The Development of Your Puppy

Title: The Development of Your Puppy
Author: Rex Lanigan

The Development of Your Puppy
Like people, puppies go through various developmental
stages. The following is what generally happens to a puppy,
emotionally, physically, and psychologically, over the
first ten weeks of life.

The First Two Weeks

A puppy is born blind and deaf, and for the first two weeks
of his life, he doesn't do a lot except sleep (around 90
percent of the time) and eat. While he can't hear or see,
he can feel and smell, and the combination enables him to
find the all-important nipples on his mother. The mother
dispenses milk that contains antibodies that help the pup
survive for six to ten weeks. Propelling the pup to his
mother are very undeveloped and weak legs. The puny legs
also allow the puppy to huddle together with his siblings.
The legs develop somewhat while the puppies are asleep
because they twitch, something called "activated sleep."

The puppy is nurtured by his mother, of course, which
includes his mom licking his belly, which stimulates the
little creature to defecate and urinate.

Depending on how the mother feels, human beings may or may
not be allowed to pick up and nurture the puppies every
day. When this occurs, it helps man and dog bond more
easily.

The Third Week

During this week, the puppy's other senses start to
operate. He can detect light and dark, as well as movement,
and will respond to large or sudden sounds. He will start
to interact with his brothers and sisters, and he starts
developing social skills by this interaction, i.e.,
touching them with his paws and mouth.

He learns to crawl, and his tail begins to wag. He can also
venture from his mother to urinate on his own. In some
cases, puppies, though not weaned, can be fed liquid food
suggested by a veterinarian.

The Fourth and Fifth Weeks

During this period, the puppy's muscular development
increases to the point where he can walk, run, and pounce
on his littermates. It is a period of endless exploration,
and the puppy's interaction with his siblings teaches him a
lot, including when he's biting too hard - which elicits a
tough response from a littermate - and where he belongs in
the aristocracy of the pack - he will alternately sleep at
the bottom and top of the puppy pile.

If the puppy is misbehaving, Mom occasionally may get
involved by growling at him. This discipline sharpens the
puppy's sense of right and wrong, which can make training
easier. If dogs aren't subject to this kind of discipline,
such as dogs who become orphaned, the human training
process becomes that much more difficult.

During this time, the puppy's teeth develop, and he may
stop nursing. Around the fourth week, he can start eating
food specially prepared by Mom, which is food she chews and
swallows and then regurgitates.

The fourth week is usually the time when fear is developed:
The puppy picks up his mother's fears and develops some of
his own, including becoming afraid of his handler if he is
treated poorly.

The latter portion of this time is when the puppy starts to
become socialized with the human family, becoming more
aware of the sights and sounds in the house, as well as
interacting more with individual members.

The Sixth and Seventh Weeks

This is a time of wonder and curiosity for the young pup,
but he is also very sensitive to emotional harm. His
emotions will be revealed; he'll start barking to get
attention, whining to show fear, and whimpering if hurt.
Take care not to scare or upset him in any way. It's best
that the dog be allowed to relate one on one with a human
being, allowing trust to start to build. It is also a time
of great fan. He should be given a supply of toys, because
he will be very rambunctious and needs them to interact. If
he goes too far when playing, his mother will put him in
his place. When the puppies are weaned, have their own
teeth, and can eat by themselves, the mother dog assumes
the role of alpha or pack leader. The mother will show her
puppies - using toys - when it's appropriate to bite.

Puppies will also attack each other to establish dominance
and to determine who the alpha is.

The Eighth Week

During the eighth week, the puppy will start to develop
bathroom habits. He will use his own place to go, and it
won't be near where he eats. He will search for a spot to
urinate by sniffing around. The eighth week is also a
crucial time in socialization - this is the time when fears
can be established. You should take care to make sure that
all the puppy's experiences are positive ones, or he may
carry around the fear for life. It is best to wait until
after the eighth week to take a puppy to his new home for
this reason. For example, if the puppy gets carsick, he may
be afraid of cars, and it will take a lot of training and
desensitization to get him to enjoy riding in one.

The Tenth Week

Now the puppies stop battling each other - the alpha and
omega in the litter have been established. This is the best
time to get a sense of a puppy's personality. Any anxiety
the puppy might have felt in a strange places ceases - he
is ready to find a new home.

About the Author:

Rex Lanigan is a canine enthusiast who has grown up with
and owned dogs all his life. Don't you want to increase
your knowledge about your best friend? For more great
articles, information and dog supplies go to: =>
http://www.YourHappyDogStore.com

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