zeek's mom
01-19-2008, 09:42 PM
With all the talk myself and Stacy have been doing lately about puppies I thought that this would be something most of you could enjoy. Also I am in hopes that it will give a new out look on what to do when your puppy comes home. This gives you the different stages of development from neonatal stage to 14 months. I call this my bible on stages and socialization of the pups. And try to do my best to follow what it says.
I hope it helps someone in the future that may be wondering the who's and what's of puppy stages. There is so much more to the cuteness as you are going to see. It is quite long, but well worth the time it takes to read it.
Critical Behavior Period In Puppies
by Carol Kufner
Age (weeks) 3-14. Socialization Period. If socialization later than 14 weeks, (or between 12-14 weeks in some dogs) shyness or aggressiveness may dominate behavior.
Age (weeks) 6-8. Optimum Socialization. If socialization earlier, shyness often develops, alone with over-dependance on owner, which may lead to over protectiveness.
Age (weeks) 8-10. Fear Imprint. Traumatic, fear producing experiences may bee permanently impressed causing defensive reactions in some circumstances.
Age (weeks) 12-14. Puberty Onset. Meaningful sexual mounting often occurs. Males display erections.
Age (weeks) 18-40. Protective-Aggressive. Barking at strangers and other territorial and social group protective tendencies may occur. Leg lifting may begin in males.
Age (weeks) 35-56. Functional. Many dogs become more serious about protective-aggressive behavior. A general persistence in behavior problems is noted and corrections become more difficult.
Age (weeks) 104-208. Achievement. Protective -aggressive behavior can become especially purposeful. Problem behavior appears to become self rewarding, habitual. Corrections markedly more difficult.
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Critical Stages of Canine Development
The notion of critical stages of canine development has been well covered in both scientific and popular literature and is based primarily on the work of John Scott and J.L. Fuller in the forties, fifties, and sixties. Clarence Pfaffenberger’s book NEW KNOWLEDGE O DOG BEHAVIOR introduced these stages of development to breeders, trainers, and pet owners over 20 years ago. Jack and Wendy Vollhard and Richard Wolters further popularized this field by introducing puppy aptitude testing based, in part, on Scott and Fuller’s findings. Drs Michael Fox and Iam Dunbar, initially studying canine development and behavior in clinical settings, have written copiously for the lay press regarding puppy socialization.
Unfortionatly, many other writers unfamiliar with the original research have led new puppy owners into believing that a puppy purchased an age older than exactly 7 weeks will bond less well and be less trainable than a puppy purchased at exactly 49 days of life.
This “urban myth” is most vexing to breeders as the 49th day of life may be the earliest time a puppy may leave its litter mates, but may not be the best time. So here to debunk some of these myths is a synopsis os the critical periods of puppy development from a breeders point of view:
FIRST PERIOD–BIRTH-21 DAYS
A. Neonatal sub period 0-13 days
Characters: Puppies are “fetuses out of the womb.” They can not see, hear, regulate their own body temperature, or climate without stimulation and are totally dependant upon their dam or segregate mother.
No emotional development, social attachment, or learning takes place during this period. Puppies brain waves remain constant whether sleeping or awake. Puppies do, however, exhibit reflex reactions to hunger, cold, touch. They pile for warmth or spread out if too hot but cannot regulate their own temperature by shivering or panting.
During this neonatal period puppies will crawl backward and forward and will swing their heads from side to side, often repetitively while mewing or trilling. These movements appear to be involuntary and prepare pups muscles, nervous system, and inner ear for further development.
Breeder Do’s: Keep bitch happy, healthy and well-fed. Her physical and emotional well being will supply everything the puppies need during this stage.
Handle puppies very gently with very slow massaging movements. Very light stimulation of the nervous system (“called pre-stressing”) may be beneficial when applied during the second week of life. This could involve rotating the pups gently in your hands, applying light pressure to the ear leather, and holding each pup gently on its back for a few seconds each day. Pups should, of course, be weighed daily to monitor growth and this would be a good time to handle each pup. THIS IS NOT SOCIALIZATION OR TRAINING. Pre-stress does, however, assist in developing brain cells.
Breeder Don’ts: Don’t allow visitors (human or canine) during this period. Avoid anything that will stress the bitch (house guest, parties, home repairs, etc...) Also try not to move puppies or remove mother from the litter at this time. If the pups or dam need to see a veterinarian try to arrange for a home visit. Despite the common practice, this is not a good age to take a litter to a dog show in you van, tailor or motor home.
B. Transition Sub Period 13-21 days.
Characteristics; Eyes and ears open and pups slowly begin responding to light, movement and sound. Puppies become more mobile as they gain awareness of their surroundings, their mother, litter mates, and objects. Pups may also begin to alert to human presence during this period. This is still a reaction to stimuli rather than a social bond or emotional attachment.
