Training: Puppy Transitional Stages

When we get a new puppy, and wisely begin command training at 2 months (ie SIT DOWN STAY COME), and puppy at 2 months excels, we’re ECSTATIC, and can be lulled into falsely believing we’ll have now, a well-behaved dog for life.

The first thing to know is, command training (knowledge), provides GREAT life-navigating skills for the life of your dog, but in NO WAY equals obedience. Because puppy “knows how to…” doesn’t mean “he will.…”

What many trainers fail to provide you with, is critical knowledge of innate changes, that puppy will go through as he/she ages and develops. These transitionary stages occur at

3 months

6 months

9 months

And the whopper of a change :

12-18 months (typically larger dogs closer to 12 months, & small dogs closer to 18 months

At each juncture, the puppy will likely “push-back” against your authority. It’s like the human version of the “terrible-two’s” or “teenage-rebellion.”  These transitionary stages are NORMAL and necessary for psychological development. But we can loose submissive-obedience at each juncture if we’re unskilled dog handlers.

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“What works then, for obtaining everlasting CALM-SUBMISSIVE-OBEDIENCE ?”

It’s 1 thing: being ALPHA of the pack.

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The alpha of the pack is a job w great responsibility, but equally with lots of privilege.

Responsibilities:

•Quality of life choices (meeting the survival needs of pack/ie walking them to water when they’re thirsty, and hopefully pack pleasures/ ie freedom and time to play: unique to wild dogs vs other wild animals )

•Policing and rulemaking

•Establishing the hunt

•Territory safeguarding (procuring and defending)

•teaching puppies adult-hood skills

•Pushing underlings out of the pack when puppies are mature enough to leave home

•1st line of defense (this last one may require fighting until the LOSS OF LIFE for the betterment of pack- HUGE responsibility)

But, the reward or “pay-off” for the job, includes the right to breed and raise puppies (raising puppies exclusive to alphas only), the best shade during hot days, shelter from bad weather, first crack at a carcass (typically the alpha male and female (plus alpha females puppies) are the only members of pack to get the highly valued organ meat), AND, a pack made of members exhibiting submissive obedience.

Once the alpha role is obtained, subordinate members have innate BUILT IN LISTENING SKILLS. This requires then, NO TRAINING. That’s right! NO-TRAINING! Submissive obedience is FREELY and WILLINGLY given to the alpha.

While #3 & #4 May squabble over resources, lower ranking dogs will drop a resource upon the approach of an alpha male or female.

Breeders have tried to out-breed this hierarchical tendency, as it can present a challenge in successful dog rearing (to no avail, as its “hard-wired” in). But I say: CAPITALIZE ON IT!

So, I recommend gaining the alpha role as the FIRST EXERCISE upon bringing new puppy home discipline before affection.

Best of luck with your new puppy.