Duckback Labradors - Tips - Stages of Puppy Raising

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Stages of Puppy Raising Development

First 21 days – unable to learn. Startle to noise
Birth to two weeks – no awareness of environment
Needs warmth, food, sleep

Two to three weeks
Eyes and ears open and begin to function; becomes mobile
Some interaction with littermates
No learning is possible until about 21 days

Three to four weeks
Startled by sudden noises; suddenly aware of sights and sounds
Needs dam and littermates to imprint canine behavior
Playing and fighting will littermates begins dominance order
Humans are seen as part of the litter

Five to seven weeks
Exploring the physical environment and litter relationships
Needs continued interaction with littermates
Needs a rich environment – physical challenge, stimulus
Begin short periods of separation, with individual attention
Expose to varied human handling, including children

Seven to nine weeks
More sophisticated awareness, including humans
** Fear period in 8th week – monitor environment carefully
Needs to develop human bond
Needs to leave litter to avoid permanent setting of rank

Nine to twelve weeks
Ready to interact and learn social behaviors, dominance
Needs intense, regular interaction with humans, one on one

Twelve to sixteen weeks
Independence, teething, development of territoriality
Begins to explore rather than trail humans or other dogs
Needs more formal obedience training, reinforce pack rules
This stage ends with another avoidance/fear period and then adolescence begins; Obedience should be well established

**** This information is taken from Pfaffenberger, The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior, Howell Book House, Inc., 1963 and Rutherford and Neil, How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With,, Alpine Publications, 1981

Neil and Anne Evans
Duckback Labs