What to expect with adult dogs?

Once your canine buddy is above 18 months he is slowly inching towards adulthood, a phase where they reach physical and sexual maturity. You must consider getting them spayed or neutered to avoid unwanted pregnancies, reducing the risk of succumbing to cancer or other reproductive diseases.

Mentally, they will be more alert at this stage and will prove a little difficult for you to handle them as they would not listen to your commands especially during walks and at mealtimes. At this stage, gentle and firm handling is required along with continuous training and they will slowly understand who is the master.

Your furry buddy may tend to nip and bite more during this stage. Dogs exhibit such behaviour when they feel they are being threatened and tend to protect their territory. They may especially do so during sleeptime and at mealtimes. This behaviour can be eliminated with continuous training.

You must remind your family members and especially children that dogs do not like to be stared at directly and consider that as a threat which may lead to serious biting behaviour. Dogs may also bite when a person or another animal stimulate a ‘chase response’ in them. So it is always a good idea to have your dog leashed while walking.

As a pet parent it is your duty to ensure that your pet has their regular vaccinations and is upto date with parasite control. Also make sure that you keep his teeth clean and bathe and groom him regularly.

It is always a good idea to consult with the vet or a behaviourist and take their professional advice to handle your adult dog better.

Happy Parenting!