Development Stages of your dog
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Neonatial
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Birth to 12 days
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Learning Begins
Puppy can't see at all and he doesn't
hear well. Mostly immobile, he stays
very close to mother and litter mates
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We provide warm environment.
Early stress is beneficial - we handle
the puppies daily. This helps the
puppy handle stress more easily
later in life.
Puppy's rate of mental development
will quickly depend on how complex
their environment is.
You have approximately 12 weeks to
find a well run Puppy Class. Classes
fill quickly, so it is prudent to have
your enrollment reserved in advance.
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Our vet checks our puppies when
they are three days old to rule out
birth defects. At this time our
puppies are also micro chipped for
identification and monitoring.
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Transition Period
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13 to 20 days
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Eyes open, puppy can hear, begins to
walk in a wobbly fashion.
By the end of this period the puppy
stats to eliminate spontaneously
with out help from their mom.
The puppy starts to take in solid food.
The mother may regurgitate food to
the pups.
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We start to change their
environment by adding balls of
various sizes, blankets with different
textures and other toys.
Visitors are limited to our large
family and friends.
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None is needed as long as puppies are
thriving.
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Primary Socialization Period
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3 to 7 weeks
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The sense of vision begins to develop;
adults vision is reached at about 8
weeks of age.
Puppy is able to use senses of sight
and hearing.
The puppy begins to learn from good
experiences with positive
reinforcement.
Puppy learns species-specific
behavior that makes him a dog
(biting, chasing, barking, fighting,
and posturing).
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We provide a complex and
stimulating environment to help aid
in the development of the puppy. Our
home various types and styles of
floor: wood, smooth tile, natural
stone tiles, carpet and rugs. The
puppies are allowed to play freely in
our home getting used to different
textures of flooring.
The puppies are encouraged to potty
outside on the grass.
Each puppy receives one on one time
with us.
We have a strategic crate training
program that helps your puppy
transition from our home to yours
and reduces stress when flying.
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Our puppies are dewormed every two
weeks using Drontal Plus starting
when they are 4 weeks old.
Our puppies are desexed when they
are 6 weeks old.
They receive their first round of
vaccines when they are 7 weeks old.
We travel all over the country via
car, our dogs and puppies go
everywhere with us!
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Human Socialization Period
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Starts week 7
ends somewhere between 12 and 14
weeks
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Puppy are weaned from their mother.
This is the time when the most rapid
learning occours.
Greatest impact on future social
behaviour will be made by any
experience that happens at this age.
We socialize your puppy with
children ages 2 to 90! At times our
puppies go on field trips to local
elementary schools and hospitals.
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Please make certain that your home
is ready to bring your puppy home, do
NOT wait until the last minute to
enroll your puppy in a Puppy Class!
We require that you attend two levels
of training with your dog!
We are working on leash
socialization, Come, Sit, No, No Bite,
Down and sleeping in a crate by
themselves.
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Puppies that will fly home are given
one last exam and clearance for
flight.
Puppies are treated for internal
parasites and checked for clean stole.
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Fear Impact Period
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8 to 11 weeks
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Your puppy is now ready to go home.
This is when puppies start to learn
from bad experiences, they
remember bad things that happen to
them.
Anything that frightens the puppy
could have a more lasting effect than
if it occurred at any other time.
This is also a time when puppies are
particularly easily frightened.
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The first few nights in their new
home should be calm and quite, this
is not the time to throw a party.
Limit introductions to other pets and
keep them separated by closed doors
and baby gates.
Your puppy must go to the vet during
the first 72 hours!
Keep training fun and short sessions,
and be positive because of the "fear
impact". This kind of mind set will
enable you to be successful, as you
continue to socialize your puppy.
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Make meeting your puppy's first visit
to his new vet fun! Take food to use as
a treat. Let everyone pet and talk to
your puppy and give him a treat!
Remember your puppy must go to the
vet during the first 72 hours home!
This vet visit is just to get your puppy
familiar with your vet and to allow
your vet to evaluate your puppy.
Discuss the health records that we
have sent home with your puppy
with your vet and schedule your next
visit for vaccinations now.
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Juvenile Period
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Occurs between the socialisation
period and puberty
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Puppy has been in your home for a
few weeks.
Puppy will now start to challenge
you and may even run away. Do not
give into your puppy and do NOT
chase you puppy! Lure him back
with treats and positive rewards. If
you have been working on training
your puppy he will know you have
yummy treats when he is asked to
redirect his behaviour.
Your dog may start to chew due to his
adult teeth coming in. Provide chew
toys like Nylabones and Kongs. Do
NOT give your puppy sock and shoes
to chew as he will not be able to tell
the difference between old and out of
style shoes and brand new never
worn before $100.00 shoes!
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As long as you provide structure and
healthy management of your puppy's
time, this transistion should be
painless.
Puppy should be attending a
socialization class!
If you have not been providing
stucture and training all hell
is about to break loose and you
might as well get ready to seek
the highest paid trainer in
your community to fix what
you have neglected to do~
TRAIN YOUR DOG!
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Discuss your states requirement for
the rabies vaccine with your vet.
Discuss heartworm preventative and
other vaccines.
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Adolescent Period
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Starts with puberty and ends with
social maturity
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A puppy will test his wings!
He may test to see if all the rules are
still the same.
He may not come when called.
He may not play fetch even though he
once did.
Your consistency and predictability
are essential right now.
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It is because of this stage that
prevention over cure is
advocated- you must start
socializing and training before
now! When you notice a change
in your dog during this time, he
is probably going through
adolescence. Like a teenager
going though puberty, your
puppy is changing
physiologically. Your
awareness of these changes in
behaviour will help you get
through this commonly
difficult period.
This is the time when obedience
schools start to get most of their
calls. Puppies that have not
been socialized and worked with
take a different path in life
than pups that have.
Your puppy will go though this stage
regardless of how good of a parent you
have been, it is not my fault and it is
not your fault.
Walk your dog every day at least once
and preferably twice to give him an
outlet on his energy and frustration.
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As long as your dog is healthy he
should not need to visit the vet. Make
sure you stay up to date on your dogs
medical care and routine
vaccinations.
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Second Fear Impact Period
Lasts approximately 3 weeks
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Can occur before puberty, buy may
occur between 5 and 12 months
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May suddenly be apprehensive about
new things or shy or timid of new
people of stimlations.
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If your puppy appears apprehensive,
avoid confrontation.
Building confidence through
training is worthwhile effort.
Avoid any potentially overwhelming
circumstances you can not
personally oversee, such as shipping
your puppy or boarding with a new
facility.
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Maturity
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1 to 4 years
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Refers to social maturity.
Smaller dogs mature earlier, larger
dogs later.
If you were lax in your work earlier
on, you may now see the things you
have missed: object guarding,
unfavorable reactions towards
unfamiliar people, animals, or
things that your dog missed during
socialization stage.
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Until this period has been reached, it
is recommended that your pup
remains crated or equivalent
structure when you are not available
to supervise his behavior.
You will know when your dog is
trustworthy by testing him for short
periods while you leave the house. If
your dog is damaging property while
loose, he is not ready.
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Return for yearly check up.
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