| The critical learning period for dogs occurs prior to | | | | early training can also be vital to a dog's behavior |
| their six-month birthday. Their learning begins almost | | | | throughout the course of his life. |
| immediately upon birth, as they learn to compete | | | | Once a pup is adopted, at 8 weeks of age or older, |
| with their siblings for their mother's milk. At birth, | | | | it is essential that socialization continues. Young |
| puppies can neither see nor hear so they are | | | | puppies are the most receptive to new experiences |
| completely dependent on their sense of smell and | | | | during their first six months of life. After this window |
| touch for survival. This explains why, for so many | | | | of opportunity closes, dogs tend to greet new |
| dogs, their first method of understanding any new | | | | concepts and ideas more fearfully and more |
| person or thing is to sniff it. | | | | hesitantly. Thus, exposing your dogs to as many |
| As they grow and play, they learn other important | | | | different experiences as possible can help lay the |
| social skills from interacting with their mother and | | | | foundation for a dog that is comfortable, friendly, |
| their littermates. The puppy's mother teaches a pup | | | | confident and happy. Dogs who are not exposed as |
| how to accept correction. A warning growl, or a | | | | puppies may have lifelong behavioral problems, and if |
| scruff shake from a mother dog teaches puppies | | | | these fear-based problems turn to aggression, |
| how to accept dominance and helps them to | | | | owners may have no choice but to euthanize dogs |
| understand their place in the pack. This relationship | | | | for the dogs own health and safety. By ensuring that |
| and ability to accept correction will be essential to | | | | dog is well socialized, fear based aggression will not |
| later puppy training. | | | | develop. Confident dogs can lead a long and happy |
| Puppies also learn important social skills from their | | | | life before they reach their final resting place in pet |
| siblings and litter mates. Dogs learn through play, so it | | | | urns or pet gravestones. |
| is essential that a young dog have the opportunity to | | | | It is essential to introduce your dog not only to other |
| remain with its litter mates until the dog is at least 8 | | | | dogs, but to people, experiences, and sounds. You |
| weeks of age. During this period of growth and play, | | | | will want your dog to become familiar with riding in a |
| dogs learn bite inhibition. | | | | car or visiting places like the vets or the local pet |
| As dogs play and tumble and frolic with their litter | | | | store. You also want our pup to know that visitors |
| mates, they often play games involving biting and | | | | to the home are a positive experience. Finally, you |
| mouthing. If a dog bites or mouths one of its litter | | | | want to expose your pup to common household |
| mates too hard, the other dog will end the play. This | | | | sounds like vacuums and dishwashers and blenders. |
| teaches a dog that it must be careful when using its | | | | Early exposure can be essential to your dog |
| mouth in order to preserve its social relationships. | | | | accepting and understanding all of these experiences |
| This principle of bite inhibition can be used later by | | | | as a routine part of life. |
| humans to help teach dogs that mouthing or biting is | | | | The first few months of your puppy's life are thus |
| not appropriate. | | | | essential to setting the stage for your whole |
| Young dogs also learn to share food and treats | | | | relationship. As online pet memorials show, the bond |
| through play with their litter mates. Finally, their | | | | between a human and a pet can be a wonderful, |
| relationship further cements the concepts of | | | | loving, and amazing relationship. However, in order for |
| dominance and submission. Stronger or more | | | | that relationship to be positive, it is essential to |
| dominant pups in the litter begin to teach the weaker | | | | introduce a dog properly into a home and give that |
| or smaller pups how to submit. Thus, dogs learn the | | | | dog the foundation for a healthy life. |
| importance of the pack and of following rules. This | | | | |