People often say it takes about 7 years for a dog to calm down. I'm not entirely sure what they mean by that. Do they mean the dog does less damage? Is more compliant? Sleeps more? Has less energy? Or are they waiting for a generally calm mood state?
7 years is an awfully long time to wait and there's a lot we can do to help our dogs be calmer in that time. Every one of those things I mentioned can be actively worked on. I wonder if people know that and know what they can do. I can help with that.
So what affects calmness?
1. Genetics. Yes. They matter. Some breeds are just inherently more laid back and chilled out than others. Within breeds, some individuals are just more laid back and chilled out than others.
2. Age. Yes. This matters too. A physically, socially, emotionally, mentally healthy puppy will be more active and curious than an adult. They will dig, chew, chase, bite, bark and generally be investigative. A puppy that is NOT doing this, is a puppy I might be concerned about. Just like human infants, their brains and bodies are developing at a great pace and experiences shape that development. There will still be variations in activity levels because of breed, but a very quiet puppy may not be a well one.
3. Environment. This is a huge topic. It's everything outside the puppy that shapes their development.
It includes:
*Rearing practices. It's everything that happens before you get the puppy and while you raise them. Did the puppy have an upbringing where the mother could nurture them well? Were the mum and puppies well cared for (wormed, well fed, handled) and given many positive experiences to give them a good start to lifelong wellbeing? Could the mum get away from the puppies when they were annoying? She will have been a much calmer, more nurturing mother if she could take breaks.
*Where the puppy lives. A house in the country will probably be quieter than a house on a small section in a subdivision in town. A sound sensitive puppy in a noisy environment may really struggle.
*The emotional environment in the household - is it generally a calm, nurturing environment? It may be very hard for a puppy to learn about calmness if the household is chaotic with lots of noise and activity.
Other animals can affect a puppy's stress levels too. Is the puppy awake all day harrassing another dog? Is the puppy unable to rest because an older dog wants to constantly play? Don't let the puppy practise behaviours and emotional states you don't want to become habits.
*Owner input. Are the puppy's needs being met? Is the puppy getting enough quality attention, guidance, play, positive experiences and quality rest? Unmet needs will not result in calm behaviour.
Note that I haven't mentioned the word obedience.
Training is important, and can be introduced in a low key, enjoyable way to a puppy, but puppy classes as obedience classes are completely outdated. Puppies are babies with rapidly developing brains and bodies. They're not miniature adults.
The early learning curriculum for children is all about positive experiences and social development in a safe, supported environment. We need to embrace that for our puppies too.
We need to raise our puppies as purposefully as we raise our children. The parallels are striking. Create a safe, nurturing environment for your baby pup which supports them to learn about calmness. Help them to practise it regularly, so it's a skill they are constantly strengthening. Don't wait 7 years for calmness to magically happen.
If you live locally, I offer a class called Pups on Purpose: Life Skills for Puppies.
I'd love to see you there.
If you live further afield, I encourage you to look for similar classes in your area or online. What you do or don't do during the puppy stage matters (a lot).
Please take a look at: https://www.wingsdogtraining.co.nz/classes
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