Understanding the Puppy Behavior Stages — Everything You Need for Success
What are the puppy stages of development?
“The dog is man’s best friend” — this has proven to be true over the years. Many couples and families save up for months to purchase that perfect puppy that will add joy and love to their lives. Narrowing down what personality you would like in your furry friend is the first step, followed shortly by researching the pros and cons of each breed.
Now, you’ve picked the breed of puppy that is best suited for your family! Now is when you may wonder, how am I going to train and raise a puppy? And trust me, as a pet parent, I get it! The worry of the responsibility and time component is a serious downer on an otherwise exciting venture. But knowing how development works is crucial in taking care of a pup. The way you raise it makes all the difference! After all, a dog is a lifetime commitment, and putting in the work when they’re young will only put you on the track to success.
One of the biggest questions veterinary professionals are asked is, “when do I need to socialize my puppy?” This question and many more can be answered by knowing at what age and process your puppy develops. Here, we will touch on the puppy stages from birth and what that means for you, as a pet parent.
Neonatal Period
Momma gives birth to her beautiful puppies! Then what?
The neonatal period is the first of the puppy growth stages. This period starts at birth and ends at 14 days.
The puppies are born with their ears and eyes closed, so the only way they are able to navigate is through their senses of smell and touch. They rely on their mom’s help for eating and elimination, as well as body temperature regulation. Without her, they would not be able to survive. Monitoring the puppies very closely at this stage is vital for the survival of the litter.
Transitional Period
The next stage of development is the transitional period, which lasts from 15–21 days.
During this time frame, about 3 weeks of age, their eyes and ears open. They begin to develop their senses of sight and hearing. Their baby teeth begin to come in, and this is when the puppy’s personality begins to develop.
They begin to learn how to bark and interact with their siblings. They begin to stand, and between weeks 3–4, they are able to walk. Puppies in this stage are very sensitive to their environment and they will begin to show fearful tendencies. Showing them plenty of attention and keeping their environment quiet and consistent will greatly help them continue developing in a positive way.
Socialization Period
Between 22 and 84 days is when socializing your puppy is of the utmost importance. Around seven to nine weeks is when the puppy’s brain is fully developed — the habits and tendencies they learn in this time are likely to become permanent.
Puppy socialization has been broken down into two sub-stages, the first being the primary socialization stage. Between 22 and 49 days is when they need to be socialized with other puppies. They develop bonds with their littermates and mom. This is when the puppy learns it is a dog and what that means. Playing with their littermates teaches them boundaries and socialization skills that will be crucial for their further development.
The second sub-stage is referred to as human socialization, and this takes place between 50–84 days. This is typically when the puppies find their forever homes. It is very important to socialize your puppy with lots of other people to decrease future fear and anxiety when around new faces.
Socializing is an ongoing process, however, beginning at this age shows greater luck with preventing fear and aggression toward other animals and people later in life.
Juvenile Period
The juvenile period takes up between 12 weeks to six months of age.
Adult teeth will start to come in, which leads to your pup wanting to bite and chew on everything! Giving them lots of teething and chew toys will be a big help in promoting a positive outlet for their tendencies. Positive training, or positive reinforcement, is the best way to work and train with your pet in this stage. Enforcing manners should be a top priority to prevent unwanted behaviors. Development of fears also makes a comeback at this time, so learning about their stressors is important so you can reinforce them with positive feelings and encouragement.
Adolescence
Adolescence lasts from 6–18 months. (Remember that large breed dogs take longer to fully develop than small breed dogs.)
This is another stage where fears can develop, so be sure to continue socialization and positive reinforcement! This is also when poor manners and behaviors begin to appear, such as biting, food aggression, destructiveness, pottying indoors, jumping — the list could go on and on!
This is the timeframe of your dog reaching “puberty.” In male dogs, you may notice:
- Testicles drop
- Hiking their leg to urinate
- Scent marking
- Aggression with other male dogs
- Decreased obedience
- “Testing the limits”
In female dogs, you may notice:
- Increased moodiness
- Aggressive tendencies
- Lethargy
- First heat cycle
The heat cycle, also known as estrus, takes place roughly every six months in unspayed dogs. This is when you will notice bleeding, and shortly after is when your pet could become pregnant. Be sure to keep her away from male dogs for the entirety of her heat cycle to prevent unwanted pregnancies!
This is also the age most veterinarians recommend getting your dogs spayed and neutered for preventing unwanted pregnancies and poor behaviors and to also prevent certain types of cancer. Discuss the pros and cons with your veterinarian to see what decision makes the most sense for you and your pet.
Training Tips
A few things to remember when training your pup are:
- They are creatures of habit! Setting up a routine is vital to training a puppy, and is also favorable to your pet! Set a schedule and stick to it for the best results.
- Positive reinforcement is the most beneficial training technique. Reward your pet with love, celebration, and treats when they perform the desired behavior and they will be more likely to repeat it.
- Pets can develop at different rates depending on size and breed, so don’t be discouraged if your pup takes a little longer to train than others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, taking proper care of your pet can be easy when you understand their needs, and their needs change depending on age. Work with your pet according to their schedule of development and you will be surprised at how well they do!
Creating an environment for your puppy to feel loved and respected is very important, but you also want to focus on giving them a reason to love and respect you. Have patience when training, and be persistent! Every puppy deserves the best chance to learn about themselves and how to grow and react to their environment. And be sure to do all the necessary research before bringing that new little baby home!
Citations:
Puppy Developmental Stages and Behaviour — Regina Humane Society Inc
Puppy Training 101: Your Guide to Basic Puppy Training | BeChewy
