Puppies do some pretty crazy things. As a new puppy parent, you may find yourself asking, “Is my puppy normal – or is their behavior something to be concerned about?”
In this episode, I dive into the nuances of puppy behavior, particularly in those under four months old. Drawing from over 20 years of experience, I share insights into common behaviors like biting and barking, and share importance of early recognition of concerning signs such as excessive fear or aggression.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this episode:
- How to identify what behaviors are typical for puppies and which ones might require a closer look.
- Typical puppy behaviors like biting, chewing, barking, and exploring – and handy tips on how to manage these behaviors without losing your mind!
- When your puppy’s fear or aggression might be more than just a phase and how to address these issues while keeping your puppy feeling safe and happy.
- I’ll take you back to the day I brought my puppy home and share the steps I took to help him settle in smoothly.
- Trainers choice: An engaging toy that not only entertains your puppy but also strengthens the bond between you two. Trust me, you’ll want to check this out!
Understanding the difference between normal and abnormal puppy behavior is crucial for raising a happy, well-adjusted dog. By recognizing potential issues early, providing the right toys and training, and knowing when to ask for help, you can build a loving and positive relationship with your furry friend.
So, grab a cozy spot, tune in, and let’s make sure you feel confident in your journey as a puppy parent!
Thank you for taking the time to help your dog become a more well-mannered mutt! Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive more training tips, canine wellness advice and fun activities for dogs and their owners!
If you have questions about today’s episode, or if there’s a topic you want to learn more about, come connect with me on Facebook and Instagram at mannersformutts. If you enjoyed this podcast, head over to Apple Podcasts and leave a review – I’d love to hear what’s been helpful for you and your canine friends. Talk to you next time!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
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Episode Transcript:
Staci Lemke 00:00:00 I started teaching puppy classes for puppies under four months of age in 2001, so I have been doing it for 23 years. I have literally worked with thousands of puppies while they were in their primary socialization phase, which in case you don’t know, is from about three weeks of age to about 14 or 16 weeks of age. So I feel confident saying that I understand what is normal puppy behavior and what is not so normal puppy behavior. And this is the topic of this episode of the Well-mannered Mutt podcast. What is normal puppy behavior? What is not so normal puppy behavior? And if you have a puppy that is displaying some questionable behaviors, what can you do about it? Hello and welcome to The Well-Mannered Mutt Podcast. I’m your host, certified professional dog trainer, and registered veterinary technician, Stacie Lemke. Join me as I discuss all things dog – from canine wellbeing to basic training to modifying problem behaviors. Whether you’re a first time puppy parent or have had dogs your whole life. This podcast will help you have a better relationship with your best friend.
Staci Lemke 00:01:16 My passion is to help you have the well-mannered mutt you’ve always dreamed of. Now let’s dive into today’s episode. I’m going to start by telling you a story about my dog, Rowdy. Rowdy is an Australian shepherd and he is now eight years old. I’ve had him since he was ten weeks old. He came from a very well known and well respected Hall of Fame breeder, and I had many discussions with the breeder as to what I wanted in a dog. He wasn’t shipped. I flew out to pick him up. We stayed overnight in a hotel and flew home. The next day he flew in the cabin of the plane with me. He was a perfect angel for the entire time. He was quiet. He was calm. He potted whenever I took him out, he ate well. He played with his toys and he slept really well in his crate overnight. I didn’t realize he had any problems until we got home, and I tried to introduce him to my friends and neighbors, and I found out he was afraid of strangers and not just mildly concerned.
Staci Lemke 00:02:18 But get me the hell out of here. Scared, he would cower, hide and move away from people. This was not normal puppy behavior. My first thought was where did this come from? He was well bred genetically, had no previous trauma that I was aware of, and knowing how this breeder raises puppies had a good start in life. So why was he so fearful of people? My second thought, and probably more important, was how do I help him feel comfortable in this world so that he wouldn’t feel the need to resort to aggression to keep himself safe? And I won’t go into the details of his training plan. But I started immediately working with an animal behaviorist, my dog trainer, friends, and colleagues, and my vet to help Rudy overcome his fears. Okay, so why am I telling you this story? Because it goes to show that even well-bred puppies can have abnormal behaviors. Genetics is a crapshoot. Also, because of my experience with puppy behavior, I recognized right away that Rudy’s behavior wasn’t normal and I was able to start working with him immediately.
