Critical periods of development of the puppy

From the book "Education obedience dogs"
Neonatal
(from birth to 12 days)

Neonatal period (1-12 days) is dedicated to meet two needs - getting food and warmth.

A newborn puppy is physically DEPENDENT. He needs a warm environment to maintain their body temperature. He needs physical stimulation to urinate and defecate. He does not see or hear, his sense of smell and touch are in an embryonic stage of development. He responds to cold and heat, and, to some extent, causes pain. Also, the puppy reacts to the smell of the mother.

He moved, crawling in a circle and turning his head from side to side in an attempt to locate the mother. While it may popiskivat, prompting his mother to sniff and "inform" him his whereabouts.

While the puppy is growing rapidly and gaining strength during this period, his pattern of behavior is actually on the same level as at birth. Electroencephalogram, measured during the neonatal period, showed no differences between brain impulses sleeping and waking puppy.

TRANSITION
(13-20 days)

The transition period (13-20 days), marked by many physical changes in the puppy. At the beginning of this period (on average, the 13th day) in the puppies open their eyes. And although his pupils react to light, the retina has not yet been developed, and he is unable to see objects or movement of approximately 21 days of age.

Puppy begins to creep back as well as forward and after a few days he had already moved shaky steps, actually falling after each step. Once the puppy starts to walk, he did not crawl. The first teeth to erupt within the 20-th day, and he begins to chew and bite. In the same period, the puppy begins to wag the tail, although this is not a consequence of what they had seen or heard them, because Puppy is not able to analyze the environment.

Puppy begins to respond to the sounds of an average of 19.5 days, but so far unable to locate its source.

This critical period - the period of most rapid physical changes. In just one week of a newborn, unable to hear, walk and defecate without stimulation, and self samosogrevatsya is, turns into a puppy that can do it all yourself.

PERIOD OF UNDERSTANDING
(21-28 days)

This is the first week, during which the puppy learns to use sight and hearing. Since changes in its sensory perceptions occur very quickly, most puppies in a 24-hour period, he needs a stable environment. During this period he has the greatest need for his mother and familiar surroundings. Weaning from breast or transfer of all litter in the new location at this time, in all probability, will have a negative impact on the psyche of puppies.

Study peace begins within a period of Understanding. This time in the life of a puppy, when he begins to know something, what should be a dog.

Dog Period of Socialization
(21-49 days)

From 21 to 49 per day or 3.7 weeks - Canine Socialization Period, when the puppy learns to behavioral characteristics that make it a dog.

To achieve their genetic behavioral potential, the puppy must remain in the nest with his mother and littermates during this time. During this period, he will practice facial expressions, different body positions and vocalization, and to study their effect on the brothers, mother and any other dogs he met. He learns to bark, as well as studying the effect of their barking and barking at the siblings siblings themselves. He begins to understand how its bite on the brothers, and felt to his cost of their bites.

He is studying different models of behavior that make it a dog: the pursuit game - an imitation of prosecution, to catch and shoot down "production" - teach him coordination and proper distribution of forces; greeting behavior teaches him the correct posture for the greeting; power games teach him how to properly use a variety of body positions in various situations. For example, during the game, when the situation is aggravated and threatened to end in painful sting, the puppy learns that the posture of submission can neutralize the aggression of his siblings.

During this critical period, the puppy learns one of the most important lessons in his life - the notion of discipline. He gets it from her mother, who does not allow the puppy to bite himself strongly, or during weaning, when it shows the puppies, so they left her alone.

"HUMAN" Period of Socialization
(7-12 weeks)

The best time to bring the puppy in his new home - during the "Man" period of socialization, 50-84 days or 7.12 weeks. This is also the best time to introduce him to those things that will play an important role in his future life. For example, if the puppy will live on a farm, it is precisely at this age, he should get acquainted with the animals that live there. If the breeder has not yet introduced a puppy with the sounds of a vacuum cleaner, car engines and city traffic, it must be subjected to them now. Children, men with beards, women in broad-brimmed hats and old people with canes - all "types" of people it is desirable to know the puppy during this period.

At 7 weeks of age puppies electroencephalogram shows that his brain impulses are similar to adult dog. His ability to concentrate is not high and the attention span is very short, but he was able to learn. Not only that a puppy can be trained, it will be something to learn, whether we teach it or not. This is the age when there is a very short learning curve for the entire period of the dog's life. All that he feels at this time, makes the greatest impression on him than ever before in another time. Education at this age is permanent.

Because of the relative ease of learning at this age (because the puppy still has no bad habits, which must be corrected), it is - the perfect time to teach obedience, which must be taught, taking into account its physical limitations and short attention in a positive, game style.

PERIOD EFFECTS OF FEAR
(8-11 weeks)

During the period of exposure of Fear, from 8 to 11 weeks, any traumatic, painful or frightening experiences will have a lasting effect on the puppy than if it happened at any other time. For example, a visit to a puppy vetkliniki at this time and received it a painful experience can ever get the dog to fear the visits to the vet. Bring a favorite toy and treats to make a pleasant potentially dangerous for the puppy experience.

PERIOD CLASSIFICATION Seniority
(13-16 weeks)

This critical period from 13 to 16 weeks, also known as the "Age reductions" - reducing the number of teeth and reducing dependence on the mother or other elders. During the period of the Classification seniority puppy is trying to understand and decide for themselves the question of leadership.

PERIOD INSTINCT "Flight"
(4-8 months)

Period Instinct "Flight" is somewhere between 4 and 8 months of life a puppy. This is the time when the puppy tries to themselves "on the wing. He would often get into risky situations, willfully fleeing and "off" their ears, when he served the team.

Period Instinct "flight" lasts from several days to several weeks. So, what sort of education was a puppy until it affects the lightness or severity of the passage of this period the puppy and the owner. Since the majority of dog owners do not know about this naturally occurring stage of development, they begin to properly respond to it, thus creating problems for themselves in the future.

Phenomenon Instinct "Flight" - the main reason to attend elementary school with a puppy obedience.

There is a physiological process, which corresponds to the period Instinct "Flight" - is teething. By 6 months of molars sprout through the gums and fully staffed between 6 and 10 months. At this time a young dog is a physiological need something to take their teeth, ie chew.

SECOND PERIOD OF THE EFFECTS OF FEAR
(6-14 months)

This period, also called period of fear of new situations, as uncertain as the first. Second Fear Impact Period corresponds growth spurt. Consequently, it can happen more than once with the growth of the dog.

During this period, noted a change in the behavior of young dogs. She may suddenly refuse to come closer to something unknown or to be frightened by something or someone you know. When the dog shows fear or unwillingness to something closer, do not need to enter into a confrontation with a dog, forcing her to "be brave", or reinforce their fears through kindness. Power can scare the dog more, and reassuring tone and tenderness can only serve as an encouragement to her fears.

Fear of a young dog should be met with patience and kindness. A dog can decide for themselves - whether to have the case or not with the object that triggered her fear. Overcoming this period is to create certain conditions that the dog probably has successfully overcome, and encourage her for it, thus strengthening it in confidence.

MATURITY
(1-4 years)

Many breeds, especially the giant, continues to grow and change physically, and after four years. Therefore the concept of maturity in dogs more closely related to sexual maturity, but not to full height. The average maturity of the dogs is somewhere between half and three years of age in small breeds earlier, while the giant - later age. This critical period is often marked increase in aggression and renewed testing for lead.