Jemmy Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 First question: at what age do you switch from calling your dog a puppy, to calling them a dog? Second: when are puppy behaviours expected to phase out? Madam was sitting and offering a shake for a treat this morning, and I was asked how old she is (10mths) and got the comment "she's still very puppy like isn't she?" Just wondering if she's supposed to be more grown up by now or if a playful "here's my paw, can I have a treat" is perfectly OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Never. If you have a Dalmatian :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Lol, that is a bit like, "How long is a piece of string?" Very breed specific too, from all the stories I'Ve read on DOL over the years. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 I have two matured aged puppies here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Labs are puppies forever. Ernie is 8 months but he looks full grown. People who don't know treat/expect him to behave like one. Until they see him wrestle the vacuum cleaner, clear the coffee table with one swipe of his tail, bark at the kitties on the tv, race around the house gleefully holding the broom handle, get an erection at any opportunity, bury his bone in my cactus pot plant (and the look sorry for himself at the prickles), fall through the steps on the kids playset slide, eat an entire box of Jatz off the counter in 3 minutes (box and all).... You get the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 (edited) First question: at what age do you switch from calling your dog a puppy, to calling them a dog? Second: when are puppy behaviours expected to phase out? Madam was sitting and offering a shake for a treat this morning, and I was asked how old she is (10mths) and got the comment "she's still very puppy like isn't she?" Just wondering if she's supposed to be more grown up by now or if a playful "here's my paw, can I have a treat" is perfectly OK. Never. Always called them puppy to the day they crossed to the Rainbow Bridge. With Vizslas, they get the crazies or zoomies. They know how to enjoy life ..... with the innocence of a puppy AND the guile of an (adult) dog. Jemmy, Madam is meant to be whatever touches your heart. She needs no label, imo. Edited December 19, 2014 by VizslaMomma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikira Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 I think we will be calling our Jack Russell "Jingo Pup" forever. He is 18 months old and sometimes I think it is time to stop calling him a puppy... but he is my puppy! Treasure it and thank them for their compliment when anyone says your dog is "puppy-like", they grow up way too fast and you will miss that when they mature. At 10 months I would still be expecting this type of behaviour in most breeds, in some breeds it could be 10 years before they grow up! Enjoy the puppy years, they will be gone in the blink of an eye. Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 As part of domestication we have selected infantile features of dogs when breeding which helps maintain that "puppy" attitude way beyond what a wild dog or wolf would. Physical characteristics such as floppy ears and behavioural characteristics too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Jenny, Madam is meant to be whatever touches your heart. She needs no label, imo. Brilliant, VizslaMomma. I am not one for "uplighting quotations" but I do like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Jenny, Madam is meant to be whatever touches your heart. She needs no label, imo. Brilliant, VizslaMomma. I am not one for "uplighting quotations" but I do like that. thanks :) But this old pup misread Jemmy's name. Now corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 (edited) Edited December 21, 2014 by VizslaMomma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemmy Posted December 19, 2014 Author Share Posted December 19, 2014 Thank you for the reassurance everyone! I love her puppy playfulness but did think the comment implied she should be more mature... I'll just continue doing our own thing :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Elsie seems to think puppies stop being puppies around 7/8 months - that's when she will normally stop letting them get away with puppy antics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCC Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I would still call a 10 month old a puppy. Just think, some breeds aren't even fully grown until 3! When people ask me how old Nova is and I say 18months, I actually get most people saying "Oh he's still a baby!" Most of the above come from obedience/agility people so not sure if it's something to do with that. But I use 'puppy' as a fond term as well. My labrador was always "my puppy", even when he passed at 11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 By the Dog Show classes we enter they officially stop being puppies at 12 months. That does not mean they themselves have stopped being puppies for all their lives. :laugh: Some breeds mature more quickly than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 There may be a theoretical age but the reality is that some dogs are silly & puppy like forever. My Angie at age 9 is a total twit at times & such fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaseyKay Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Generally our youngest gets called "Puppy" as a nickname until the next actual puppy turns up (ours currently aged 5 years, 3 years and 6 months). Then you realise how grown up they are and how much hard work actual puppies are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Never, I have a 12 year old puppy :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I think it depends... My dog's puppy licence with other dogs expired when she was about 6 to 8 months old. She's six now - and people out and about still think she's a puppy. Mostly because of her manner. She's most often a grovelly crawl and roll over dog... and that wiggle bum bandy legged low to the ground greeting - she gets called a puppy... a lot. So when I say she's 6 - people think I mean months... But she's not as playful now as she was at that age and she likes to leave pee-mails everywhere - which didn't really start until she was about 2 yo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Generally our youngest gets called "Puppy" as a nickname until the next actual puppy turns up (ours currently aged 5 years, 3 years and 6 months). Then you realise how grown up they are and how much hard work actual puppies are! We call ours "Proby" as in On Probation :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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