Did you know socialisation starts at 0 weeks old?

First of all only consider breeding an exemplary dog in terms of health and temperament!! Moreover only breed if you are confident you have the time, money and knowledge to give them all they need, such as genetic health tests.

If so and you have a litter of puppies on route this is some advice to give them the best start:

Introduction

The most important time in your pups life is 0-16 weeks covering, birth, the neonatal period, transition period and into the primary & secondary socialisation window and finally the seniority classification period. This time in a puppy’s life is when a their brain has the greatest amount of plasticity and in fact it is believed the puppies physical DNA can be changed during this period and passed onto future generations. Therefore, there is hope one can overcome biological predispositions/ inherited traits, if addressed now. However, according to Scott and Fuller (1965) by 16 weeks the puppy’s physical ability to learn noticeably begins to decline and thus it is generally advised to try and have your puppy fully socialised by 14 weeks.

“It is shown by research that a dog that has had no experience of a specific stimulus at the completion of the sensitive period will always be fearful of it, a dog that has had slight exposure will be slightly better and not quite so fearful, but a dog that has had lots of positive experience of a stimulus during the sensitive period will express no fear at all. Although it is possible to help an adult dog overcome a fear of a stimulus, prevention is better than cure. Especially with dogs, as anxiety or fear may be expressed as aggressive behaviour, and a dog exhibiting aggressive behaviour is not likely to be wanted as a family pet.” (Animal Behaviour Centre, 2020).

Socialisation Advice Plan

0-14 Weeks

 

Neonatal Period

0-12 Days (1-2 weeks)

Advice: Perform tactile touch, allow plenty of sleep, keep pups with litter and Mum. Expose them to mild environmental stressors, like changes of ambient temperature and movement.

Research & Explanation: The following exercises can have a marked long-term benefit on physical and behavioural development of the puppy.

“Early neonatal handling involving as little as three minutes a day and exposure to various mild environmental stresses, like changes of ambient temperature and movement, may have positive impacts on our puppies resistance to disease, emotional reactivity, and mature learning and problem solving abilities.” (Morton,1968.)

Early Neurological stimulation (ENS) and Early scent Introduction (ESI) ENS are simple exercises to which you expose puppies from days 3-16 to help aid their development, resilience and coping mechanisms…

Effects of ENS

The link between stress and activation of the endocrine system is well known. The release of glucocorticoids (a class of stress hormones) from the adrenal cortex following stress affects many processes in the body. These changes are the basis for the body’s “fight or flight” response. The effects of short-term, mild stress can be beneficial, creating “robustness” in the body and preparing it to deal more effectively with stressors later in life

Transition

12-21 Days (2-3 weeks old)

Advice: Keep Pup with litter and Mum. Maintain tactile touch. Keep the environment mostly stable but mild environmental stressors maybe maintained. Begin introduction of environmental enrichment objects.

Research & Explanation:

‘Puppies’ ears and eyes will gradually open. They will begin to hear and will respond to taste and smell. This is the time to introduce novel stimuli to the whelping box.’

“Enrichment is important for canine well-being by helping to keep dogs in good physical and psychological condition. For example, dogs housed in barren or boring environments may develop abnormal behaviors as a result of poor coping strategies that include excessive licking or chewing of their feet, tails or other body parts.” (Pullen, 2010)

Awareness Period

21 to 23 DAYS:

 

Advice:

Avoid loud noises and sudden changes. Keep with litter. Ensure there are two defined areas, one for sleeping and one for eliminating. Begin to wean pup onto solid food around week 3. Try and help pups get equal attention from their mother.

Research & Explanation:

 ‘By the end of the third week pups are no longer dependent on their mother for elimination’ (Scott, 1958) Thus ‘a dam can teach her young to not eliminate in the sleeping area which can help with house training later on.’ (Rogerson, 2011).

“With the close of the transitional period, puppies experience a rapid increase in the amount of social and environmental stimulation that they must process and enter into a long period of adjustment to the environment.” (Lindsay, 2001). Therefore, you may find pups very sensitive to the environment at this time, so it is advised to keep the environment mostly stable.

German Shepherds, mother-pup interactions such as physical contact, nursing, licking and sniffing or poking the pup with the nose were recorded. Pups that received a higher amount of maternal care scored higher in engagement with humans and inanimate objects at 18 months of age (Foyer et al, 2016). Therefore, trying to ensure each pup gets attention from the dam could be a worthy cause.

