Puppies have an incredible
amount of appeal. There is nothing like filling a family photo album
with pictures of Rover as a pudgy, waddling ball of fluff! Puppies
are so cute, so funny, and so little - how much trouble can one
really be? You might well be amazed.
Some new puppy owners are truly overwhelmed by what is simply normal
puppy behavior. Training a puppy can only happen if someone is home
to do it. This is why puppies should never be left alone for more
than three or four hours at a time, and should never be given free
run of the house or yard if unattended. A great misconception about
puppies is that the younger they are when you get them, the better
they will "bond" with their owners. Unfortunately, separating a
puppy from its mom and littermates prior to seven weeks of age can
deprive it of a critical period of emotional development, and
behavior problems could result later in the dog's life.
Adolescents are not nearly as cute as puppies. They seem to be all
legs and feet and ears, and can definitely look strange during the
four - ten month old stage. The benefits of getting an older puppy
are not always readily apparent. The older pup has usually completed
shots and wormings. It is mentally mature enough to train with
longer-lasting results, and can be left alone for longer periods of
time. It is also much easier to evaluate what the dog's personality
will be like as an adult. There are some considerations, however.
You will be getting a puppy at its most boisterous age and, if the
puppy has been allowed to develop bad habits, you will have to "untrain"
these. An adolescent will still bond with your family just as well
as a young puppy, and will spare you many of the trials of puppy
infancy.
Adults are a finished product. What you see is what you get! No
worries about how big or how friendly it will be. You can probably
tell how well it will get along with you, your family, and your
children. Adult dogs are often a much better choice for families
with young children. They are calmer, and their temperaments are
more stable, which means they are less likely to injure a young
child unintentionally. With only a few exceptions, adult dogs can
and do bond well with new owners. These dogs can bond with you so
tightly that they become your "shadow" and can show you what true
devotion really means. Contrary to popular belief, adult dogs can
readily be trained! Dogs can learn at any age, and adult dogs have a
longer attention span than do either young puppies or adolescents.
Remember, you will get as much out of your dog as you put into it.
Puppies:
♦ Puppies need housebreaking and
house "proofing"
♦ Puppies will go through
adolescence -- not much different from the two legged teens!
♦ Puppies will go through many
stages before adulthood and you are purchasing "potential" rather
than a finished product.
♦ Puppies come with genetic
traits that will be influenced by what you teach them. These traits
will be influenced, but not replaced. by how you raise them
Adults:
♦ Adults are ready for training
and have the power of concentration to learn quickly.
♦ Adults are either house
trained or are ready for it.
♦ What you see is what you get
-- there are not as many stages to go through and you are looking at
the "finished product"
♦ Adults have previous life
experiences - good and bad.
Contact
Thomas
Sauerhoefer
ThomasSauerhoefer@gmx.de
or call 1- (530) 749 - 8861
