A BREEDER'S PRIMER
CRITICAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Copyright Susan Healy, 1994. All rights reserved 3655 Robin Road, Tallahassee, FL 32310 s.healy@genie.geis.com

The notion of CRITICAL STAGES OF CANINE DEVELOPMENT has been well covered
in both scientific and popular literature and is based primarily on the
work of John Scott and J. L. Fuller in the forties, fifties, and
sixties. Clarence Pfaffenberger's book NEW KNOWLEDGE OF DOG BEHAVIOR
introduced these stages of development to breeders, trainers, and pet
owners OVER 20 years ago. Jack and Wendy Vollhard and Richard Wolters
further popularized this field by introducing puppy aptitude testing
based, in part, on Scott and Fuller's findings. Drs. Michael Fox and
Ian Dunbar, initially studying canine development and behavior in
clinical settings, have written copiously for the lay press regarding
puppy socialization.

 Unfortunately, many other writers unfamiliar with the original research
have led new puppy owners into believing that a puppy purchased at an age
older than exactly 7 weeks will bond less well and be less trainable than
a puppy purchased at exactly 49 days of life.
This "urban myth" is most vexing to breeders as the 49th day of life may
be the earliest time a puppy may leave its littermates, but may not be
the best time. So here to debunk some of these myths is a synopsis of
the critical periods of puppy development from a reasonable breeder's
point of view:

FIRST PERIOD

A. Neonatal subperiod 0-13 day

 No emotional development, social attachment, or learning takes place
during this period. Puppies' brain waves remain constant whether
sleeping or awake. Puppies do, however, exhibit reflex reactions to
hunger, cold, touch. They pile for warmth or spread out if too hot, but
cannot regulate their own temperature by shivring or panting.

 During this neonatal period puppies will crawl backward and forward and
will swing their heads from side to side, often repetitively while mewing
or trilling. These movements appear to be involuntary and prepare pups
muscles, nervous system, and inner ear for further development.

 Breeder Do's: Keep bitch happy, healthy, and well-fed. Her physical and
emotional well-being will supply everything the puppies need during this
stage.

 Handle puppies very gently with very slow, massaging movements. Very
light stimulation of the nervous system (called "pre-stressing") may be
beneficial when applied during the second week of life. This could
involve rotating pups gently in your hands, applying light pressure to
the ear leather, brief contact with a cold surface, and holding each pup
gently on its back for a few seconds each day. Pups should, of course,
be weighed daily to monitor growth and this would be a good time to
handle each pup. THIS IS NOT SOCIALIZATION OR TRAINING. Pre-stressing
does, however, assist in developing brain cells.

 Breeder Don'ts: Don't allow visitors (human or canine) during this
period. Avoid anything that will stress the bitch (houseguests, parties,
home repairs, etc.) Also try not to move puppies or remove mother from
the litter at this time. If the pups or dam need to see a veterinarian
try to arrange for a home visit. Despite the common practice, this is
not a good age to take a litter to a dogshow in your RV.
 
 

B. Transition Subperiod 13-21 days:

 Pups will attempt to get up on their feet, but continue crawling backward
and forward. They may begin trying to get out of whelping box toward end
of this period.

 Breeder Do's: Introduce toys as obstacles to climb over or bump into.
This helps pups develop spatial awareness. Some pups may begin briefly
interacting with toys near the end of the third week. Continue handling
pups daily using slow, massaging movements. Pups are growing fast and
need frequent nail trimming. Introduce brushing with soft brush. Again,
this is not training but stimulation.

 Breeder Don'ts: Avoid startling pup with loud noises or sudden movements
while hearing and eyesight are developing. If you must move or change
puppies' environment, this is the time to do so. Do not remove from dam.

SECOND PERIOD

 Characteristics: Most important period with rapid sensory development.
Puppies are fully alert to their environment and will startle easily at
sudden sounds and movements. During this time they are able to recognize
their breeder and other significant humans by smell, sight and sound.
However, they have lost the natural insulation of the neonatal period and
negative events can easily imprint in basic behavior during this period.

 Social bonding begins to occur during this week.

Neonatal behaviors such as head swinging, mewing and crawling back and
forth stop. Pups are more active and moving well on their feet. This is
a time of rapid physical change. There are also significant changes in
brain waves during this period and pups are now able to learn from
experiences and to retain what they have learned.

 Breeder Do's: Introduce new tactile sensations in puppies' box--pups
enjoy burrowing in shredded newspaper, for example, or crawling over a
rolled up towel or blanket. Continue daily handling, adding new sounds
and sights to the environment--radio, tv, telephone, computer printer.
Introduce toys that make sounds. Pups can be removed from the box and
placed on new surfaces. Do this with two pups at a time rather than
separating from litter.

 Breeder Don'ts: AVOID LOUD NOISES OR SUDDEN CHANGES DURING THIS PERIOD.
Negative events can permanently imprint on pups during this week. Do not
run vacuum clearner around pups, blow hair dryers, run clippers, etc.
Postpone having work done on your home and ask prospective purchasers or
curious friends to wait until the end of the 4th week to visit puppies.

 Do not move puppies or separate from dam during this week.

THIRD PERIOD

Characteristics: Social awareness, learning to become dogs (note: first
week of this critical stage of development overlaps with second period of
development). Play fighting behavior becomes increasingly intense. Pups
are developing problem solving abilities, physical coordination, bite
inhibition. Mother begins weaning pups during this period, those
begining to initiate discipline. During this time puppies will begin to
move to the far corners of their bed, box, or pen to urinate and
defecate. House breaking can begin!

 Breeder Do's: During entire period leave pups together as litter and allow dam free access to pups.

