Your Puppy: What to Expect at 4 to 6 Months - Vet Street

By 5 months, your puppy's house training should be well established, and she should be able to wait longer between trips outside. She will ... Vetstreet DOGS CATS Marketplace ALLNEW! FIND YOURVET LEARN GUIDESTOPETWELLNESS CARE KEEPINGYOURPETHEALTHY TRAIN UNDERSTANDINGPETBEHAVIOR HealthyPet Magazine CurrentIssue PhotoContest Home›Dogs›YourPuppy:WhattoExpectat4to6Months Advertisement YourPuppy:WhattoExpectat4to6Months February27,2014 Twitter Print Email INTHISARTICLE PhysicalandMentalDevelopment BehaviorChanges HealthandNutrition TrainingTips Thinkstock Yourfurryfriendisgrowingup.Inhumanyearsshewouldbebetween6and10yearsold,dependingonherbreed.Andlikeherhumancounterparts,she’splayful,curiousandperhapsevenalittlewillful.Here’swhatyoucanexpectoverthenextfewmonths.PhysicalandMentalDevelopmentBy5months,yourpuppy’shousetrainingshouldbewellestablished,andsheshouldbeabletowaitlongerbetweentripsoutside.Shewillaveragefourtosixtripsdailyandgraduallydecreasetothreeorfourassheentersadulthood.Duringthisperiodofphysicaldevelopment,yourdogwillmaturesexually.By5monthsold,amalepuppycanproducesperm;by6months,afemaleisabletohaveherfirstlitter.Ifyoudon’tplantobreedyourdog,talkwithyourveterinarianaboutspayingorneuteringyourpuppyassoonaspossible.Spayingorneuteringyourpetwilleliminatetheriskofanunplannedpregnancy,reduceroamingtendencies,andlessenmanyunwantedaggressivebehaviors,aswellashelppreventthedevelopmentofmanycommonreproductivecancers.Itishighlyrecommendedthatyouspayyourfemaledogbeforeherfirstheattoobtainsomeoftheassociatedhealthbenefits.Duringthenextseveralmonths,yourpuppywillbegintoloseherbaby,ordeciduous,teeth.Theyfallouttomakewayforheradultteeth.Youmightfindthemonthecarpetorlodgedinherfavoritechewtoy,oryoumaynotfindthematall.Offerappropriatechewtoystoeaseherteething.Anicecubetreatmaybegreatlyappreciatednow.Yourveterinarianwillmonitoryourpet’smouthtomakesureallofthebabyteethfallout.Sometimespetssufferfromaretaineddeciduoustooth.Thissimplymeansthebabytoothdidn’tfallout.Theveterinarianwillremovethetoothtopreventinfectionandmakeroomfortheadulttooth.BehaviorChangesYourcuddlyfriendwillstartdemonstratingherindependenceatthisstage.Shemaybelesseagertopleaseandmorelikelytotesttherules.She’salsoenjoyingabigdoseofhormonesthatmaycausewillfulorrebelliousbehaviors—justlikeateenager.Yourpotty-trainedpuppymaystarthavingaccidentsinthehouse.Bepatientandconsistent,andreinforcetraining.HealthandNutritionAtyournextveterinaryappointmentyoushoulddiscussspayingorneuteringyourdog.Yourpreciouspuppymaystilllookbabylike,butsheisrapidlyreachingsexualmaturity.Notonlywillthispreventpregnancyandreduceroaminginstincts,butitwillalsoreduceoreliminateyourfemale’sriskofmammary,ovarian,uterineandcervicalcancerandyourmale’sriskoftesticularcancer.Additionally,thereareconcernswithintactmaleandfemaledogsthatmaylimithowtheycanbeboardedwhenyouareonvacation,orwhethertheycanparticipateatplaysessionsordogparks.Youshouldconsiderallofthesefactorswhenmakingthedecisiontospayorneuteryourdog.Dependingonyourdog’sbreedandhaircoat,shemayneedregularorevendailybrushingtoremoveunwantedhairandpreventmats.Chooseabrushdesignedfordogsandusethisgroomingtimetobondwithyouryoungdog.Shemayalsoshedorneedregulartrimstokeepherfurhealthyandmanageable.Shewillalsorequireregularbathstokeephersmellingsweet.Bathingfrequencywilldependonyourdog’sbreedandotherlifestylefactors.Askyourveterinarianforgroomingrecommendationsandforadviceonselectingtherightshampooforyourpet.Avoidusingshampoosdesignedforpeople,becausethesemaydryouthersensitiveskin.Yourdog’steethalsoneedspecialattention,andnowisagoodtimetocreateatoothbrushingroutine.Youcangentlymassagehergumswithgauze,orpurchaseatoothbrushandtoothpastedesignedspecificallyfordogs.Don’tusehumantoothpaste.Yourdogwilllikelyswallowitinsteadofspittingitout,andthefluorideinyourtoothpastecanmakehersick.Sometimeinthesecoupleofmonthsyourveterinarianwillprobablyvaccinateyourdogagainstrabies,inaccordancewithyourstate’slaws.Thisvaccine(andseveralothercorevaccines)willneedtoberepeatedafteroneyear,asdirectedbyyourveterinarian.TrainingTipsGoodnews:Yourpuppyistrainable!Andherrambunctiousattitudeprovessheneedsitnowmorethanever.Betweennipping,pottytraining,bolting,barkingandjumping,youmayfeelexhaustedbyyourrestlesslittleonebeforethedayevenbegins.Aregimentedtrainingschedulewillhelpcombatyourfriskyfriend’sboundlessenergy.Trytopracticewithyourpuppyeverydayforabout10minutes,andmakeitfunsoshelooksforwardtosomeone-on-onetimewithyou.Somebasiccommandsyourpuppyisreadytolearnincludesit,stay,heelandno.Youwillalsowanttopracticewalkingonaleash.Athome,practiceiscritical,butit’salsoagoodideatoenlistsomeprofessionalhelp.Askyourveterinarianforarecommendationforanobediencecoursenearyou.Ifyouareconsideringskippingthisimportantstep,thinkagain.Dogswhoknowtherulesarehappierpets,andtraineddogsarelesslikelytoberelinquishedtoshelterslaterbecausetheirbadbehaviorcomesbetweenthemandtheirfamily.Trainingclassesalsoprovideagoodtimetosocialize,bothforyouandyourdog.Youwillgetthechancetocommiseratewithotherdogowners,andasweallknow,“miserylovescompany.”Youmayneedenergydrinkstokeepupwithyoursuperchargedyoungster,buthanginthere,andsticktoyourregulartrainingroutine.Patienceandconfidencewillsetthetoneforalong,happylifetogether. 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