The transition from puppyhood to adult dog
THERE ar e two positive aspects to school holiday periods like Easter. First, the traffic on the roads is remarkably diminished: I can drive to work in five minutes rather than taking half an hour. And second, my consulting room at the vet clinic is inundated with school children accompanying their parents with the family pet. This often changes the tone of the consultation: instead of an adult to adult discussion, it can be more like a classroom. I find myself explaining diseases in clear, basic terms, varying as needed, to an audience that includes children aged from five years to fifteen years. Consultations often take longer, but it’s satisfying to know that everyone in the household is well briefed and engaged with their much loved pet’s illness.
Last week, there was one particularly lengthy consultation: an entire family came in with their new, ten week old puppy called Bibi. The twelve year old daughter asked a simple question which needed a complicated answer: “Can you tell us how and when Bibi is going to change from now until she’s a fully grown dog?”
There’s no quick way to answer this, but I did try to break down my answer into easily digestible chunks.
First, and most obviously, puppies grow in size physically., and the rate at which this happens varies hugely depending on a dog’s breed. Bibi is a terrier, weighing just 3kg just now: she will weigh between 6 and 8kg as an adult dog. In contrast, an Irish Wolfhound pup might weigh 6kg at ten weeks of age, but will grow remarkably quickly, reaching an adult weight of around 60kg by one year of age. Regardless of what type of animal is kept as a pet, it’s important to monitor their growth: a weigh in at your local vet clinic once a month makes sense. And as pets reach adulthood, it’s important to continue to monitor their body weight: over half of all dogs and cats end up being overweight, and the best way to prevent this is to have regular weigh-ins: every six months is ideal. It’s easiest to prevent obesity if the trend towards putting on too much weight can be spotted early.
Second, as well as her body growing, so will Bibi’s brain and mind. Puppies have adaptable, inquisitive, playful natures, learning about the world by trial and error. Their minds are geared to investigate new objects and experiences, and adapting their future response depending on what happens. So a puppy will sniff and pat a bumble bee, while an adult dog will have learned that this can lead to a sting, so they’ll stay well away. As owners, it’s important to take advantage of this learning phase of a puppy’s life, introducing them to as wide a range of experiences as possible in a calm, relaxed way. This means learning about objects around them – so-called habituation – as well as a wide range of living creatures such as other dogs, cats and humans – so-called socialisation. Puppies are highly receptive to new experiences when they are young, and it’s recommended that plenty of time should be focussed on socialisation and habituation for the first few months of life in their new home, up until they are around five months of age. After this, pups develop more of an adult frame of mind, becoming less open and less adaptable.
Training animals is an important part of the first year of development: most new dog owners simply don’t know the right way to do this, so it’s worth signing up to a local dog trainer for professional lessons to help your pup grow into a calm, obedient adult animal.
Third, animals grow hormonally as they mature: their reproductive hormones kick in at any time from six to twelve months of age. This means that females come into season, and can get pregnant, while males are prone to heading off, looking for mates. Often owners choose to have their pets spayed or neutered to prevent behaviours that can cause problems, as well as to prevent unwanted offspring. And for female dogs, there are strong health reasons for spaying, preventing malignant mammary cancer later in life. The decision on spay and neuter is an individual one, always worth discussing with your vet.
Fourth, nutritional needs change as animals grow older: puppies and kittens need a high energy, high protein diet, while adult pets need a standard, good quality diet. But there are necessary tweaks: large breeds, like that Irish Wolfhound pup, need a lower energy, lower protein diet than terrier pups, to ensure that they grow slowly and steadily rather than all in a rush. Again, it’s best to talk to your vet about the best way to feed your growing animal.
Fifth, young animals have changing health needs as they grow older. All pups and kittens need a range of vaccinations, to be repeated at intervals throughout their lives. But the precise needs depend on their lifestyle. How much socialising do they do? Do they ever go to boarding kennels? Will they travel to other countries at all? And different animals also have different needs for parasite control: lifelong monthly worming, with a product that eradicates lungworm, is essential for many dogs, while indoor cats that never hunt may only need to be wormed once a year. And similar variations apply to decisions on flea and tick control: it all depends on the pet’s lifestyle.
The first year of life is a busy, busy time for dogs and cats.