The first six months: a realistic timeline

Almost every new owner hits a point around four months where they wonder what they have done. It is so predictable that it is worth writing down in advance.

Weeks 8 to 10: arrival

Sleep is broken. Toilet training is constant. The puppy will cry at night and you should have it near you. Keep the food the same as the breeder's for the first fortnight.

Socialisation starts now, before the second vaccination. Carry them: to the shops, past traffic, into a friend's kitchen, near the hoover. The window closes at around fourteen to sixteen weeks and it does not reopen.

Book the second vaccination. Insure. Register with a vet.

Weeks 10 to 14: the good bit

They sleep more, they learn fast, they follow you everywhere. Recall works beautifully because they do not yet want to be anywhere else. Enjoy this; it is temporary.

Start puppy classes. Start short, boring practice at being left alone. Keep formal walks to about five minutes per month of age.

Weeks 14 to 20: teething and the first refusal

Adult teeth come through and everything goes in the mouth. Provide legitimate things to chew and accept that you will lose something.

Recall starts to fail. The puppy that never left your side discovers that the rest of the world is interesting. This is the single most common point at which people conclude their dog is being disobedient. It is not; the developmental stage has changed. Go back to a long line, make yourself more interesting than the environment, and do not let it practise ignoring you.

Months 5 to 7: adolescence

This is the hard part, and it lasts. Hormones arrive. Confidence outruns judgement. Things they were fine with at twelve weeks may become frightening. Training that seemed solid falls apart.

Three things get you through:

1. Management. Use the lead, the long line, the baby gate. Do not rely on training that is not yet reliable.
2. Consistency. Every member of the household, the same rules. Adolescents test.
3. Sleep. An over-tired adolescent is a badly behaved one. Enforce rest.

This is also when a great many dogs are given up, which is worth knowing: what you are experiencing is normal and it passes.

Health milestones

• 8-10 weeks: first or second vaccination, worming every two weeks to twelve weeks.
• 12-16 weeks: vaccination course complete, then walks on the ground.
• 16 weeks: microchip must be registered to you by law.
• 6 months and beyond: neutering. Do not default to six months, especially in a large breed - there is good evidence for waiting until growth plates close in some breeds. Ask your vet about your breed specifically.
• Ongoing: teeth brushed daily, from now, while they still think it is a game.

What good looks like at six months

Not a finished dog. A dog that is broadly clean in the house, walks reasonably on a lead, settles when asked, comes back most of the time in a low-distraction place, and is comfortable being left for an hour. That is a good six months' work.

Full maturity is eighteen months in a small breed and closer to three years in a large one. Judge the progress against that, not against the dog you saw in a film.