|
 Coping
with Canine Adolescence
Provided by The Iams Company
Dayton,
Ohio - (November 5, 1999) - Gangly,
slightly goofy and awkward, they're becoming sexually aware
and challenging your authority on a regular basis. It's a
topic no talk show will touch. But as a veterinarian for The
Iams Company and owner of Calder, an adolescent golden retriever,
Dan Carey, D.V.M., is well aware of the challenge faced by
owners of "teenager" canines - and is prepared to deal with
them.
The onset
and length of adolescence varies by breed, he says. But by
the time they're four months old, most dogs are in early adolescence.
Smaller breeds are generally over this phase by the time they're
a year old, but larger breeds may take another year. "Individuals
can vary within breeds," Dr. Carey says. "I've known some
golden retrievers and Irish setters that act like teenagers
until they're six."
Good
Health for a Long Life
Dogs go
through many changes while transitioning from puppies to adults.
For one thing, their nutritional needs change. It's during
this stage that the switch from puppy to adult dog food should
be made.
Check
the back of the dog food bag for specific recommendations,"
says Dr. Carey. "For the switch from puppy food to dog foods,
we recommend that small breeds make the switch at 9 months
of age; breeds that are 20 to 50 pounds as adults can be switched
around 1 year of age; and dogs that weight more than 50 pounds
as adults can begin eating adult dog food between 12 and 24
months."
Growing
Pains
Dogs'
maturing bodies produce new behaviors for their owners to
cope with. Adolescent dogs are experiencing physiological
changes that they don't have much control over, says Dr. Carey.
"For instance, males lifting their legs is part of normal
development, regardless of breed. It's hard to train them
not to do that at all, so we try to get them to only do it
outside."
At four
to nine months of age, dogs begin to develop sexually, and
another less-than-charming behavior—grabbing the legs
of humans— manifests itself. "It's predominantly a male
behavior, and more than anything, it's a social embarrassment
for their humans," says Dr. Carey. "While this is an innate
behavior, in most cases, we can get the dog to stop it through
verbal corrections and training." Neutering the dog should
help, he adds. But don't expect a complete miracle.
Good-Dog
Basics
Then there
are behaviors that can—and should—be addressed.
"These are many of the same behaviors adolescent humans exhibit,"
says Dr. Carey. "Dogs that are easily trained, like golden
retrievers, don't challenge authority with aggression; they
just try to get away with things."
Say you've
trained your dog to stay out of a certain room. "Every once
in awhile, he'll just step in there to see what will happen.
Adolescent dogs just have trouble saying stop to themselves,"
says Dr. Carey.
In cases
like this, owners should respond with consistent and constant
training, advises Dr. Carey. "Consistent means you do it the
same way every time. Don't say go away one time and
no the next, because go away is a whole different command.
Constant means you have to correct him every single time he
does something wrong."
"Dogs
are capable of learning a lot, but they also can be confused.
It's our job to keep them out of the driver's seat."
For
more than 50 years, The Iams Company has been providing world-class
quality foods for dogs and cats. For more information on proper
pet care and nutrition, call the Iams Pet Professionals toll
free at 1-800-863-4267, Monday through Saturday, 8am to 8pm,
Eastern Standard Time, or visit the Iams Web site at www.iams.com.
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