Puppy Socialization

Puppy Development

Puppies are pretty helpless for the first 12 days of their life during the neonatal period. Their eyes and ears are not yet open and their motor capabilities are limited. The majority of their time is spent nursing and sleeping, and behavior is mostly reflexive. If puppies are handled and exposed to mild environmental stressors during this period, it can have a positive impact on them in later years. Pups left undisturbed can be emotionally reactive when they reach adulthood. Pups begin to develop their motor skills during the transitional period (12-21 days). They begin to walk unsteadily, can eat soft meals once their first teeth come in and emerge into the world with an amplified amount of social and environmental stimulation. From 21-84 days, a puppy’s socialization period begins. It is a sensitive period in the dog’s developmental stages. This is the optimal time for them to experience and learn without being fearful. Between three to five weeks pups go through the primary socialization stage where a great deal of learning occurs. Much of this learning establishes a foundation for behavior patterns (good and bad!) later in life. Insufficient socialization during this time can lead to hyperactivity, over-reactivity, emotional rigidity, anxiety and more. They may have problems with separation and exhibit fear or aggression toward strangers. When separated from the litter during this period, many pups are intolerant of other dogs later in life. The secondary socialization period (six to 12 weeks) is the “process of bonding and social conditioning within the context of the human domestic environment …” (Lindsay, 2000) As we’ve learned from the experts over the years, it is critical that puppies are provided with adequate social contact and as much exposure to as many things in the environment as possible during the socialization period. Having this knowledge can assist us in educating not only pet owners, but also other animal professionals, about the importance of developing good social contacts with pups. A pup will develop abnormally if the environment does not provide him/her with sufficient or adequate experience. Between the ages of three to 16 weeks, the average puppy will learn more than in his/her entire lifetime. What occurs during this critical period has an everlasting emotional and cognitive effect on the dog.

The Issue of Poor Socialization

Seeing puppies entering classes at 16 weeks with problems should be an odd occurance now with all of the information available but unfortunately it's not. For years, we’ve been observing pups that have experienced what can be perceived as poor socialization. The pups were probably deprived of early environmental exposures since they appeared to have unusual deficits and/or dysfunctional behaviors. If a puppy is isolated from the world early on, he/she will have difficulty enjoying companionships; he/she may exhibit distrust or even extreme fear of any social contact and appear to have behavioral disabilities. These dogs typically will exhibit poor learning and problem-solving abilities and are unable to cope since fear or avoidance overrides all. Research has shown us that with concentrated remedial socialization, some pups can regain some tranquility, yet they may never reach their full potential had things been handled correctly from the onset.

What Breeders Should Be Doing

Breeders are with puppies from birth giving them an opportunity to take advantage of early learning. By following some of the suggestions we’ve listed below, breeders can have an enormous impact on the future of the pups. • At about three weeks of age, expose the pups to other friendly, healthy dogs and by five weeks, people. • Take car trips, especially to the veterinarian’s office. The pup’s first experience with the veterinarian should not be a cold, motorized table and needle in the rump. Acclimate the pup to the motion of cars to avoid car sickness. • Gradually expose them to different sounds starting at low levels (doorbells, vacuums, hair dryers, vehicles, horns, barking dogs, kids playing, etc.) • Separate pups from their litter for short periods of time to help accustom them to being alone. What a shock to them after sleeping with seven siblings to then be put alone in a crate in a dark kitchen! • Acclimate the pups to various substrates. • Between five to eight weeks, familiarize the pup to grooming tools, ear cleaning, drinking and eating from a bowl, training with treats, wearing collars, leash walking, and much more. • Acclimate pups to crates and x-pens, leaving the pup with a "puppy pal" (soft toy to cuddle with) and proper chew toys. • Allow pups to investigate in the yard, teaching them to walk up and down a stair or two as opposed to carrying them in and out. • Take the pups out in the rain. How many pups have accidents during inclement weather? • Work on housetraining to help get the new owner off to the right start.

Socialization Pros and Cons

Many veterinarians and breeders are recommending early socialization and including this learning program as part of their total wellness plan for pet owners. Yet many are not.• Both research and findings from various guide dog organizations show that fewer than a half a dozen, out of hundreds of thousands of puppies, became ill before their final set of vaccinations. All other pups that were taken into public places became successful guide dogs. • Dr. R.K. Anderson states: “The risk of a dog dying because of infection with distemper or parvo disease is far less than the much higher risk of a dog dying (euthanasia) because of behavior problems. Are there risks? Yes. But over ten years of good experience and data, with few exceptions, offers veterinarians the opportunity to generally recommend early socialization and training classes, beginning when puppies are eight to nine weeks of age.” • Isolating these puppies until they are 16+ weeks is detrimental to their behavioral health. Puppy classes have turned into behavior modification classes as a result.

The Value of Early Socialization

Mother Nature designed dogs to be especially receptive to interactions with novel people, dogs, places and new experiences, while very young, so that they grow up to be comfortable with the everyday elements of their environment. This prevents them from wasting energy by responding fearfully to the common events and encounters of their day-to-day life. Puppies are programmed to be most accepting of new experiences until the age of about 12 weeks. Mother Nature decrees that anything the puppy hasn’t encountered by 12 weeks old is odd enough to warrant caution! The period from three to approximately 12 weeks old is called the “sensitive period,” whereby puppies are most able to easily acclimatize to novel stimuli. From 12 to 18 weeks old the window of opportunity to socialize the puppy closes rapidly, such that with each passing week it becomes increasingly difficult to successfully socialize a dog. Once the dog reaches 18 weeks of age the window of socialization closes and it is then much harder—and sometimes impossible—to train a dog to like something new or acclimatize him to something that he finds frightening. Poorly socialized dogs are at much greater risk for responding fearfully to unfamiliar people, dogs, and experiences.

Benefits of a Puppy Kindergarten Program

Puppy classes help puppies achieve wellness by facilitating socialization and by teaching the puppies’ guardians how to assist the puppies in acquiring skills that are expected of them in order for them to be cherished members of their human family and of society. Since puppy classes are so important to the lifelong well-being of puppies, it is crucial that as many puppies as possible attend them. Despite this, many owners are discouraged from enrolling their dog because of recommendations from breeders or veterinarians who argue that puppies should not be exposed to other dogs until their full vaccination schedule is complete, something that doesn’t occur until after the puppy is 12 weeks old, when his peak socialization period has already passed. There is a growing consensus that puppies are NOT getting ill in puppy classes that enroll puppies who are seven weeks and older and who have been vaccinated at least seven to ten days before starting class. However, this is not to suggest that young puppies should be exposed indiscriminately to other dogs and outdoor areas. It is still prudent to avoid exposing a puppy to dogs of unknown health status, or to parks and other areas likely contaminated with dog feces until the puppy is fully vaccinated. In regions where parvovirus is rampant, or where other infectious disease agents may be present, it may even be warranted to keep the puppy from walking on public property until fully vaccinated. Keep in mind that socialization to dogs is but one aspect of socialization, and that puppies can be safely exposed to people, places, sights, smells, and sounds without significant risk of exposure to infectious disease. Puppyhood remains the single greatest opportunity to positively influence a dog’s behavioral development. Since more dogs are euthanized for behavioral reasons than for all medical causes combined, it would be unwise to allow unfounded fear of exposure to infectious disease to interfere with efforts towards early socialization. Advising puppy owners to wait until the puppy is over 16 weeks of age before exposing him to the world he/she will be living in might have been appropriate a decade ago but is now clearly outdated. In striving towards puppy wellness, socialization and infectious disease prevention must go hand in hand.