# Puppy Development Calender



## MisterBailey (Jun 28, 2007)

> * Selective deafness?* (5-9 Months)


that is so Bailey right now!!

There was something quite similar in the GR club newsletter this month, but it didn't go past the age of 4 months old.


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## kardokardo (Sep 13, 2007)

According to the calendar she's in fear period. So I was worried about something...
This week Ajda had a scary experience with a 5 month German shepherd mix, he wasn't trying to harm her, just playin' but she got spooked. This weekend I'm taking her to the dog park, I found some GR puppy owners (4-5 month old puppies and one adult) in the neighborhood and learned that they were meeting every weekend in a nearby park. I'm going to introduce Ajda, I hope she plays with the other puppies and forgets the excited German.
What do you think?


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## super_nova (Dec 9, 2007)

The worst thing you can do in a dogs fear period if they get spooked by something is to make a big fuss of them. They are looking at you for guidence... if something spooks them, do not pat them or baby talk them, walk ahead strong and show them that the pack leader isn't scared by it, and they will know that there is no reason for them to be scared. The most important thing during the fear period is not to take them into situations that you have no control over. Don't let them play with dogs if you don't know if they are friendly or not. Don't introduce them to new things that could scare them during this period.

I heavily socialised Byron from 8-12 weeks so nothing much phases him. At 12 weeks he started his fear period, so I stopped taking him to new places I wasn't 100% sure of. I don't let him socialise with adult dogs that I do not know, or ones that I know that are not puppy savvy. He should finish his first fear period in a couple of weeks and then I will get back into the socialisation.

The most important thing is how you react though. I know this because my kelpie is fear aggressive. I made the mistake of feeding her fear by making a fuss and getting nervous around other dogs.

If you know the other dogs are friendly kardokardo and Ajda isn't freaking out, it should be all she needs to get over her freight. Don't push her if she is nervous though, she needs to know that you as pack leader will not put her in situations that she sees as stressful.


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## kardokardo (Sep 13, 2007)

I stayed completely calm, I made the German sit. He was a very submissive dog, he immediately lay down. Then when he was calm, I walked around him with Ajda, like nothing was out of the ordinary. That settled her a bit, but still she didn't want the German around her or coming at her. See, we were at the vet, and the vet had no control over her dog. And he is big so it took me a while to control him. The vet asked me 'how did you get him to lay down like that?'. I said 'I'm doing what you were supposed to be doing'. It was a cold shower for her, but I think she got the point. I hope this weekend goes well. The GR we will meet are all puppies, same size as Ajda, I guess with a proper introduction we can manage.
Thanks for the reply Byron's mum..! Really helped me!


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## super_nova (Dec 9, 2007)

Sounds like you will have no problems at all then. Just stick to the puppies you are going to see and dogs you know until the fear period has passed and I can't see any reason that she would be affected at all.


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## EddieME (Nov 25, 2007)

Thank you for that developmental calender. New puppy owners need all the info they can get. Eddie is at that critical 12-16wk stage. I always watch his ears to judge his comfort level. If they are pinned back, I know he is out of his comfort zone....


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## super_nova (Dec 9, 2007)

Are you socialising him heaps during this period EddieME? I heavily socialised Byron until 12 weeks. He went everywhere with me. We went to a retirement village and visited all of it's residents, went to the beach a fair bit, took him to a cafe to sit quietly while people walked past, took him to places with different surfaces for him to get used to, made him climb stairs. He met... dogs, cats, bunnies, goats, pigs, ducks, horses, everything I could find. He met strange people dressed up in costumes and on stilts. He also met people in wheel chairs and on crutches, and people with disabilities. I also took him in the car heaps so now he just curles up and goes to sleep in the car. I can't think of what else we did, but boy I was exhausted trying to squeeze everything into that 4 weeks. I think it is something like 70% of a dogs learning happens in the critical socialization period.


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## EddieME (Nov 25, 2007)

super_nova said:


> Are you socialising him heaps during this period EddieME? I heavily socialised Byron until 12 weeks. He went everywhere with me. We went to a retirement village and visited all of it's residents, went to the beach a fair bit, took him to a cafe to sit quietly while people walked past, took him to places with different surfaces for him to get used to, made him climb stairs. He met... dogs, cats, bunnies, goats, pigs, ducks, horses, everything I could find. He met strange people dressed up in costumes and on stilts. He also met people in wheel chairs and on crutches, and people with disabilities. I also took him in the car heaps so now he just curles up and goes to sleep in the car. I can't think of what else we did, but boy I was exhausted trying to squeeze everything into that 4 weeks. I think it is something like 70% of a dogs learning happens in the critical socialization period.


Thanks for asking! Yes we have taken Eddie everywhere. Loves both our cars. My Husband takes him to work three days and I am off two. Weekends we have taken him to thanksgiving get-togethers, swap xmas parties with a wide range of ages, and any social event we have. We also have gotten him to sit and "watch" joggers go by, greet folks without jumping up and not freak when he sees the horses come clomping down the beach. So far so good.
His ears go back in some wide open spaces, like the beach at low tide, but he is getting better.
Today he had his first grooming. I left him with a local woman for a bath and paw trim. He did great. 
No bunnies or goats yet but plenty of sea gulls 
I heard he should meet 100 people in his first 4 months, I think he is close!


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## super_nova (Dec 9, 2007)

Yeah i am pretty sure it was 100 people. Sounds alot, but really isn't once you get going. I am pretty sure Byron would have met at least 100 already. It's really easy when you have a spunky golden, everyone wants to stop and say hello don't they?


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## EddieME (Nov 25, 2007)

He is a people magnet - no one can resist a gold puppy. Melbourne is a beautiful city! I envy your December weather!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Bama got really scared by the guy climbing the tree next door to cut it down and ran and jumped in my lap. I just let him sit there but didnt coo to him or babytalk to him. I just sat with him and watched them. He started watching them and then went and sat in the other chair.


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## Grizzly (Nov 17, 2007)

Great information. When I get my pup I will do the "triangle of temtation" training. Stupid question, what is a "back tie"


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