When would YOU call a puppy a dog?

Jaylie · 04-15-2007, 08:33 PM

Hey guys, I've been wondering. This is, of course, all personal preference, but, at what age have YOU guys started calling your puppies, "Dogs?" I usually consider any dog over the age of two, a "dog." But this is only because that's the age that guide dogs in training, go from being "puppies in training" to "Guide Dogs." They are turned in at eighteen months, and then they are in for six months, therefore graduating at two. So...Naturally, that's what I see as dogs vs. puppies, even though they're full grown before that...

sillylilykitty · 04-15-2007, 08:37 PM

I would consider a puppy a puppy until it turned 1 year old, then it would be a dog. But realistically, I call all dogs puppies, unless they look and act old then I will call them a dog

sillylilykitty · 04-15-2007, 08:38 PM

But when it comes to cats I always called them cats, no matter the age. Occationally I call them kittens, such as...sillylilykitty!!

briteday · 04-15-2007, 08:46 PM

I don't consider dogs to be full grown and stable until 2-3 years of age, depending on the breed.

Lorina · 04-15-2007, 08:56 PM

Not exactly on topic, but I've found that most dogs respond well to being called "Puppy" no matter what they're age.

Beavis' foster mom felt the same way. Beav was being called Gizmo in the rescue, but didn't know his name, and answered best at the time to "Puppy." I remember her saying that just about all dogs when they were young and yet unnamed (and as new pets, were pretty much guaranteed to get a lot of love and attention), were called "Puppy," so she found that rescue strays, whose names were not known, seemed to react well to being called "Puppy."

I guess it's like how must cats respond to a "Here kitty kitty..."

sillylilykitty · 04-15-2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorina

I guess it's like how must cats respond to a "Here kitty kitty..."

Haha! If you tried saying that to my cat she would stare at you like your crazy! But I think thats just a siamese thing

peace36 · 04-15-2007, 10:06 PM

I agree Jaylee, at the age of 2 I consider them a dog. A very young dog but they seem to be a little calmer. I guess I have heard that in some breeds like a Boxer (not sure if it is true or not) they act like puppies until they are about 5 yrs old.

lovemygreys · 04-15-2007, 10:34 PM

I consider greyhounds "puppies" until they are 3. Greys tend to mature more slowly than some other breeds. I've seen a marked change in most greys' behavior once they hit that magic age

Perhaps coincidentally, we adopted Echo and Rocky when they were both 2ish. Our pack put up with a lot of their antics until they turned about 3 years old and then the older hounds put up with significantly less....Kinda told them to "grow up already!" LOL

Alpha · 04-15-2007, 10:37 PM

Roxy, I call a dog, and have pretty much since she was a year old. She matured "mentally" pretty fast.

Hades will be two in August and I still call him a puppy. I don't think I'll ever call him a dog! Mentally, he still seems pretty immature.

I don't go by a certain age, just how the dog acts more or less.

Jaylie · 04-15-2007, 10:52 PM

Yeah, people say that labs have "Eternal Puppyhoods." They still ACT like puppies until they're 4 or 5!

RonE · 04-15-2007, 10:59 PM

The last thing I ever said to Cubby, the 14-year-old lab, was that he was always a good puppy. He was 135 pounds when we got him. I don't know if he was EVER actually a puppy.

Privately, I refer to Esther as 'baby' instead of 'puppy', but I try not to embarrass her in front of her friends.

iwantmypup · 04-15-2007, 11:01 PM

I will call my puppy ...a puppy alll her life!.....

SFury · 04-16-2007, 08:50 AM

For me its not an age issue, it depends on the dogs personality. At some point in time a change occurs and most dogs truly become a dog and not a crazy little puppy.

My parents current golden retriever didn't become a dog to me until he hit 5 years of age. He had the longest puppyhood of any golden I have ever been around.