Staci Lemke 00:03:25 What if I’d have been a first time puppy parent and didn’t realize that this shyness wasn’t normal? And that’s the important first step. Recognizing normal from not so normal. So let’s start there. Many undesirable behaviors in puppies are typical age related issues that, with the right guidance, are resolved with maturity. Behaviors like biting, chewing, play, fighting, barking, and whining are all normal unless taken to extremes. Puppies under four months of age are usually very active and full of energy and curiosity. They will be curious about everything, sniffing around and investigating new sights and sounds and smells. They put everything in their mouth. That’s how they learn about the world. They should approach other animals and humans with enthusiasm and curiosity. Now, some mild hesitation in approaching unfamiliar environments. Noises, people or object is appropriate, but the puppy should recover quickly with the help of some happy praise, a few treats and confident support from you. Young puppies under four months old should be relatively fearless about the world. They should be friendly with strangers and other dogs.
Staci Lemke 00:04:37 They should not show any grown up aggressive behaviors like snarling, lunging, or serious biting. Also, normal puppies will either be going 100% full speed or will be dead asleep. And puppies do need a lot of sleep 16 to 18 hours a day. But when they’re awake, they are usually. All in all, these normal puppy behaviors comprise about 90% of the puppies that I see. But what about the other 10%? The puppy’s not doing normal puppy things. You got a puppy dreaming of fuzzy snuggles and sweet puppy breath, but instead you and all your possessions are full of teeth marks. Sound familiar? What if I told you raising a puppy doesn’t have to be like this? Join me in my online course. Help! My puppy is biting me to get step by step instructions on how to teach your puppy what’s appropriate to bite and chew on and save your hands and arms. Don’t sacrifice another pair of your favorite shoes. Go to manners for months. Com backslash puppy biting to sign up now. So what are some behaviors that I’d consider not so normal or concerning for puppies under four months of age? Biting that goes beyond playful, freezing, staring, growling, lunging, and snapping are not normal puppy play biting.
Staci Lemke 00:06:05 The concern starts when the force of the bite is hard and consistently draws blood. Unless you have thin skin like some older people, the bite from a puppy should not scratch or puncture enough to draw blood with every interaction. It will happen on occasion. Of course, this tenacity raises a red flag that the puppy did not learn proper bite inhibition with their littermates was taken from the litter too soon, or didn’t receive enough early gentle handling. One of the ways this will show up is excessive mouthing during handling. A puppy who mouths hard during nail trims, veterinary exams, hugging, petting, and lifting. It’s normal for a puppy to be squirmy, wiggly, even mouthy when handled, but they should settle within five to 10s if the puppy continues to get increasingly agitated, growls, snaps, or refuses treats, that’s not normal. Excessive fearfulness is another abnormal behavior for a puppy. And this was the case with Rudy. As I stated earlier, mild hesitation in approaching unfamiliar environments, noises, people or objects is appropriate, but profound fear is suggestive of a serious problem.
Staci Lemke 00:07:16 A puppy who takes more than 1 to 2 seconds to recover from mild hesitation, makes repeated attempts to flee from a situation or interaction, barks at people or other animals, and refuses. High value foods in certain situations, is showing signs of fear, and fear can easily turn to aggression later on in life. Something else for you to be aware of is that, like us, as dogs get older, their social circles shrink. When we’re young children, we play with all the other kids at the playground, even if we don’t know them. But as we mature, we tend to have smaller groups of friends. Dogs are the same. Young puppies will play with all the other young puppies, but adult dogs are more reserved and less tolerant of annoyances. So if you have a shy puppy now and you don’t do anything about it, it’s likely to grow into a fearful adult. And like I said, fear is the number one cause of aggressive behaviors in dogs. Extreme confinement issues are also not normal.
Staci Lemke 00:08:14 It’s normal for puppies to whine or cry when left alone. Most likely, until that puppy came to live with you, they’d never been alone, so it’s normal for them to feel anxious or lonely. Until we teach them to be independent. Puppies need to be taught to be comfortable being left alone. If you are crate training your puppy correctly and they are still having issues with vocalization or an inability to settle in the crate, you may have a more serious issue on your hands. Puppies should not panic when confined or left alone. Most will fuss a bit but then settle down. You should not see constant whining, barking, howling, chewing the crate bars, scratching or digging excessively, attempts to escape, constant pacing, shifting positions, an inability to settle, panting, drooling, or refusing to eat or chew when confined. Also, if your puppy hesitates, backs away, or refuses to enter their confinement area, this is a clear signal that they don’t feel safe or comfortable in it. You may also see that your puppy consistently spoils the confinement area, even though you have them on a potty schedule or have just taken them out.
