Saint Spot Syndrome & Puppy Development

Maybe the baby-dog “channels” Saint Spot…to do you both honor. Image Copr. Dave Garber/Flickr

I notice a lot of increased interest lately in “new puppy” information including puppy development. It must be all the cute lil’ guys that arrived in homes this past spring and summer. There’s nothing cuter than a baby dog (or baby anything, really!), and I am totally convinced that puppies are made that way so we’ll forgive them all the silly-crazy-stoopid-destructiveness that comes with them.

Are you familiar with Saint Spot Syndrome? Well…probably not because I just made that up. Basically, Saint Spot Syndrome refers to comparing the new clueless cute puppy to that heart-dog that may still share your heart and home, or maybe awaits you across the mystical Rainbow Bridge. Any little pup will suffer mightily in the comparison.

Remember that you spent many years together with the other canine, and likely had rough spots together, too. But time churns the memory cream until the sweetest butter remains and the sour stuff drains away–so give the newcomer a break. Heck, maybe Saint Spot sent him/her to you. Among trainers there’s a saying that we always get the dog that we NEED at that moment in time.

I like that notion.

Here’s some hope for getting past some of the puppy-icity angst. You can learn what to expect in this article about puppy development birth to 12 weeks and then puppy development 10 weeks to adult.

So do you have a young-ish canine giving you fits? How do you reconcile the differences between New Boy and your beloved’s memory? Or does it matter to you?

I want to welcome my newest affiliate to the blog, too–find fun pet-themed gifts for yourself and your pets at the ASPCA Store!

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