FLYING EARS...and wild alien juvenile puppies

Puppies are incredibly cute, thank god! They also can wear us out and confuse the hell out of us, as they start to grow up. By 16 weeks my plan is to have a strong, loving bond with a pup, a good recall, lots of games where toys and ME are fun & rewarding and they have begun foundation for life stuff like sits/downs/stays and fun stuff like how do my back feet work, climbing rocks while on baby hikes, wobble boards, tricks, we LOVE Kids!, riding in the car everywhere, etc. etc. I socialize the hell out of my pups, they still naturally go through wonky phases.


Usually around 16 weeks, the world begins to change as they enter the alternative universe of the Puppy Juvenile period. Everyone talks about how teenage dogs 6+ months and up can be a challenge. I feel like the minute their ears start flying around, teeth falling out and eyes zeroing in on the horizon, is the beginning of a more challenging stage. 

As much as I love my puppies, my mantra is often "thank goodness I am not easily embarrassed in public". My perfect puppy who loves everyone and everything has probably hit a fear period around the time the ears go wonky. Formally perfect puppy now lets the world know when she has arrived someplace.  It may only last a few seconds or a minute, but you know! We might get out of the car to her singing about how the world looks different and might be just a little scary. There is no mal-intent behind this singing, but to the average human they look at my puppy and think there is something "wrong" with them. 

People cut slack for human juveniles going through weird stages, we understand because they can often verbalize night terrors, etc. Puppies can't, they can only show us discomfort by their behavior and vocalizing. Would you label a child as fearful or shy, based on a phase of behavior that exhibited that...or see it as the stairway to their next steps in life, with your help and guidance along the way? I think the same applies to puppies. Their behavior at any given stage or moment, does not define who they will be forever, it is just who they are at that instant, or hour, or day. 

So, why would we label a puppy's behavior as a negative, at a phase that is likely to pass on it's own? Words have power. If a pup is feeling "uncomfortable"  in a new situation, that word sounds workable and indicates that they need support from us-at least to me. We are a team, so we help them get through it. Or, just ignore the reaction while redirecting their focus, and they get through it. 


Labelling a puppy as "reactive" (have to say one of my least fave words in the dog-world vocabulary), sets them up to be seen in a defined scientific test tube of dog-training. It kind of feels to me, like a pup is set adrift to deal with "it" on their own. A negative term, in my view. Where are we in that equation? I think it can be a passively reactive mode for a human, as the person is likely anxiously expecting to see the behavior again. Behavior occurs in circles, history repeats itself. Changing the circle, helps most pups change their feeling about something. A reaction is just that, good or bad. "Reactive" used as a passive verb, means something more to most.

Yup, dogs react to what is around them, they should. We do too. But, the connotation of "reactive" as a passive verb, I think has a negative definition. Ask any of your dog friends what a "reactive" dog is and I will guess that 99% of them will describe lunging, barking and/or aggression. For a pup who seems uncomfortable, or has started to alarm bark etc as they hit an~Ears are flying fear period, being pro-active either in observing what may cause a reaction and not letting it happen (if possible), or not putting them in those situations for a bit unto you see the stage pass....or helping them change their emotional temperature, is how I approach it.  

Teething hurts! Their bodies are also growing, eyesight is also shifting to the horizon and prey drive kicking in more-so they are basically all out of sorts. Most will naturally grow out of this stage of alien and wonky behavior, if we are patient. I truly DON'T try to train out or during a fearful reaction. I DO work hard on changing an association, through play and distance from what may have triggered their discomfort. I always want my puppies to know that I have their backs. I want them to always seek me out for confidence and comfort, if they are worried about something. I want them to count on me, so in the future if something scary happens, they run to me, not away from me.

Do I understand that some pups may show more extreme reactions? Yes, one of my pups had some very bad experiences at a critical period, and I missed it. I was dumb! I didn't have her back. We have worked through a lot of it, but what they learn first, is often what they learn strongest-in a smart pup, that means defaulting back to that initial emotional reaction and behavior. It can take 10,000+ reps of something new, to replace 1 bad experience. Smart puppies also tend to generalize, quickly. Being one step ahead before there is a sign of discomfort or "reaction" and making life a party, has helped a lot. 


So, when you look at that cute face that has now become a demon, remind yourself that the extremely cute and sweet pup you knew, will be back! Just keep loving them and keep them out and about with lower key/positive experiences, they will be fine. You will be fine. 
This too shall pass!