Don't worry! It's normal! For those of you with Maya puppies (8 months old) you may be wondering why your dog has forgotten how to sit, or lay down, even though they've known how to for months.
It's normal, and common, for puppies of this age to go through this "forgetful" stage. Nobody knows why it occurs but in about 65% of puppies between the ages of 7-9 months, they seem to forget everything they have learned to this point. Not to worry though. It will all come back in a week or two.
The best way to deal with this is to teach them how to do it all over again. Don't correct them as they truly have forgotten and if you correct, they will lose respect and trust for you. They won't know why they are being corrected. Just go back to the beginning and start again. It will only take a few days and all of a sudden they will say "OH! I remember this now!" It's the strangest thing but it is documented scientifically and 65% of puppies will go through it. So don't worry, just re-teach and soon things will be right back to normal.
And to all my puppy families, don't forget that they MAY go through a fear period at around 12 months. Don't be alarmed, again, it is just something they go through. In this case you have only a 50/50 chance of them becoming temporarily fearful of things that never bothered them before. That fire hydrant down the road, the honk of a car etc. Just do the same thing I taught you when you picked up your puppy and within a week they will be back to their normal selves again.
What's the best way to build a strong bond between you and your dog? PLAY! Playing with your dog is the #1 way to build a strong, unbreakable bond. Dog packs that are not sleeping or hunting, play! It enforces the family bonds and tightens the pack structure. So go out and play with your dog! It's important!
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