During 4th week (21-28 days) introduce food to pups without removing dam.
You can feed her in the litter box at the same time. Begin escalating
sensory experiences (see notes on second critical period). Continue
daily handling by breeder and family members.

 During 5th week (28-35 days) introduce pups to the outdoors. Take them
outside to urinate and defecate after waking or eating. When this is not
possible provide pups with a designated bathroom spot to begin their
housebreaking.

 Begin handling pups individually away from littermates and dam for at
least 10 minutes each day. Enlist the help of family members, friends,
neighbor and prospective puppy owners in this process. If youcannot
handle 10 mins. each do, do 5 mins. Daily experiences away from
littermates are crucial.

 During 6th and 7th weeks (35-49 days) increase sensory experiences with
brief car rides. Introduce pups to vacuum cleaner. Puppies can begin
simple training routines using food lures and social attraction at this
time. Start teaching pups to stand on grooming table to be examined or
to be brushed.

 This is the prime socialization period. Introduce new people, especially
children. Pups enjoy interaction with a gentle adult dog--a kindly
auntie or uncle who wil babysit with patience.

 Introduce situations that will stimulate problem-solving
behavior--tunnels, cardboard boxes, gates, steps, fences, logs, etc.
Allow pups to have successes and reinforce these successes with food.

 Breeder Don'ts: DO NOT REMOVE PUPPIES FROM LITTER DURING THIS PERIOD! Do
not completely remove mother. Do not correct for play fighting,
housebreaking errors, or mouthing.

FOURTH PERIOD

Characteristics: Enlarging social awareness and bonding outside of
litter. Mental abilities are fully forned but pups lack experience.
This is the optimum time to teach new things and is, in fact, the period
of fastest learning. Research has shown that behaviors can be shaped and
modified most easily during times when learning is occuring most quickly.
Training during this time will actually increase the capacity to learn by
increasing brain cells in the appropriate regions of the brain.

 Bladder and bowel control developed and pups are capable of sleeping
through the night without an accident.

 Breeder Do's: Greatly enlarge the puppies' world between 49 and 56 days.
Begin puppy rotation, playing and sleeping in smaller groups. Pups that
remain with breeder can be crated with one or two other pups. Be sure to
switch puppies around.

 Continue individual grooming, play and training sessions with each pup.
Gentle but firm discpline from humans may be begun. Begin teaching
reponse to simple commands such as sit, down, stand, come, walk on lead
at this time. Pups during this period can learn complex behavior chain
and can make associations.

 Breeder Don'ts: Do not isolate from humans or unnecessarily restrain
during this period (only restraints should be crate or necessary
fencing). Avoid inadvertantly reinforcing fearful responses.

NOTE: FIRST FEAR IMPRINT PERIOD OCCURS BETWEEN 8-10 WEEKS. AVOID PLACING PUPS DURING THIS TIME. AVOID SHIPPING PUPS, EAR CROPPING TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES.

 Pups that have been properly socialized and bonded with breeder can be
successfully placed at 10-12 weeks after they have passed the first fear
imprint period and while they are still young enough to be "babies."

FIFTH PERIOD:

Characteristics: Dominace period where pup solidifies social position.
Pups will begin testing their place in the world during this time. The
tend to become emboldened. This is a period of very fast physical
growth.

 Breeder/Owner Do's: Pups must be treated as individual dogs. If they are
still with breeder they should no longer be treated as part of a litter
and should sleep alone in individual crates at night and all training and
grooming sessions should be individual.

 Introduce behavioral dominance exercises. "Alphabetize" yourself and
your family--feed pup after you eat, move crate to different locations so
pup doesn't become site protective, take food and toys away from pup
while eating or playing.

 Continue socialization and obedience training providing slight
distractions. TEACH THE RECALL AND PRACTICE IT SEVERAL TIMES EVERY
SINGLE DAY!!!! Do this before pup enters the "flight period" at about 16
weeks.

 Breeder/Owner Don'ts: No tug of war games. Do not allow pup to sleep in
bed with humans. Absolutely forbid all chasing games with children.

 VERY, VERY IMPORTANT NOTE; DO NOT RAISE LITTERMATES OR TWO UNRELATED PUPPIES TOGETHER DURING THIS PERIOD!!!

SIXTH PERIOD

Characteristics: The flight period, corresponding to teething. Pups
begin testing limits. May attempt to assert dominance over human pack
members (especially children). May "forget" housebreaking.

 This period is characterised by independence and willfulness. Owner or
breeder is no longer mommy substitute.

 Breeder/Owner Do's: Keep pup on lead when outside fenced enclosures.
Continue recall training and response to commands. Continue domiance
exercises and handling all parts of pups body.

 Breedrer/Owner Don'ts: Do not let pup off lead if at all possible. Do
not chase pup or play chasing games.

 SECOND FEAR INPRINT PERIOD 6 to 14 MONTHS

Characteristics: Sexual maturity, hormonal changes. Fearfulness of new
situations, objects, people, other dogs. Male dogs begin lifting legs.
Some individuals will pass through this periods faster than others, often
with no noticeable problems. Others may display marked changes in
behavior in strange situations.

 Reinforce the behaviors you want; do not reinforce fearfulness by coddling
or protective behavior. But also try to avoid punishing fearfulness.
Try to adopt a firm but patient and kindly attitude to the pup's fearful
behavior. Continue socialization to humans and other dogs. Avoid or
postpone extremely stressful or traumatic experiences for animals that
appear to be in this fear imprint period.

 Author's note: This primer on critical stages of development is an
attempt to consolidate information appearing in a variety of publications
from a number of authors, and to tailor that information specifically to
the needs of breeders. Reprint permission is granted to nonprofit
organizations and training schools as long as this primer is reprinted in
full, including references, without changes, and properly credited.