The making of a dog.

[Emm]

All behaviour depends on the interaction between heredity and environment.

Prenatal.
Adverse experiences for pregnant mother may affect subsequent behaviour of the offspring eg. Lack of balanced diet, or stressful experience, such as being hit with a car.

Neonatal.
Lasts for the first two weeks of a pup’s life. It has total dependence on its mother for food warmth and rest. Death or illness of the mother, or interference by young children will have a detrimental effect in adult life.
A puppy that is never handled by humans, or is left alone with its mother in a kennel, will grow up less confident and less emotionally stable. The stress of short periods of daily handling, enable it to cope more with stress when an adult dog. A balance should be struck between the two for future stability.

Socialisation Period.
The eyes and ears are open, they move back, as well as forwards. The pup opens its bowels, and urinates without stimulation. It starts to growl, and wag its tail. It shows an interest in solid food.
This period lasts from three to twelve weeks. It is what early psychologists called the Critical Period, but is now called the Sensitive Period because animals form rapid attachment to the first thing they see. Deprivation during this time can have important consequences for problems in adulthood.
During the Socialisation Period, the pup becomes characterised by interactivities with littermates, mother, people and surroundings. It plays – practising social responses – how to dominate, or submit.
The pup gains a greater range of social skills as an adult, if it is not separated at an early age. Puppies reared in a household with a variety of men, women and children, become more confident and outgoing as adults. (Rather than be reared in kennels). Limited experience of noises such as vacuums etc, can make pups frightened when they become adults.
The optium time for socialisation is between six to eight weeks, when instinct overcomes wariness. Some people think this is the best time to re home the pup – but – it is a time when the pup is most vulnerable to traumatic, psychological or physical events – leaving home is both – so some psychologists recommend twelve weeks. Tests show pups removed at six weeks, showed appetite loss, increased distress, and susceptibility to illness. Pups left till twelve weeks old were healthier physically and mentally.
During the Socialisation Period, basic training can begin. Sitting is natural, so teaching to ‘sit’ can start.

Juvenile To Adulthood.
Many puppies regress at around 6 months, with heightened awareness of stimuli previously tolerated – traffic or strangers can suddenly provoke a fearful response. There are many individual and breed differences, in the timing of the end of the socialisation period.
The pup is now old enough to start training.

Adulthood.
Generally reached at about two years of age – and when male dogs often make a bid for dominance. There may be other personality changes, some due to hormonal alterations.

Buying a puppy.
Pups which have been seriously ill, are more likely to display problems – eg. Fear induced aggression, excessive barking and inappropriate sexual mounting – may be the result of enforced isolation, painful experiences at the vets, or owner attitude to ‘the invalid’ – or all three of these things.
Puppies acquired at 16 – 24 weeks, show increased fear of other dogs, traffic etc. due to the lack of exposure to these stimuli.

Ideal circumstances.
Home reared – Exposed to human handling and a variety of everyday sights, sounds and smells.
Healthy.
Age. No less than 6 weeks.
Temperament. Of both parents – and the bitch’s behaviour with her pups.
New home. Should be as similar as possible to the old home, to minimise distress.

© Emm P