I thought it would be a good idea to remind us all about how a dog’s life starts, some of the basic points related to growth and what drives and consolidates their behaviours, so that we can start to shape our dogs behaviours effectively and with empathy.
Over the next few weeks I’ll try to comment on important issues we should consider, which may help adjust our expectations and our approach to training our canine companions.
Before we even start talking about training a puppy and modifying behaviour it is worth considering some points before we start.
If you recently collected your puppy from the breeder it may be anywhere between 8 and 16 weeks of age.
Your puppy has been removed from its siblings, mother and the only surroundings and environment it has ever known. There will be emotions connected with these changes and they will differ depending on the individual dog.
Up until this point your puppy has gone through a number of significant development steps.
Their eyes opened at about 2 weeks but it can take up to 8 weeks for dogs to be able to fully focus.
They started to hear sounds at 2 to 3 weeks and at 4 to 5 weeks started to detect where sounds are coming from.
Their sense of smell was present from the day they were born, helping them to stay alive in the absence of hearing and eyesight. This remains the sense they rely on most for the rest of their lives.
They only began eating solid food at 3 to 4 weeks and it can take 8 weeks or so to wean some individuals completely.
At 3 to 4 weeks sharp baby teeth start to erupt with most puppies having a full set of 28 teeth at about 8 weeks. These are then replaced by 42 adult teeth by 24 to 28 weeks but the process starts from 12 weeks.
During these formative months your puppy is experiencing and responding to emotions and these have a significant impact on behaviours which we will discuss next time.
