Jump to content

When Does Your Breed Start To "slow Down"?


Greyt
 Share

Recommended Posts

Spartan and James had horror puppyhoods (English Setters) and then stopped being evil puppies at around 12-16 months. Spartan has never been overly active and was an "old man" when he reached about 4 years. James is more active, but due to his HD cannot overexert himself so I don't really know how active he would have been. Spartan's body has finally caught up with his brain turning 9 this year - I think he loves that he has to do nothing but sleep and eat.

The Weims are another story... Ari is nothing like any of the other weims I've owned, who all become well behaved around 18m-2 years but she is still going strong with silly antics and high energy and she is 4. Her mother is the same, though, at the age of 9 she is still hunting roos and rabbits. lulu is slightly more laid back and she doesnt' get this from her mother. she is cheeky and a real clown but she is not half as destructive as Ari. I'm willing to be she'll "grow up" around 2 or 3. As for slowing down, probably around 10 or 11.

Edited by SparkyTansy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dog has grown a little less silly as he ages, but he has sped up!

As a baby doberman his paws were way too big and he tripped over all the time, he was the laughing stock of the dog park. But now, he looks like a deer when he runs and boy can he run (clocked him at 50+km). He was a bit of a nervous puppy too, whereas now, he'll take anything and all challenges on - whether it's weird guys who come up to me at night :( or big waves at the beach. I was told by breeders that dobermans don't become proper adults until 3, and then for a lot of dobermans 6 is old. Fingers crossed he lives longer than that - I refused to buy from anyone who didn't have dogs that were 12+ years old in the lines.

I will be very sad the day that he starts to slow down :(

My last dog was a terrier cross and lived to be at least 15 (we didn't know how old he was when we got him). He was his usual self until about 2 weeks before he died, then he deteriorated so quickly we barely had time to say goodbye. I remember taking him to the vet at like, 13-14 years old, and he leapt up onto the examination table. We didn't ask him to and were about to lift him up but he was just amazing right up until the end. The vet used to joke that it was because he was entire and had a reason to live lol he was pretty keen on the ladies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dog has grown a little less silly as he ages, but he has sped up!

As a baby doberman his paws were way too big and he tripped over all the time, he was the laughing stock of the dog park. But now, he looks like a deer when he runs and boy can he run (clocked him at 50+km). He was a bit of a nervous puppy too, whereas now, he'll take anything and all challenges on - whether it's weird guys who come up to me at night :( or big waves at the beach. I was told by breeders that dobermans don't become proper adults until 3, and then for a lot of dobermans 6 is old. Fingers crossed he lives longer than that - I refused to buy from anyone who didn't have dogs that were 12+ years old in the lines.

I will be very sad the day that he starts to slow down :(

My last dog was a terrier cross and lived to be at least 15 (we didn't know how old he was when we got him). He was his usual self until about 2 weeks before he died, then he deteriorated so quickly we barely had time to say goodbye. I remember taking him to the vet at like, 13-14 years old, and he leapt up onto the examination table. We didn't ask him to and were about to lift him up but he was just amazing right up until the end. The vet used to joke that it was because he was entire and had a reason to live lol he was pretty keen on the ladies.

Your dog is a cross breed, is he not ? I have no idea why you continue to refer to him as a "breed" that he is not

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dog has grown a little less silly as he ages, but he has sped up!

As a baby doberman his paws were way too big and he tripped over all the time, he was the laughing stock of the dog park. But now, he looks like a deer when he runs and boy can he run (clocked him at 50+km). He was a bit of a nervous puppy too, whereas now, he'll take anything and all challenges on - whether it's weird guys who come up to me at night :( or big waves at the beach. I was told by breeders that dobermans don't become proper adults until 3, and then for a lot of dobermans 6 is old. Fingers crossed he lives longer than that - I refused to buy from anyone who didn't have dogs that were 12+ years old in the lines.

I will be very sad the day that he starts to slow down :(

My last dog was a terrier cross and lived to be at least 15 (we didn't know how old he was when we got him). He was his usual self until about 2 weeks before he died, then he deteriorated so quickly we barely had time to say goodbye. I remember taking him to the vet at like, 13-14 years old, and he leapt up onto the examination table. We didn't ask him to and were about to lift him up but he was just amazing right up until the end. The vet used to joke that it was because he was entire and had a reason to live lol he was pretty keen on the ladies.

Your dog is a cross breed, is he not ? I have no idea why you continue to refer to him as a "breed" that he is not

No ideas? Perhaps because it's easier, and for the most part he looks and acts like one? (according to people much more experienced with the breed than myself - working doberman trainers from my sports club etc) His mother is pure doberman, his father has a grandparent that was a rottweiler. The rest are all pure dobermans. But of course you're right, he's a doberman cross. I guess I didn't see how it could matter in this particular context? It doesn't matter to me one way or the other though - I've made no secret of it and you know I think I have the best dog in the world lol. And you're more than welcome to correct me everytime I do - if there's anyone on these forums who doesn't already know...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gee lets see... Labradors... grow up and are obedient by 18 months to 2 years... slow down... Ghee I dont think mine have ever looked like slowing down... our 8 yr old will work in the field all day... and then want to play...

My Clumber baby - she's 13 months... if she ever slows down it will be the day she dies.... she only has two speeds.... fast and even bloody faster :laugh:

edited because I can't spell

Edited by Joan of Arc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gee lets see... Labradors... grow up and are obedient by 18 months to 2 years... slow down... Ghee I dont think mine have ever looked like slowing down... our 8 yr old will work in the field all day... and then want to play...

My Clumber baby - she's 13 months... if she ever slows down it will be the day she dies.... she only has two speeds.... fast and even bloody faster :laugh:

edited because I can't spell

Now you just shattered all my illusions about Clumbers. I see them at shows and they are so beautiful and I always think "There's a calm and mature breed, how nice it would be to have a dog like that with its sensible head on". Are looks misleading?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Obviously all dogs are going to be different. But most of the BCs i have known over the years have been 10 + before slowing down. But in saying that my 2 x 8 year olds are completley different, one is happy with a quick run down the creek or wander around the park and his sister is still nuts :laugh:. The JRT is getting nuttier as he gets older, he is 5 years but thinks he is 5 months :laugh:.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think my 4 year old BC's energy levels are still increasing... :rolleyes: She could be easily mistaken for a crazy puppy.

I haven't really noticed if my 5 year old Golden has started to slow at all, he wasn't the most athletic dog to start with :laugh: In some ways he acts like a very mature old man but then he has little puppy explosions quite frequently.

From what I remember, our family Bullmastif was never a puppy... she was also so mature but only lived for 6 years, poor girl.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My poodle x is over 12 now, and I have noticed she sleeps a lot more than she once did.

But when she's up and bouncing around, she is still very energetic and can still jump and leap for joy.

My kids say our bichon was born old - he did the happy dance when you got home but other than that he was generally pretty calm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...