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Between four to seven of age a puppy's behavior is a product
of genetics and how the breeder has managed his activities
and environment.
The latter cannot be stressed enough. It forms the process
known as "socialization" – the development of interactive
skills with members of its own and other species and
learning to be comfortable in different situations and
environments. The personality and behavior of a mature dog
will be strongly affected by how it interacts with
littermates, mother, people and various external stimuli
that it encounters during the first 12 weeks of life. The
breeder will control a portion of this period and you the
rest.
Relating to mother
From its mother the pup receives the first stimulation to
breathe, nurse, urinate and defecate. She also trims the
umbilical cord, cleans it several times a day, keeps the
puppy warm, and insures a safe and secure environment. She
provides disciplines when the puppy´s behavior exceeds
limits that only she understands. She supplies everything
needed.
Relating to littermates
From his littermates the puppy acquires additional knowledge
on how to interact with members of his own species. Through
their play puppies learn about dominance and submission, get
an introduction into mating behavior, and receive a wide
range of stimulation for the development of their senses and
physical abilities. Puppies that have no littermates or come
from litters that were split up at too early of an age,
typically have difficulty interacting with dogs later in
life. Not knowing how to react when confronted by a member
of their own species, they tend to be either overly shy or
aggressive. Often they fail miserably in multi-dog
households.
Relating to people
At the Breeder: Through handling and play with humans during
their first seven weeks of age (which all good breeders
encourage) the puppy learns to trust and interact with
people. Without this involvement in their lives they tend to
have difficulty forming relationships with or being
comfortable around people. Dogs isolated from humans at an
early age tend to become one-person dogs. They usually do
not blend well into homes that contain multiple children or
several adults. Obviously, these traits can occasionally be
overcome but it is not always easy.
In most situations, breeders provide what the puppies need
for correct socialization with little effort expended. They
keep the puppies until they are seven weeks of age before
allowing them to go to their new homes. The mother is left
with the puppies throughout most of this period. After four
or five weeks, she will be allowed to spend time away from
the pups but she'll still be with them for several visits
each day. Good breeders love children if for no other reason
than to have them around to play with their developing
puppies.
In our own experiences of raising litters, we have our
children start holding and petting the puppies when they are
only a few days old. At three to four weeks of age, we let
them play together in outdoor situations for an hour or more
on a daily basis. And lastly, most breeders try to expose
their pups to many different stimulating environments or
situations. They shouldn't be confined to a whelping box or
pen until they depart for their new home. They need to learn
to respond to many different situations to develop
confidence in themselves. Their curiosity needs to be
stimulated. If you ever decide to breed your own litter, all
these same things will become your responsibility.
Relating to You and Others
We talked about how the breeder must provide the puppy
with an environment that prepares it for life among humans,
occasional encounters with other animals and to be
comfortable in a wide range of situations and environments.
It’s referred to as socialization. When the puppy is now in
her final home, this process must continue as she is still
developing behavioral patterns. In fact, these first few
weeks in your home are some of the most important in the
socialization process.
We recommend keeping the puppy’s schedule full for the first
few days in your home in an effort to limit any loss it
might feel from being separated from its littermates and
mother. However, between seven and ten weeks of age there is
an additional problem. At this time, most puppies go through
a period in which they lose some of their self-confidence.
Trust comes harder for them and things that we would expect
them to be comfortable with suddenly elicit anxiety or fear.
Where before they would boldly charge into a new situation,
they now seem apprehensive. This could be anything from loud
noises, new people, play that’s a little too rough, going to
a new place, etc.
Behaviorists have found that this has little to do with the
change in where they are living or the separation from their
siblings or mother. Even in cases in which the litter
remains together, this same behavioral pattern is noted at
this age. Don't overreact. Your puppy will mature through
this and be just fine if you do your part. You do not want
to become overly protective and isolate it from the outside
world. We think it’s better that during this two to three
week period, you increase the range of its experiences by
small steps, not giant leaps and bounds. Choose activities
that can be controlled. Introduce the puppy to new people
including children but don't let thirty kids come screaming
at her from all directions. Let her meet the neighbor’s dog,
just not the rowdy one down the street. At approximate 12
weeks of age this period comes to an end and most owners
will see their puppies become bolder toward new people,
animals and experiences.
Continued socialization through the first year of life
From this point through at least one year of age it is
imperative that you make every effort to expand the puppy’s
environment and expose her to new things. During this stage
of their lives puppies should be around as many different
people and animals as possible. Take them with you when you
go for a walk, shopping or even to work. Encourage your
children to bring their friends over to meet their new pet.
Take an obedience or training course where they'll meet
other dogs. All of this is important.
Dogs that are isolated during their first year of life
develop many problems. A few will become aggressive but the
majority are more likely to become overly shy or timid. They
lack confidence in the presence of new people or situations.
They cower in the presence of strangers. They jerk at their
leash to get away from children or other pets. Forced to be
in a new place they may sit shaking behind you, drooling and
panting rapidly. In the worst case scenario, they may become
fear biters. This is a behavioral pattern in which dogs,
when encountering new people or pets they are afraid of,
don't know how to react and simply attempt to bite the
stranger. Once this develops, it can be very difficult to
overcome.
The bottom line is: involve the puppy as much as you can in
your daily activities. She'll be well-socialized and happy.
Besides, that's the reason you got her, right?
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