WEBVTT - Do Dogs Experience Puberty Like We Do?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey

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<v Speaker 1>brain Stuff. Lauren vog obam here with that age is

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<v Speaker 1>old question, Do dogs go through puberty? Okay, well, if

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<v Speaker 1>it's not ages old, it's at least an interestingly odd question,

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<v Speaker 1>and an important one for dog owners. You might assume

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<v Speaker 1>the answer is no, because you probably don't ever remember

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<v Speaker 1>your lab or doodle barking I hate you. You've ruined

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<v Speaker 1>my life. You never let me go to the dog park,

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<v Speaker 1>and then stumping off, slamming the doggie door behind him,

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<v Speaker 1>Although that's unlikely to happen for several reasons. The answer

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<v Speaker 1>to weather dogs and other animals go through puberty is yes. Dogs,

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<v Speaker 1>for instance, go through hormonal changes that are similar to humans. However,

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<v Speaker 1>because they have significantly shorter lifespans, the moody and difficult

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<v Speaker 1>period of adolescence happens when they are puppies. A typical

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<v Speaker 1>puppy goes through puberty sometime between four and twenty months,

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<v Speaker 1>the equivalent of a humans first eighteen years. Small breeds

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<v Speaker 1>developed faster than large breeds, and like humans, female dogs

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<v Speaker 1>typically share faster than males. They won't have acne or

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<v Speaker 1>school dances to contend with, but like human adolescence, dogs

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<v Speaker 1>in puberty may exhibit some less than desirable behaviors. Males

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<v Speaker 1>tend to mark and mount, as well as rome, which

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<v Speaker 1>is the dog equivalent of sneaking out of the house

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<v Speaker 1>to cruise for girls with a car full of friends.

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<v Speaker 1>Female dogs reach sexual maturity once they go into heat.

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<v Speaker 1>They'll show physical signs as it approaches, such as excessive

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<v Speaker 1>shedding and looking of genitals. Male dogs are drawn to

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<v Speaker 1>the female scent when they are in heat, so girl

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<v Speaker 1>pups should be kept indoors and have a secure physical

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<v Speaker 1>barrier around them when outdoors. A female dog can become

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<v Speaker 1>pregnant during her first heat, just like they tell you

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<v Speaker 1>in high school, and due to an increased chance of

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<v Speaker 1>health and behavioral problems, devetinarians device against spain or breeding

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<v Speaker 1>a dog before that. In addition to sex specific behavior,

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<v Speaker 1>pubescent boy and girl dogs share a variety of new

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<v Speaker 1>personality traits and behaviors, which can include anxiety insecurity, irritability, jumpiness,

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<v Speaker 1>and increased independence, including a reluctance to come when alled.

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<v Speaker 1>They may also begin to act territorial and protective, or

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<v Speaker 1>even become picky about playmates and fight with other dogs.

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<v Speaker 1>Dog adolescence is also accompanied by an abundance of energy.

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<v Speaker 1>Perhaps unlike humans, I remember being distinctly difficult about getting

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<v Speaker 1>out of bed in the morning. In dogs, that energy

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<v Speaker 1>can often lead to chewing the wrong things, pulling on leashes,

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<v Speaker 1>and digging, though you can mitigate all of that by

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<v Speaker 1>providing positive outlets such as playing, running, and going on

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<v Speaker 1>frequent walks and outings. In addition to needing healthy avenues

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<v Speaker 1>for extra energy. During this period, experts say it's important

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<v Speaker 1>that pets are mentally stimulated by playing, exploring new places,

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<v Speaker 1>and learning new tricks. Dogs should be routinely socialized because

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<v Speaker 1>along with puberty can come a sudden fear of people

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<v Speaker 1>or things that haven't been issues in the past. This

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<v Speaker 1>is a critical time when early adolescent puppies develop emotionally,

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<v Speaker 1>gain confidence, and decide who they trust. Sadly, the majority

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<v Speaker 1>of shelter dogs arrived during adolescence because people don't realize

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<v Speaker 1>their pets sudden bad behavior is a developmental phase that

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<v Speaker 1>will end if you decide to include a four leg

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<v Speaker 1>an addition to your family. You know the road ahead

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<v Speaker 1>isn't paved entirely with rainbow shaped squeaky toys, but when

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<v Speaker 1>Muffin begins to act ornery around six months. Be thankful

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<v Speaker 1>that she isn't too embarrassed to be seen walking with you.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's episode was written by Meg's Bar with and produced

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<v Speaker 1>by Tyler Clang. Brain Stuff is a production of iHeart

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<v Speaker 1>Radio's How Stuff Works. For more in this and lots

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<v Speaker 1>of other dog on topics, visit our home planet, how

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<v Speaker 1>stuff Works dot com. And for more podcasts from my

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<v Speaker 1>heart Radio, visit i heeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or

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<v Speaker 1>wherever you listen to your favorite shows.