The First Year of Your Dog’s Life

I decided to write this hub for everyone who desires to get a dog but doesn’t really know what to expect from them in the beginning. So what are the common behaviors for dogs, the do’s and don’ts, their normal development and what you should emphasize the most? Bear in mind that no dog is the same even if they are from the same breed, same mother and so on, so this is more like a guideline for anyone who wants to follow it. The first year is the most important one, and when most people get fed up with all the hard-work and mess they leave and decide to abandon their dogs. Please don't give up. After the first months everything will become easier.

Usually people who buy dogs from dog breeders don’t get them until the second or third month because they need their mother’s milk and also because of some vaccination. Even so in this stage their baby teeth star to show and some breeds can start to let go of the mother’s milk. Even if most of their time is spend nursing and sleeping at the rest of time they are very playful and tend to bite a lot because of their new teeth. They start to leave their mother and get curious of the surrounding environment so extra caution is required. This can be a very stressful time for the owners because lots of puppies running, jumping and tumbling around is not for the faint of heart! They need to understand the presence of humans so it’s a good idea to pick them up and introduce some toys, and play, play a lot!

You can begin to house train them and some vaccination is required. Their brains are developing very quickly as 70% of their brain mass is already matured, so it’s the ideal time to start teach them their names and some of your rules. Their play could begin to be a little more hard, as they tend to fight amongst each other or with their owner. They will be full of energy but are still developing their motor skills, so be patient and give them lots of affection and challenge them with new toys. Sometimes a ball it’s all that’s needed to make a dog happy! They should start to eat solid food by now, talk to a local vet and check which brand is the better suited for them.

By now almost 90% of their brain mass is developed, so you should insist on the training. Sit, lay down, name calling and so on are the basics they should start to learn. Remember that at this stage they are eager to learn and please their owners. This is the time when you form the lasting emotions with your dog. Usually they have a big appetite around this age because their organs and muscles are growing immensely at this stage. They start to lose that belly and puppy face. When the mandatory vaccination are done take them outside and introduce them to all the different environments.

Ok so by now your puppy is starting to become an adolescence. In smaller breeds around the 5^th or 6^th month they get their full adult size and the baby teeth start to fall. This can be very stressful for them so be sure to have lots of chewing toys around. They can also be sexually mature for the smaller breeds. By now they should have learned the basic rules of the house, and they should be able to hold their blather for 8 hours. Expect them to challenge you for the leadership of the house, so be firm and show them you’re the boss. There’s no need to hurt them when they push boundaries with you, just be firm and steady and with time they get it.

At this stage their medium size breeds become fully grown and sexually active. They understand more difficult commands and know their owners name and tone of voice. By now you should only feed them two meals a day by now, it’s more than enough for any animal who has stopped growing. The problem with the permanent teeth is still there for some breeds, so like before, be sure to have chewing toys for them.

By now he’s not a adolescent any more, he’s an adult dog. This is the last stage of their first and most important year of their life. Big breeds are now adult and sexually active. With exceptions of some breeds, by now they should respond to your calling outside, so they can walk without a leash. Remember that even if they are adults by now, they are still young and require lots of attention from you. Be sure to play with them and continue to stimulate them all the time.