soft heat/rut
so in my last post i mentioned that pups’ baby scent starts to dissipate around the time of their first soft cycle
soft cycles are non-reproductive hormonal cycles. omegas experience soft heats, betas experience soft cycles, and alphas experience soft ruts. these begin in childhood (typically around ages 7-9), and are usually considered the beginning of puberty.
soft cycles in general
heightened desire for pack physical contact
more emotional sensitivity
increased nesting drive
sensitive to scent
more frequent instinctive vocalizations (e.g. purring, growling/rumbling, chirping, etc)
territorial behavior over spaces or people the pup declares ‘theirs’
in older pups closer to their full cycles, there may be an aversion to older pack mates of opposing dynamics (e.g., omega pups avoiding older alphas, alpha pups avoiding older omegas). betas do not typically experience an aversion to certain dynamics.
in those same older pups, there may be an increased desire to have close friends or members of their own non-family pack in the nest, regardless of dynamic
soft heat
low-grade fever throughout
private nesting in a bedroom or closet is often an early sign of soft heat
pack feels increased protective instinct toward the pup
intense scent marking
territorial behavior includes nuzzling, scent marking, hissing at invaders
more stationary period, i.e., the omega pup will settle into a nest and stay there for the duration of the soft heat
packmates provide food, companionship, entertainment
soft rut
fever spikes on the first day but breaks quickly
public nesting, e.g. on a sofa or near the entrance of the home
oral fixation, urge to bite or chew. it’s common for alpha pups to have a variety of chew toys
restlessness, i.e., the alpha pup will build a nest near the entrance of the home but will often ‘patrol,’ checking in on pack mates to ensure the den is safe
may insist on accompanying pack mates on errands or become distressed if favored pack mates are missing from the home
territorial behavior includes growling at guests, physically blocking entry to protected spaces, scent marking pack members and favored objects like toys