Today is Mugsy’s Birthday. He is one year old, but still very much a puppy. Medium breeds like the Australian Shepherd don’t generally mature and calm down by one year. They are still developing and around year old the puppy is very much in it’s late teens.

Over Reaction

Like any teenager the year old dog is overly emotional to any stimulus. This is because dogs are developing the watchdog instincts.

In a developing puppy when the guard dog instincts come on they are overwhelming for both the dog and the handler.

During a dogs teenage years their guard or watchdog instinct is up to three times as strong as it will be when the dogs are adults. For working breeds this can cause difficult situations. Working breeds are known for having the energy and brains to work past a problem and not stop at a simple obstacle. Australian Shepherds are bred to herd cattle as such their first instinct is to go toward the problem instead of away from it.

Mugsy is in this phase and my previously well socialized puppy seems to think everything that makes itself known to him warrants a good barking at. His jumping up has began to return with vigor, and he even nipped at my ankles recently.

My socialized puppy at 4 months old.

Losing the Puppy Card

At one year old most pups look more like dogs than puppies. It turns out people aren’t the only one who think this. Other canines are also going to start being less tolerant with a one year old dog than they had been an unruly puppy.

Any holes in the pups training are going to stop being cute, and start being more and more annoying or dangerous. Around 1 year old is the age most dogs are surrendered to the shelter. Even a well socialized dog will start indicating a stronger reaction to other dogs, and start revealing a less obedient side. Having a dog constantly testing the training boundaries set can and does cause many people to give up on their pups.

I am not giving up on Mugsy no matter how much he tests me, and the testing boundaries has begun I know.

Still a Puppy Means Still Training

I don’t plan on ever stopping Mugsy’s training. That being said we are going to work particularly hard on a few drills to really establish Mugsy’s manners during this second year of his life. These drills are going to be his recall, the Place command, Leave It, and a default Settle while on leash.

Mugsy may look like a dog, but I must not forget he is still just a puppy.

Happy Birthday Buddy.