puppy into dog???

when (in your opinion) is a puppy no longer a puppy? Does the breed of the dog make a difference.

I am wondering mostly because people keep saying 'man, that's a big dog' and i say, 'she's still a puppy', at that point people don't believe me. She is a Newf/Lab mix, 13 months old, and about 100lbs. Can i still call her a puppy?? Or is she now grown into a (semi)mature DOG???

ALSO: I was reading some of the other posts and it reminds me why I don't read many of the posts here. I can't take that kind of stuff. I read just ONE of those sad stories and I am cuddling with Ocean until she is sick and tired of me. Mind you I always cuddle with her, but after reading posts, it gets even worse.

and one last note. why do we get animals??? Ocean breaks my heart everyday. every morning when I have to leave for work. when i run out to the store and she looks at me like she is coming with me and i have to leave her home (yes i have too. i am too paranoid to tie her up outside of the store). she makes me a basket case. when i wake up at 3 in the morning and i look down at her and she looks like she is not breathing, and i place my hands on her and can't feel anything. then my heart races and and i start nudging her until she finally looks up at me as if to say 'and WHAT is it you want now???". It's no wonder she barks at me at 6 am. Payback. hmmmmm, i am just venting, I would do anything for that damn animal. sometimes I look at her and I am so glad that she is here with me instead of... well instead of somewhere else. life is good for an ocean puppy.

k, I'm done now. :D

LOL Boo is a newf mix (according to me) and he's still a puppy too. He's 4. :D But when he was a baby for real, he looked adult and people judged us so much for his lack of training and his nipping. He was 75lbs, we thought he was a year old, but turns out he was probably lno more than 6 or 7 months old. He'll always be a puppy. :) And nobody who meets him fights me on it. ;)

Oh, I never, almost never, go in the Rainbow bridge section here. It's to hard and painful... :sad:

1st, do not rush it. 2nd, never regret it.

I honestly don't consider a pup a dog until two years of age.

I have been told 2 years. Supposedly your pup becomes an adult - with adult habits at age 2 - miraculously overnight of course. Although the other day someone told me that doesn't happen until 3. My pup is 16 months - am awaiting the 2 year mark. I also absolutely will not tie my dog outside a store - he would be terrified and heaven only knows what someone might do to him - or accuse him of biting. I know a woman who "liberated" dogs tied outside stores - always the breed of dog she was looking for of course.

Newfs (have two- well, I have one and my son has one) aren't full grown until 3 years. The first year they gain most of their height - the second year is for muscle growth and the third year is when the mental/maturity part kicks in. I will consider mine puppies until they are 3. Parker is almost 8 months, stands about 24 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 90 lbs - Hazel is almost 6 months, stands about 20 inches and weighs 60 lbs. People do a little nervous laugh when I tell them Parker is just a baby! :eek: Of course, I will probably call them puppies til the day I have to say goodbye.

I consider a puppy to be a puppy until they are fully mature, usually around 2 - 3 years old, depending on the breed. Giant breeds tend to take longer to mature, whereas the smaller breeds mature more quickly.

My beagle acted like a pup until she was 2 years old. Then she kind of grew up. Now at age 9, she still has her puppy moments and is still extremely active and playful!

the second year is for muscle growth

muscle growth??? geeeze...... she is already 100 lbs and MOST of the that is muscle already. how strong is my puppy gonna be??? I mean I knew she would be a fair size dog (to me fair size is 90 - 120 lbs) but if she grows much more muscle then I'm in a whole bunch of trouble. good thing she listens (fairly well).

forget towtrucks.... i'll have PUPPY POWER!!!
hahaha
:p

yeah ... that was one of the questions that I wanted to ask as well. Mainly for nutritional purpose but nonetheless, Papi will always be a baby to me :D
I am so so glad that he is with me instead of somewhere else too :love:

Yeah ... I would most definitely never, ever, ever, ever leave my Papi outside the door. I heard that there was this homeless lady on Queen Street West who would "steal" someone's pet that was tied outside a store and take it as her own. I've heard she's done that several times already and I've never heard of any outcome of the situation. Things like that just scare him. Although it is hearsay but I still think it is a possibility.

So yeah ... almost every morning whenever I go to out and have to leave Papi home, he would go up to the ledge of the window and watch me leave. So sad ... makes me want to cry everytime and just wanna go in sick EVERYDAY !!! Of course I can't do that.

So, yeah ... I definitely know what you are talking about.

Papi!!! I love his name! Do you call him and say "Ay mi Papi..."??

Our vet also says 2 years more or less until they start to "grow up"

Capones 2 1/2 a pit bull and EVERYONE points and says look at the puppy. It happens all the time. Or when people ask how old like the lady in the back I say his age and she said wow he looks like he is like 10 months old :eek:

Hes 53 - 55 lbs. So hes not tiny or anything. I wonder if it has to do with him being the smallest of the litter. Or it could be cause hes so darn handsome that people think so cute must be a puppy.... no?... lol

muscle growth??? geeeze...... she is already 100 lbs and MOST of the that is muscle already. how strong is my puppy gonna be??? I mean I knew she would be a fair size dog (to me fair size is 90 - 120 lbs) but if she grows much more muscle then I'm in a whole bunch of trouble. good thing she listens (fairly well).

forget towtrucks.... i'll have PUPPY POWER!!!
hahaha
:p

They gain most of their muscle mass during the second year. That's why you shouldn't let a newf puppy jar their joints too much. The muscles aren't strong enough yet to absorb the impact - the bones take it all and can contribute to problems later in life.

How tall is she? If she's taking more of the Newf qualities, then I would say that she'll probably only gain about 20 more lbs. If she is leaning more towards the lab, then I would say that she probably won't be much heavier than she is now. I would imagine she will be very strong. If you haven't had her in obedience classes, don't wait any longer. You don't want a huge unruly dog. :p

she is about 25 inches to the shoulder. 100 pounds. 13 months old.

until she was too heavy to carry, we always carried her up and down the main stairs.

and yes she was at puppy classes when she was very young. it is almost time to go back and do a 're-fresh' course. she is pretty good about listening. sometimes i have to put my foot down and let her know that i mean what i say. at the moment we are working on not jumping on strangers. and they always say the same thing 'oh it's ok, i don't mind' and i have to keep telling them that no, it's not ok. she is too big to be jumping on people. grrrrrrrrr.

and another pic

I am thinking that she's probably almost done gaining weight. She looks more lab than newf - and labs mature faster.

Couldn't help but notice the prong collar. Be careful leaving it on her all the time - if she catches it on something she could really hurt herself. :o

Good looking dog!