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GOWSKISTUFF@YAHOO.COM ~ 404-386-4700 ~ Athens, GA
Puppy Stages from day 1 to 6 months old
provided by Purina Pro Club
Note from Sovrana Cane Corso: We do various
puppy tests and socializations although not all those specifically laid
out with the wet towel and all. We interact with the puppies from
day 1 from bottle feeding to playing with them and trying to begin
socialization in a limited (safe from parasites) environments.
Cane Corsos puppies along with any dog requires stimulation and
interaction from day 1 and must continue on when the new owner picks up
their puppy.
New puppies come into the world full of promise and
opportunity. Helping them develop into confident, well-balanced adult
dogs involves understanding the important stages of canine social and
behavioral development and knowing the optimal times to maximize
learning and socialization opportunities.
Ever wonder why some dogs fear other dogs or why some dogs are fearful
or shy of people? Behavioral scientists tell us that a puppy taken away
from his or her litter and raised by hand forms its primary
relationships with people.1 Such a dog may always have
problems relating to dogs, but is likely to develop a strong human bond.
For someone wanting a performance dog, this could be desirable, although
the risk of owning a dog without good dog social skills is great.
Likewise, if a puppy does not have opportunities to socialize with
humans between 6 and 12 weeks of age, he or she most likely will always
be fearful and shy of people.1 If left with littermates
during this time, puppies bond with them instead of an owner.
Studying Canine Behavior
Puppies in a litter can vary in development even though they were all
born in a relatively short period of time.2 “Depending on
environmental circumstances, a 3-week-old puppy can have normal or
delayed development,” says Pat Hastings, co-editor of the book “Another
Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development,” which addresses the impact of
puppy-raising on a puppy’s ability to develop happily and confidently.
“People have a tendency to read one book and believe it as the gospel,
but it is never that simple,” Hastings says. “All researchers find a
little more information and come up with a different slant. You have to
hear it all in order to do the best you can.”
In her book Hastings frequently refers to research by Dr. John Paul
Scott and Dr. John L. Fuller, co-authors of “Genetics and the Social
Behavior of the Dog,” published in 1965. Behavioral scientists, Scott
and Fuller spent 20 years researching their topic. They found evidence
of important genetic and environmental influences on the behavior of
dogs that led to classification of the development of dogs into stages.
They attributed 35 percent of a dog’s ultimate behavioral makeup to
genetics and 65 percent to management, training, socialization,
nutrition and the health of the puppy.2
Stages of Development
Scott and Fuller define these stages of social and behavioral
development in puppies: neonatal, transitional, socialization and
juvenile. They also note a fear period around 8 to 10 weeks of age, and
a second fear period between 4 and 11 months of age. Hastings’
classification of developmental stages is similar although she includes
periods of awareness or identification, behavioral refinement,
environmental awareness, and seniority classification.
Regardless which classification system of developmental stages you use
to understand how a puppy grows and develops, it is important to realize
that humans play an important role in the outcome of a puppy. Starting
when a puppy is a neonate, sensitive early human handling helps a
puppy’s mind and body to develop faster, say Scott and Fuller. By the
transitional stage of development, humans should be regularly handling,
cuddling and picking up puppies, Hastings says. If puppies miss
opportunities to become socialized with humans between 6 and 12 weeks of
age, they will likely always fear humans.
Neonatal Period:
0 to 14 Days
Born deaf and blind and totally dependent on their mother for survival,
90 percent of a newborn puppy’s time is spent sleeping. Despite puppies’
vulnerability, those that receive mild stress during this period are
better able to withstand stress as adults than their nonstressed
littermates.
Hastings cites articles published by Dr. Carmen Battaglia on the U.S.
military’s “Super Dog” program showing that early neurological
stimulation has important and lasting effects on puppies. Battaglia
describes specific stimulation exercises for day three through 16 as
follows.
For three to five seconds once a day a puppy should receive:
• Tactile stimulation by being tickled between the toes with a Q-tip.
• Head held erect stimulation in which a pup is held in both hands
perpendicular to the ground so the head is directly above the tail in an
upward position.
• Head pointed down stimulation in which a pup is held in both hands
with the head pointed downward toward the ground.
• Supine position stimulation in which a pup is held on its back in the
palm of both hands with its muzzle facing the ceiling.
• Thermal stimulation in which a pup is placed feet down on a cool, damp
towel.
Battaglia attributes these exercises to helping “to kick the
neurological system in action earlier than normal, which helps to build
a strong cardiovascular system with stronger heartbeats, stronger
adrenal glands, more tolerance to stress and greater resistance to
disease. These pups were more active, more exploratory, calmer and less
distracted when working.”
