"Hooligan. Nothing but a hooligan I tell you!"
That would be me, speaking to Raider in my rendition of a British accent as I attempt to scold him in a mocking fashion. That accent and mock scolding tends to come up every now and then with Raider as he flies through his terrible-two stage in life. As our dogs mature, they go through different stages of behavioural changes and as dog owners we tend to follow suit.
One day we love them more than life itself and the next we find ourselves wondering why we ever brought such a difficult creature into our lives. A fickle lot we humans are. But if we are aware that there are stages of development that result in behavioural changes in our dogs, we can be much more accepting of their behaviour instead of looking at them like they have lost their minds and searching for phone numbers of local rescues.
When we bring a young pup into our lives, we are filled with gushing love and adoration - until they start teething and turn our hands and shoes into their personal toys to soothe their aching gums.
Our adoration begins again when they get through that stage and we begin to take them out and the rest of the world gushes over our cute pup. Then they start to jump on everyone, no longer come when called and may, in fact, run as fast as they can away from you when you call them. As frustrating as this is, it is normal behaviour, but we still find ourselves reaching for that phone number we sourced out a few months ago and pondering the outcome of giving our pup away.
If you were a smart dog owner, you would find a good puppy socialization class and obedience trainer to help you cope with these stages of development instead of turning to a rescue.
The trainer should be on speed dial because you will need her for longer than the six weeks of the obedience class. In fact, I proclaim that dog trainers now be referred to as dog coaches because they will be holding your hand as you hold the leash and coaching you through the first three years of your dog's life, maybe even beyond.
The two-and-a-half-year mark of a dog's life is one that is often overlooked in its significance. It is the measure of the degree of socialization, leadership and training you have put into your dog over the last two years.
Raider is a darn good little guy for his age. He does have his moments when either the border collie or the cattle dog in him takes over and I want to scream, but for the most part the socialization and leadership I've provided is showing, both in good ways and bad. The bad being his lack of exposure to men with those man bun things and hipster beards.
Who knew, two-and-a-half years ago, that young men would be following a trend that seems to confuse my little dog. People with canes, walkers, wheelchairs, those who walk with a limp, have had a stroke or who are of different races are taken in stride by my little man. But hipsters? They send him over the edge. He reacts by raising his hackles and backing away to the point I must intervene and say, "You either have to tidy up that mass of disheveled facial hair and undo your bun or just walk away."
No amount of treats is going to make my little guy trust them. I'm not entirely sure if Raider is reacting to them out of confusion or simply projecting my personal objection to this latest male fashion trend. In any case, I am so hoping it makes its way out soon.
If you find yourself struggling with your dog's current developmental stage, find a qualified dog coach and take heart that with their help, this too shall pass, with or without hipsters.
Joan Klucha has been working with dogs for more than 15 years. Contact her at [email protected].
