Jul
15
There are many changes that occur as your puppy gets older. In this section we will list and describe some of the changes in your puppy’s behavior from 12 weeks up to the age of 15 weeks.
Puppy Socialization You should have already started socializing your puppy between the ages of 8 - 11 weeks but now you need to move the socialization outside. Gently introduce your puppy to new experiences outside such as cars, crowds, moving bikes and joggers - remember your puppy should still be attached to the leash.
Puppy Behavior -
12 - 15 weeksWhat to expect - and what you should do Your puppy may start to test your authority and also try and prove his own dominance Your puppy may even show aggressive behavior and even be quite stubborn - this is not always the case - all your puppy is trying to do is find his rightful place in the pack. Try to avoid playing any rough games such as tug of war as this is training your puppy to challenge you - and as you are the pack leader you don’t need to be challenged as your place in the pack is already set. Do not allow any aggressive behavior to take rout at this early stage otherwise you maybe stuck with it. You may find that your puppy starts to ignore training commands - this is quite normal -
however don’t allow all of the new smells, sounds and experiences to distract you and your puppy in the training regime. Puppy training classes are an excellent choice if you are having worries about certain issues as not only can you get expert advice from the trainer but you can socialize your puppy with other dogs and also talk to other owners about problems they maybe having. Expect your puppy to be destructive - you may even see him becoming too boisterous but keep an eye on him as new sounds and sights may lead to nervous behavior and even aggressive playing - be there to anticipate any problems and remove him from the situation using positive reinforcement when you see good behavior - this will train your puppy to respond to your praise. You may encounter house training issues. You can counter this by introducing training pads. However, this isn’t my favorite training tool. It is much better to actually attach a leash to your puppy and take him outside to potty. Don’t assume that if you leave the door open he will understand that this is his signal to go outside as he will not have associate the two together yet. Decide on a toileting regime. You can achieve this by watching the times that he is regularly going and building a toileting regime around these times. Avoid clearing up any accidents in front of your puppy. Continue monthly worming up to the age of six months. Your puppy may start to bark at you when you give commands or when you go to leave the House. It is important that you start teaching him that you won’t always be around - so gradually start leaving him on his own. Don’t make a big deal of it when you leave the House - place him in his crate or den and go out for short periods. This is a good time period to get him micro-chipped. Assuming you have spoken to your Vet and he has had all his inoculations you should walking your puppy on a regular basis. Expect him to be scared of every-thing - but don’t be too soft on him - if you constantly reassure him when he is scared he will assume that he is supposed to be scared - without knowing it you are reinforcing his negative/natural behavior to a normal experience. If you are walking him make sure that anyone who approaches does so one at a time and does not stare directly into his eyes as this is a direct challenge and may get a negative response.
Hope you enjoyed this quick introduction to this important stage in puppy behavior and development. In the next article we will focus on the developmental stage between 16 -19 weeks.
By: Tobias Charles About the Author:
Tobias Charles writes on all aspects of dog obedience training and puppy training. For more information on the developmental stages in a puppy’s life - checkout the stages between
8-11 weeks old.
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