 “If necessary, puppies can be weaned and taught to eat gruel as early as day 16. (Lindsay, 2001)…and… “At around three weeks the mother will begin the weaning process to convert her puppies from milk to more solid food. This seems to coincide with the eruption of sharp teeth in the puppies mouth.” (Rogerson, 2011).

Primary Socialisation /Canine Socialization Period

22 to 49 Days (3 to 5 weeks)

Advice: Keep with litter mates, though short isolation periods may set them in good stead for enduring time alone as an adult from 3 weeks onwards. Continue weaning and having alternative surfaces from that of ‘the den’ to eliminate on. Perhaps even start to set up the garden as the elimination location.  Have multiple toys and surfaces for puppy to enjoy environmental enrichment with.

Key during this period is interaction with littermates, but one can begin gentle positive introductions to lots of people and novel stimuli too.

Research & Explanation:

‘Group coordinated activity and social play occur during this stage.  Puppies exhibit playful, aggressive and sexual behaviours between themselves.  The central nervous system continues its rapid development.” (PuppyProdigies.org, 2001).

‘Ultimately the pup is learning his dog language including bite inhibition as they ‘spend large amounts of time managing and biting each other but apparent take care not to bite too hard.’ (Lindsay, 2001).

“From three weeks of age pups signal distress upon brief separation from the mother in the form of whining and yelping, which decreases in intensity with age (Elliot & Scott, 1961). This initial phase of distress upon maternal separation is also seen in monkeys and humans (Kaufman & Rosenblum, 1967), and is followed by a phase of despair and depression if separation is prolonged. Prolonged or permanent maternal separation at an early age has potentially detrimental consequences in dogs; disease and mortality related to separation stress occur more often in pups weaned at six weeks of age compared to pups weaned at twelve weeks (Slabbert & Rasa, 1993). In addition, early permanent maternal separation, a common occurrence in commercial breeding, may play a role in the development of behavioural disorders.” (Lindsay, 2001). However…. ‘Puppies….that were not exposed to separation until 12 weeks of age appeared to panic and unable to cope effectively with such experiences, [whereas puppies exposed on and off from weeks, 3 , 6 and 9) appear to have learned how to adjust more effectively when separated from littermates that is, they appeared to have habituated to the separation experience.” (Lindsay, 2001.)

With the advent of increased motor abilities, puppies wander more widely and begin to leave the nesting area to eliminate on their own. With the emergence of this tendency, the mother stops ingesting the faeces. At this time, puppies can be taught to eat semisolid food supplement the mothers nursing.” (Lindsay, 2001). Thus, weaning continued and multiple surfaces arranged for eliminating.

Curiosity Period (5-7 weeks)

“One of the outstanding changes in behaviour at the beginning of the period of socialisation is the tendency of puppies to respond to the sight or sound of persons other animals at a distance. The three-week-old puppy approaches slowly and cautiously towards a human observer seated quietly. Finally, it comes close and starts nosing his shoes and clothes. After this, it may start to wag its tail rapidly back and forth. The tail wagging itself appears to have no directly adaptive function but is simply an expression of pleasurable emotion towards a social object. What effect it has on other dogs is difficult to tell, but it seems to have the same effect on human observers as the smile of a child; It is a reward for the person who has initiated a social contact.” (Scott & fuller, 1965).

Moreover, the Curiosity period is said to be at (5-7 weeks) and the type of experiences that the puppy has during this period will have a strong effect on how he will react to humans as an adult. Therefore, as it is recommended by Rawlinson (1999) that a pup meets hundred different people by the time it is 12 week, it is worth cracking on now.

Those [puppies] that lacked [environmental] enrichment were inhibited, fearful and looked for less complex environments, and often compensated with self-destructive behaviours such as chewing and licking. (Fox, 1984)

 
Secondary/ human Socialisation Period

43 to 84 Days (6 to 12 weeks)

Advice: 6-8 weeks is the time for puppies to leave litter mates and join their new home. The ideal time is said to be 7 weeks but British law prevents purchase of a puppy till 8 weeks.

 The brain is said to be fully developed and what is taught in this period is thought to really stick, thus training can begin (at 5 weeks), in particular with short sessions due to the puppies, current, short attention span.

Puppies can attend socialisation classes, socialise with other vaccinated puppies. New owners can ignore any advice from overanxious vets and continue with socialisation after the first vaccine but by being sensible with where and who they interact with.

