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Canine Teenage AngstJackie Drakeford |
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I wish puppies
came with a health and safety manual stressing that, however good they are,
they will one day become adolescent and try their owners severely. My
own dog's adolescent rebellions have lasted from two weeks up to a year.
No matter how much training you have put in prior to this, the wheels
come off with a vengeance once their hormones start stirring. But hormones
are necessary for a dog's correct physical and mental development, and adolescence
is something we all go through. Agencies that push neutering as a cure
all ills are way off beam, as neutering too early can make the situation
much worse. Marking time while nature takes its course should be rewarded
by a normal, well-adjusted dog. However difficult it is a time, adolescence
will one day be over and then you will have your dog back again. If
you have done your early training, or "bricklaying", layer by careful layer,
it will all be in place once your dog has passed through the maelstrom. If
you rush aspects of training, as with the wobbly layer of bricks, you may
end up having to build its skills up again from the foundations.
Even when you know what to expect, adolescence can take you by surprise. It is amazing how much we can forget between puppies. So many dog owners are caught out by this phase, never suspecting that it is a normal part of canine development. It is no accident that a high proportion of dogs in rescue are going through the "Kevin and Perry" stage when their owners give up on them.
Even when you know what to expect, adolescence can take you by surprise. It is amazing how much we can forget between puppies. So many dog owners are caught out by this phase, never suspecting that it is a normal part of canine development. It is no accident that a high proportion of dogs in rescue are going through the "Kevin and Perry" stage when their owners give up on them.
reprinted with kind permission from Alastair Balmain
Deputy Editor:Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street SE1 0SU
Tel: 020 3148 4750
Deputy Editor:Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street SE1 0SU
Tel: 020 3148 4750
