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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“I really enjoyed these classes. Frankie was knowledgeable and explained the reasoning for why you need to do things the way you go in such an interesting and straightforward manner. It has definitely helped with Cooper.”— Joe
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“Charlie was absolutely wonderful in all aspects. Friendly, kind and knowledgeable. Always available to answer any questions or concerns. Charlie is very experienced and myself and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed the classes and wish that we had more weeks together with our puppy family! Highly recommended and really enjoyable! Thank you for helping us understood our puppy and teaching us ways to grow together - invaluable”— Sam
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“The whole family really enjoyed the puppy course. Elin was a brilliant instructor, extremely knowledgeable, helpful, welcoming and easy to understand. We have learnt a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the course. Thank you!”— Sam
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“Simple instructions but we learnt so much, such a great tutor and nothing was to much trouble, always finds the answer to any questions we had. Thank you so much ”— Anna
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“Lilly was very friendly and engaging throughout the course. She was also always happy to answer any questions we had at the end of the classes. Our Bonbon absolutely loved Lilly! ”— Molly