Your 6 month old puppy
At 6 months old, your puppy is considered to be an adolescent. Be prepared for some teenage behaviour!
Things to do this month:
Spay or castrate
As your puppy hits puberty, they may become sexually interested in other dogs and start marking, straying or humping. Ask your vet about having your dog spayed or castrated to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Ask your vet for advice about when this should be done. Your puppy needs to be emotionally, socially and mentally mature before being neutered.
Dog training
You may have graduated from puppy school, but you’ll need to keep up with the training. Consider follow on classes. If you start to experience problem behaviour in your dog, it’s a good idea to seek professional help from a properly qualified dog trainer or behaviourist.
Common questions you may ask this month
How much exercise does a 6 month old puppy need?
An energetic 6 month old puppy will benefit from a good half an hour’s walk a couple of times a day. Mental stimulation is particularly important in young dogs, so make time every day for training, playing, sniffing and learning. Dogs love having the space to run around and have a good sniff – this is part of their natural behaviour. Take your dog to different places to give them a change to experience new smells. Check it is safe for them to be let off the lead, or use a long lead if you are still perfecting your recall.
How much will my puppy grow after 6 months?
At around 6 months, your puppy’s growth rate will start to slow down. If your dog is a large breed they will continue to grow, up until the age of two. A smaller breed may be close to their adult size by this age.
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Testimonials
What Clients say
about Puppy School
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“The training was invaluable in helping me to ensure Toby developed new skills as he grew into the confident, well behaved pup that he is. The training taught me how to be a successful puppy parent, and we are both looking forward to starting puppy college. ”— Mary
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“The puppy training was fantastic! It helped us to identify our puppies needs, how he is developing and how to support his understanding. The trainer was so friendly and approachable, always taking time to chat before and after class. Our puppy has come so far in his training since the classes first started. A big thank you for all the support provided! ”— Robin
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“Celia was outstanding, friendly, welcoming, professional, knowledgeable and efficient. I very much looked forward to our classes. She took into account my disability and was professionally accommodating. I have 2 friends with new puppies and have already recommended. I loved the website to back up the training, with the training videos and the initial pack with the puppy manual. Fabulous! ”— George
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“We had such a wonderful experience with Jacki as our Puppy School tutor! She is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and supportive. Jacki explains training techniques clearly and makes them easy to follow, which really helped us feel confident. She creates such a positive learning environment where both the puppies and owners feel comfortable. Her calm, encouraging approach made a huge difference for our puppy, who grew in confidence and picked up new skills quickly. You can really see how much she cares about the dogs and their families. Thank you, Jacki, for giving us the tools we need to continue training and for making the classes such an enjoyable experience!”— Penelope
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“We loved it! Even though Otis is a timid dog, his confidence has grown! ”— Taylor