Males do not have a season like bitches, and once sexually mature they can breed all the time, although are at their most fertile between around months old.
Usually, the testicles in a male puppy will descend into the scrotum very shortly after birth but sometimes they may take over one month and, very rarely, up to 1 year although usually they have descended by 3 months of age when you take your puppy for his second vaccine. Once the testicles descend and his testosterone levels begin to rise, the puppy will start to lift their leg to urinate.
The increased hormones can sometimes lead to behavioural changes including aggression, but these are very variable and differ between individual dogs.
Now you know everything you need to know about dog puberty! Looking for more puppy advice? Read our puppy adolescence article. Take the worry out of puppy parenting! Get weekly, pawsonalised puppy advice delivered straight to your inbox and receive unrivalled access to our expert team of in-house vets, behaviourists, and advisors.
Suggested products. Next article. All About Puppy Microchipping. Puppy Health. Carolyn Menteith. Related topics. Our experts are here to help. Get in touch with us directly any time, any way. Message us. Discover our range of puppy food. Buy Now. Dog puberty usually occurs when your pup is between 7 months and 2 years old and as with humans, it can bring a whole load of behavioural and physical changes.
Find out everything you need to know about the signs of puberty in puppies and what you can expect in this handy guide. Usually, they can learn to hold it and get down to about five to eight times a day after a few weeks. Be sure you have lots of treats on hand from the start to reward and train new behaviors, but use other rewards as well, like positive comments, petting, and cuddling.
Feed your puppy a diet of high-quality dry dog food that has the vitamins and minerals growing dogs need. Keep human food down to a bare minimum. It can cause imbalances that affect the formation of bones, muscles, and healthy organs and lead to obesity later on. Puppies need to be fed four meals a day between eight and 12 weeks of age.
This can be reduced to three meals a day once they reach three to six months of age. Sometime between six months and one year old, they will only need to be fed twice a day, which is normal for adult dogs. One other characteristic of puppies is a tendency for destructive chewing. For dogs, chewing helps strengthen their teeth and provides a form of mental stimulation, and it is one way they learn about the world.
If chewing does become a problem, Pet Medical Center can help you identify training techniques to overcome this problem. The other important activity to undertake with puppies is getting the vaccinations they need for a healthy life. For more information, see the Vaccinations section. Adolescence is as physically and mentally challenging and confusing for dogs as it is for people! Both male and female dogs go through hormonal changes that can be disturbing.
Dogs reach adolescence between six and 18 months. During adolescence, your dog will go through rapid growth spurts, which may cause some mild pain. When permanent teeth come in, your dog will need chew toys to relieve the pressure on the jaw. Be careful about any extreme activity, because growth plates are fragile and susceptible to injury. That means you may encounter more shedding for a while. Adolescence in dogs marks their sexual maturity, usually between eight and 12 months. Spaying and neutering between two and six months of age can alleviate most of the symptoms associated with sexual maturity.
For female dogs, this leads up to their first heat. You may notice that your dog becomes more playful and flirtatious around male dogs. To combat this, Gruen stresses the importance of staying on top of unwanted behaviors. Puppy fur can begin to fall out around six months of age and it may take another six months to one year for the full adult coat to replace the puppy coat, Stelow says.
As a puppy nears adulthood, the way that he interacts with other dogs will likely begin to change. For instance, if other dogs live in the household, a young dog may begin to assert his desire to be treated with greater deference, even becoming the more dominant dog in the group, Gruen says. If any of these behaviors occur, talk to your veterinarian about a positive-based management plan early, as it is easier to address these types of issues before they become more serious.
As a young dog reaches adulthood, he may begin to lose some interest in playtime and might become more interested in spending his time sniffing around at the dog park instead. You may be less likely to see the consistently deferential behavior toward older dogs that puppies show.
An older dog may also become annoyed with younger puppies jumping all over him, so keep that in mind when walking past a stranger on the street with a little pup who may want to greet your dog. Published: March 23, By: Chewy Editorial Published: March 23, By: Dr. Deb M. Eldredge Updated: September 16, By: Victoria Schade Updated: June 15, By: Chewy Editorial Updated: August 26, By: Somyr Perry Updated: December 16,
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