artificial version of this plant if you really love them or, better yet, search for a plant or flower that is pet-safe.
Make your puppy's well-being a priority by avoiding common safety hazards and training mistakes. Our 101Essential Tips book series comes in paperback and digital, and features bite-sized, easy-to-follow expert advice. Prevent problems before they happen.