 Positive exposure to novel stimuli and the world the pup is going to live in should be aimed to be completed by the end of this period. Amp up environmental enrichment.

Meeting one hundred different people, gradually, calmly and positively before the close of this period would be strongly advised.

 Crate training should begin as soon as home if not done at the breeder and used to help the puppy build up to confidently endure being alone as puppies not exposed to being alone prior to 12 weeks are thought to really struggle.

Behaviour refinement period (7-9 weeks)
Researchers have shown that by seven weeks puppies have fully functioning brains based on EEG studies.  Anything they learn during this time is permanent. (Rawlinson, 1999)
 
Environment awareness period (9-12 weeks)
This is the period when exposure to different environments is important. (Rawlinson, 1999)

Research & Explanation:

“The primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behaviour. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated.” (AVSAB, 2008)

For most purposes, secondary socialisation begins in earnest when a puppy leaves the mother and litter mates to begin life with the human family. The ideal timing for this transition is seven weeks of age, with a relative range of minus one or plus one. (Lindsay, 2001).

“The puppy now has the brain waves of an adult dog, but the attention span is short. This period is when the most rapid learning occurs. Learning at this age is permanent so this is a perfect time to start training but make it fun not arduous. (Rawlinson, 1999)

‘A dog must feel equally comfortable in the companion company of other dogs as well as enjoy human companionship. Such social flexibility is in large measure contingent on early exposure and experience.’ (Lindsay, 2001).

‘This period is associated with increasing irritability on the mother’s part toward her young, coinciding with the decline of lactation and a growing disinterest in nursing. This disinterest is not shared by her puppies, whose appetites are as sharp as their teeth. Not surprisingly common maternal punishing activity peaks at around this time.’ (Rheingold, 1963.)

‘Also peaking at this time is a puppies willingness to approach strangers confidently into investigate novel things with vigorous tail wagging.’ (Lindsay, 2001).

‘The mother’s job is done both nutritionally and psychologically, making seven to eight weeks of age a very sensible time for final weaning and the finding a new home for her brood. Secondly, within the litter itself, agonistic interaction between the puppies has reached a peak, and although their aggressive play is not intended to hurt, the skills and attitudes developed by such an assertive competitiveness does not beneficially serve puppies in terms of their future adaptation to family life.’ (Lindsay, 2001).

“Five-week-old puppies are more outgoing and less fearful of social contact than are seven week old puppies. It would appear to make sense, therefore to initiate secondary socialisation at an earlier stage in the socialisation process rather than waiting… however puppies removed from the litter too early are at risk of developing adjustment problems of one sort or another as adult dogs. Adoption is a matter of timing. Both the extreme of adopting too early before week six or too late after week twelve with the emergence of increasing social avoidance may compete with appropriate socialisation or predisposed published developed social adjustment problems.” (Lindsay, 2001).

Fear imprint period

8 to 10.5 Weeks

 

Advice: Great Care should be made to avoid fearful reactions during this stage. Whilst doing so, keep in mind the idea new things bring good things. So, for example the sniff of a vacuum or bicycle can be paired with treats. Do not pick up your puppy and start cooing and coddling them, if they get frightened. If you do they will think you like the anxious behavior they are displaying and you may develop an anxious adult.

Research & Explanation:

‘The puppy is very susceptible to long lasting effects of fearful stimuli at this stage.  If the puppy perceives an event as traumatic, he may generalize it and it could affect him for the rest of his life.’ (PuppyProdigies.org, 2021).

Seniority Classification Period

‘age of the cutting teeth.’

(12 to 16 Weeks)

Advice: Control resources with structured play and training sessions. Get your recall and essential alternative, foundation behaviours nailed now. Continue socialisation and environmental enrichment.

Research & Explanation: At sixteen weeks the fight instinct period is going to kick in and you puppy is going to be more truant and less likely to stick with you, like a teenager in puberty, it may last a while or not so long. The wiring in the brain is pretty well complete and further learning is going to be more challenging and not stick as well.

Weaning:

A note on weaning.

‘Responsible breeders should play it safe and choose only mothers who are exemplary in both form and temperament, not leaning towards excesses in terms of fear, aggression, excitability. In a case where litter is born to an unstable mother, puppy should be weaned early.’ (Fox, 1968)… [because]…’Impressionable puppies at considerable risk of internalising her attitudes during the socialisation. And, perhaps, even before birth.’ (Thompson, 1957.)