Like babies,
Puppies come into the world with so much growing and learning still to do.
At first they can only communicate with their mother
through tiny grunts and whines.
Expressing basic desires,
delights
and discomforts.
It’s only around seven weeks old
that they discover how to bark at.
But just as
they were asked how to talk to their canine family,
we suddenly become their world.
Luckily, our two species have a magical understanding
that has lasted over 15,000 years.
Whilst they learn to decode the strange noises, we make it then.
That’s it. Good boy.
Good boy.
Scientists are discovering we can decipher dozens
of different sounds they make to us.
Oh, and we both come up with new.
No other animals communicate with us like they do.
And that makes our relationship
with dogs utterly unique.
Not every puppy, however, is so in tune with their humans.
At first.
Willoughby, the Miniature Schnauzer, has been living
with his new family for two whole months.
But so far
all communication seems to be one way traffic.
And whilst a mum might want to tidy the garden,
our cheeky chappy has other ideas.
We can’t see it.
But beyond his scruffy exterior, something is happening.
At 18 weeks old,
Willoughby has rising testosterone levels
coursing through his veins,
wreaking havoc with his brain
and behavior.
This delinquency calls
for desperate measures.
Willoughby and his mum are off to school.
What are you trying to do?
Not all pups need obedience classes.
But for those that do, they’re crucial before they’re six months old.
Failing to master their manners
now could lead to a lifetime of bad behavior.
And Willoughby’s lessons don’t
get off to a great start.
Not only is
he failing to follow instructions,
but he’s also distracting his classmates
at this rate.
Willoughby’s end of term report card isn’t going to make
pleasant reading,
and Mum might need to pay attention in class to.