Pups will attempt to get up on their feet, but continue crawling backward and forward. They may begin trying to get out of whelping box toward the end of this period.
Too Be Continued.....................
**I did not write this article. It was written by Carol Kufner. And I want to thank her for her knowledge.**
I hope it helps someone in the future that may be wondering the who's and what's of puppy stages. There is so much more to the cuteness as you are going to see. It is quite long, but well worth the time it takes to read it.
Critical Behavior Period In Puppies
by Carol Kufner
Age (weeks) 3-14. Socialization Period. If socialization later than 14 weeks, (or between 12-14 weeks in some dogs) shyness or aggressiveness may dominate behavior.
Age (weeks) 6-8. Optimum Socialization. If socialization earlier, shyness often develops, alone with over-dependance on owner, which may lead to over protectiveness.
Age (weeks) 8-10. Fear Imprint. Traumatic, fear producing experiences may bee permanently impressed causing defensive reactions in some circumstances.
Age (weeks) 12-14. Puberty Onset. Meaningful sexual mounting often occurs. Males display erections.
Age (weeks) 18-40. Protective-Aggressive. Barking at strangers and other territorial and social group protective tendencies may occur. Leg lifting may begin in males.
Age (weeks) 35-56. Functional. Many dogs become more serious about protective-aggressive behavior. A general persistence in behavior problems is noted and corrections become more difficult.
Age (weeks) 104-208. Achievement. Protective -aggressive behavior can become especially purposeful. Problem behavior appears to become self rewarding, habitual. Corrections markedly more difficult.
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Critical Stages of Canine Development
The notion of critical stages of canine development has been well covered in both scientific and popular literature and is based primarily on the work of John Scott and J.L. Fuller in the forties, fifties, and sixties. Clarence Pfaffenberger’s book NEW KNOWLEDGE O DOG BEHAVIOR introduced these stages of development to breeders, trainers, and pet owners over 20 years ago. Jack and Wendy Vollhard and Richard Wolters further popularized this field by introducing puppy aptitude testing based, in part, on Scott and Fuller’s findings. Drs Michael Fox and Iam Dunbar, initially studying canine development and behavior in clinical settings, have written copiously for the lay press regarding puppy socialization.
Unfortionatly, many other writers unfamiliar with the original research have led new puppy owners into believing that a puppy purchased an age older than exactly 7 weeks will bond less well and be less trainable than a puppy purchased at exactly 49 days of life.
This “urban myth” is most vexing to breeders as the 49th day of life may be the earliest time a puppy may leave its litter mates, but may not be the best time. So here to debunk some of these myths is a synopsis os the critical periods of puppy development from a breeders point of view:
FIRST PERIOD–BIRTH-21 DAYS
A. Neonatal sub period 0-13 days
Characters: Puppies are “fetuses out of the womb.” They can not see, hear, regulate their own body temperature, or climate without stimulation and are totally dependant upon their dam or segregate mother.
No emotional development, social attachment, or learning takes place during this period. Puppies brain waves remain constant whether sleeping or awake. Puppies do, however, exhibit reflex reactions to hunger, cold, touch. They pile for warmth or spread out if too hot but cannot regulate their own temperature by shivering or panting.
During this neonatal period puppies will crawl backward and forward and will swing their heads from side to side, often repetitively while mewing or trilling. These movements appear to be involuntary and prepare pups muscles, nervous system, and inner ear for further development.
Breeder Do’s: Keep bitch happy, healthy and well-fed. Her physical and emotional well being will supply everything the puppies need during this stage.
Handle puppies very gently with very slow massaging movements. Very light stimulation of the nervous system (“called pre-stressing”) may be beneficial when applied during the second week of life. This could involve rotating the pups gently in your hands, applying light pressure to the ear leather, and holding each pup gently on its back for a few seconds each day. Pups should, of course, be weighed daily to monitor growth and this would be a good time to handle each pup. THIS IS NOT SOCIALIZATION OR TRAINING. Pre-stress does, however, assist in developing brain cells.
Breeder Don’ts: Don’t allow visitors (human or canine) during this period. Avoid anything that will stress the bitch (house guest, parties, home repairs, etc...) Also try not to move puppies or remove mother from the litter at this time. If the pups or dam need to see a veterinarian try to arrange for a home visit. Despite the common practice, this is not a good age to take a litter to a dog show in you van, tailor or motor home.
B. Transition Sub Period 13-21 days.
Characteristics; Eyes and ears open and pups slowly begin responding to light, movement and sound. Puppies become more mobile as they gain awareness of their surroundings, their mother, litter mates, and objects. Pups may also begin to alert to human presence during this period. This is still a reaction to stimuli rather than a social bond or emotional attachment.
Pups will attempt to get up on their feet, but continue crawling backward and forward. They may begin trying to get out of whelping box toward the end of this period.
Too Be Continued.....................
**I did not write this article. It was written by Carol Kufner. And I want to thank her for her knowledge.**