Transitional Period:
14 to 28 Days
Puppies’ eyes and ears open, they can crawl backward, and they start
wagging their tails during the transitional period. In this period of
rapid development of motor skills, a complex environment is important
for optimal development of the nervous system.
“Placing novel toys or objects in the whelping box — a piece of 6-inch
PVC pipe, a small squeaker or squeaky toy, a low step or platform for
crawling, a ball or small nylon bone — along with providing a variety of
noises and sights are important,” Hastings says. “The more a puppy
explores now, the more confidant and assured he or she will be in the
future. From week three on, puppies can be desensitized to potentially
frightening sights and sounds.”
Imprinting also occurs; puppies learn they are dogs. “They recognize
their mother, other species, specifically humans that are part of their
social relations,” Hastings says. “A poorly imprinted puppy will have
problems being a good dog in the future.”
Research by Scott and Fuller showed these imprinting mistakes: Puppies
raised in isolation from dogs during this period and introduced to dogs
at 16 weeks get attacked and rejected. Puppies without dog contact will
bond with other species or inanimate objects, such as a stuffed animal.2
Socialization Period:
4 to 12 Weeks
Weaning occurs and socialization opportunities are key during this
period. As already noted, puppies that miss the opportunity to socialize
with dogs at 4 to 6 weeks of age and with people at 6 to 12 weeks of age
will most likely always be fearful of dogs and/ or humans.2
“The greater exposure you can give your dog during this critical period,
the more it will lead to improved social flexibility, communication,
emotional stability and trainability,” Hastings says. “Puppies that stay
in a kennel for most of this time will generally be fearful and hard to
rehabilitate.”
A breeder or owner should try to expose a puppy to situations it is
likely to encounter in its lifetime, such as dog shows, field trials,
children, swimming, livestock and city noises.2 Puppies need
physical and mental challenges — things to move, chew, climb, carry and
tug.
These experiences help to develop strength, agility and coordination
skills they will need to function as an adult. They also help to reduce
the number of things in the world in which a puppy might be frightened
and continually provide the experience of being afraid and then
recovering. The more chances a puppy has to be properly exposed to
something new during the socialization period, the less bothered he or
she will be throughout his life when confronted by other new or
frightening things.2
Dr. Ed Bailey wrote in Gun Dog magazine that “deprived of stimulation,
puppies either cannot learn or are poor learners at best. A puppy never
experiencing and coping with frustrating situations has limited chance
to develop the checks and balances of emotion” needed to problem solve
and develop good temperaments.2
Puppies also are ready to be separated from the litter for increasingly
longer periods of time to learn independence, prevent separation anxiety
problems later, and encourage bonding and acceptance of humans. Between
7 and 8 weeks of age is often considered an ideal time to adopt puppies
to their new owners. At this age they have fully functioning brains and
are capable of learning anything and of forming strong relationships
with both dogs and humans, Hastings says. Before this age, interactions
within a litter are considered critical to a puppy’s development.
Breeders and owners should be cautious of the fear period that occurs
around 8 to 10 weeks of age, making a puppy extremely susceptible to
permanent and irreversible fears. “If a puppy is frightened during this
period, it may take weeks to return to normal,” Hastings says. “In a
nonsocialized puppy, anything associated with fear at this age will
always be a fear stimulus throughout its entire life without
desensitization. Most agree this is the wrong time for ear cropping,
shipping or harsh discipline.”
Juvenile Period:
3 to 6 Months
Teething occurs and a puppy starts chewing more frequently. Rapid
physical development is under way along with a true juvenile sense of
independence. A puppy that wouldn’t leave your side earlier now won’t
come when called. The juvenile period is the worst time to train a young
dog if a basis hasn’t already been established; dogs become more active
and more excitable.2
A second fear period typically occurs between 4 and 10 months, lasting
about three weeks. Puppies become fearful and cautious even to things
they previously were comfortable with.2 The good news is that
most recover spontaneously.
A Solid Beginning
Breeding and whelping a litter is just the start of raising healthy,
well-socialized dogs. Taking time to understand the important stages of
puppies’ social and behavioral development is key to success.
1 Scott JP, Fuller JL. Genetics and the Social
Behavior of the Dog. Originally published 1965. University of Chicago
Press. 1998.
2 Hastings P, Rouse EA. Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy
Development. Dogfolk Enterprises, Aloha, OR. 2004.
Sovrana Cane Corso is located outside Athens, Georgia.
Please call for more information:
404-386-4700
between 9am and 11pm EST. Or email
gowskistuff@yahoo.com
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