Staci Lemke 00:09:22 Some abnormal behaviors may actually warrant a visit to your vet. If your puppy is exhibiting behaviors like extreme lethargy, lack of appetite, difficulty walking, or coordination issues. Any kind of obsessive behavior like spinning or tail chasing, a reluctance to sit or lay down during training. Any of these may mean that your puppy has a physical problem or is in pain. Now, it’s always a good idea to get a complete health check for any kind of abnormal behavior anyway, but especially for the ones I’ve mentioned here. So if any of this sounds like your puppy, what should you do? First, we have to admit that there’s a problem and be willing to take it seriously. Second, realize that your puppy isn’t likely to grow out of these behaviors. It’s a problem now, and it’ll be a bigger problem in the future. Don’t wait and see how things go. Once a dog reaches social maturity, typically between 1 to 3 years of age, these problems are likely to worsen significantly, potentially progressing to aggression, and that can be difficult to change.
Staci Lemke 00:10:26 Make an appointment with a behavior professional who has experience dealing with fear issues in dogs. This might be a veterinary behaviorist, a general practice veterinarian who is well versed in behavior and applied animal behaviorist, or even a positive reinforcement dog trainer who has additional education and experience in working with dog behavior problems. Don’t try to YouTube this. You’re going to need professional help, and that’s okay. An appropriate treatment plan for a puppy with behavior issues at such a young age will likely include systematic desensitization and counter conditioning to work on the things that are scary to them. Positive reinforcement training to teach alternative behaviors for situations that cause discomfort or fear, and maybe even medication to reduce their fear and make it easier for them to learn and develop more normally. Most behavior professionals no longer consider medications a last resort. Rowdy was put on Prozac and it’s been very helpful. So here’s a brief overview of what I did with rowdy, systematic desensitization. I exposed rowdy to people at a great enough distance that he felt comfortable counter conditioning. I paired that exposure to people with high value treats and favorite toys.
Staci Lemke 00:11:45 I taught rowdy how to communicate with me, that he was uncomfortable and wanted to be removed from situations. If we’re in a social situation and he begins to feel uncomfortable, he will jump up on me and I know to remove him. He knows he doesn’t need to bark or lunge to move the scary thing away, because he trusts that I’ll take care of him. I also enrolled him in puppy classes where he could earn rewards for doing behaviors in the presence of other puppies and their people. And he was fine with other dogs. He’s just fearful of strangers, and I took agility lessons to help build his confidence. I know Rudy is never going to be an extroverted dog because that’s not his basic personality, and that’s okay. He will still occasionally bark at someone if he’s surprised by them, but he can go on walks. He can interact with familiar people comfortably and even with strangers, so long as they don’t try too hard to make friends with him. Most importantly, he feels safe most of the time with me.
Staci Lemke 00:12:42 Take it from me. There are things that we as pet parents can do to help these puppies feel more comfortable and secure in the world. I did it with rowdy and you can do it with your puppy too. But the sooner you get started, the better your chances are for success. Welcome to Trainer’s Choice. This is where I share with you my favorite toys, treats and activities for you and your dogs to enjoy. As a Certified Professional Dog trainer, I’m required to have 36 hours of continuing education every three years in order to keep my certification up to date. And the reason that I’m telling you this is because I just returned from a three day dog trainers conference, and I found some really cool new dog toys while I was there. I am always in search of new things that I can introduce to my clients, and that’ll help enhance their relationship with their dogs and make training easier. So let me tell you about these new toys. The company is called Tug Enough, and they started back in 2009 with a single toy for a special collie named Indy.
Staci Lemke 00:13:52 And you see, Indy was not very food motivated but was very toy driven. So her owners invented a tug toy that held food to help increase her interest in tugging. And Indy loved it and tug enough was born. They have a huge variety of toys, some that hold food and some that don’t. They have toys with balls, toys with squeakers, toys with fake fur. Toys with real fur. Long toys. Short toys. They have a huge, huge variety and I was able to get a few samples. So far. My favorite toy is the faux fur squeaky chaser toy, and I’ve already started recommending it to all of my puppy parents. So when I work with puppy parents, I always recommend that they get a very long tug toy that they can bring out and interact with their puppy when the puppy gets bitey, because all puppies get bitey, and the faux fur squeaky chaser toy fits the bill perfectly. It’s long, has soft fake fur, a bungee handle, and a squeaker. These toys have been designed by dog trainers who know what dogs like, and they are made with ultra durable materials, so they are tough.
Staci Lemke 00:15:04 Also, these toys have over 5005 star reviews. Tug enough is a family run dog toy brand that’s on a mission to enrich the relationship humans and dogs share using the power of play, and I always love to support small, family run businesses. I highly recommend you check out these toys for yourself and your dog, and I’m including a link so that you can get 10% off your order. Thank you for taking the time to help your dog become a more well-mannered mutt. If you have questions about today’s episode, or if there’s a topic you’d like to learn more about, come connect with me on Facebook and Instagram @mannersformutts. You can also find any links and resources mentioned in the show over at mannersformutts.Com if you enjoyed this podcast, head over to iTunes and leave us a review. I’d love to hear what’s been helpful for you and your canine friends. See you next time!
