BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES
if-you-can,” for instance, consists of the owner trying to run away from the pup. (Caution: With very small breeds, make sure you don’t succeed in getting too far away or the pup may feel abandoned and become very insecure.) The pup’s having to keep track of you reinforces the idea that you are the leader and he is the fol- lower, and it establishes a lifelong pattern of attentiveness. (It’s also great exercise for you and the pup!) Every time the pup “catches” you, he gets lots of praise, which further boosts his confidence. If you have been diligent during this period, the twelve to sixteen week “age of mischief” will not be overly taxing. Dur- ing this time, the pup’s flight instinct begins to develop, and he realizes that he is not literally attached to you. He may try to assert his own dominance, test to see if you really mean what you say, or run away and ignore you. Left to his own devices, a pup of this age can get into plenty of trouble, so he should be confined when not strictly supervised. This is the time to begin more serious training. Sessions can be longer and the subject matter more complicated, but training should still be free from major distractions. Regular training sessions of short duration will prove more valuable than sporadic ones that seem, to the pup, to last forever. For better or worse, the pup’s basic per- sonality is now set. If there is still room for improvement, keep working. Although at this point, only slight modifications can be made. It is a breeder’s burden, and also his great joy, to develop the skills necessary to identify inherited temperament traits and to use all the knowledge at his disposal to enhance or modify that personality. That “perfect dog” will be all the more beautiful with his confidence, common sense, and good manners! REFERENCES Bartlett, Melissa, “Puppy Personality Pro- file.” Off-Lead, March, 1982. Campbell, William E. Behavior Problems in Dogs. American Veterinary Publications, 1975. Fox, Dr. Michael W., Understanding Your Dog. Conrad, McCann, Geoghegan, 1972. O ’ Kelley, Joyce, “Super Dogs Are Made, Not Born.” Off-Lead, July-October, 1978. Pfaffenberger, Clarence J., The New knowl- edge of Dog Behavior. Howell, 1963.
and vacuum cleaners should be introduced gradually, and the pup should be allowed to explore larger areas for brief periods. Toward the end of this period, individual attention sessions should begin with each pup. Gentle handling sessions, brushing, foot caressing, and mouth examinations let the pup know that he’s more than just a member of a pack—he’s also a separate, special little entity. Up to this time, the pup has focused primarily on learning to be a dog, and most of his actions have been prompted by instinct. By the age of seven weeks, his brain has fully matured. He now has the learning capacity of an adult dog—if not the attention span. From seven to twelve weeks, then, a conscientious breeder is exceedingly busy! At no other time in a pup’s life will his ability be greater to form bonds of affection and devotion, and events will now permanently affect his atti- tude toward humans and his willingness to accept their direction. What the pup learns during this time will become a basic part of his personality and will stay with him for life. It is particularly important at the beginning of this period to avoid painful or frightening experiences, as the pup can now remember fear. If something totally beyond your control should occur to scare a pup, do not over-react. Make as little of the incident as possible. Laugh if you can, give the pup a kiss and a hug, and go immediately on to something a little safer. Convey to the pup the idea that lots of things might be scary to little guys, but when he grows up, he’ll be a lot braver. His socialization must begin in ear- nest, however, and supervised play can be provided with children, other adults, and animals other than his dam and litter- mates. He should be taken for walks and short car rides and encouraged to explore new sights, sounds, and smells. Gentle but consistent discipline will help to com- plete his housetraining, and the pup can be introduced to simple obedience com- mands such as sit, down, stand, and stay. It is imperative to teach the pup to come when called before the end of this period, while he is still in the “following” stage. Lead training can also be easily accom- plished now; loose leads only. The pup’s pack instinct develops as he matures, and it must be established in his mind early on that humans are the pack leaders. Much of a pup’s training at this stage can be accom- plished in the form of games. “Catch-me-
The usefulness is limited, though, unless careful consideration is given to another valuable tool that is available to breeders; knowledge of the critical periods of puppy development. A puppy which at seven weeks shows an inherited tendency for outgoingness, resilience, and poise can easily become a cringing, fearful little soul by sixteen weeks if his mental and emo- tional well-being are not carefully nur- tured and encouraged. Research over the last 40 years has served to accentuate the awesome responsibility that a breeder has to ensure that his or her pups go out into the world displaying the optimum tem- perament characteristics of their breed. Attention from birth to these critical peri- ods of development—which represent the average timeframe for the average pup— will enable a pup to achieve the maximum potential from his inherited genes and breed instincts. During the neonatal period, from birth to three weeks, the pup is mentally and emotionally insulated from his environ- ment. His needs are physical; food, sleep, warmth, and massage. He will respond to physical stimuli such as touching, being cold or hot, or having a gas pain. One of the more delicate times for the psyche of the dog is from three to four weeks. His circuits are now connected, so to speak, and all of his senses are working. Suddenly, he can see and hear, taste and smell. Care should be taken that his first impressions are pleasant ones! Don’t try to wean him, remove him from the litter, or alter his environment. Give him time to adjust gradually to all of this new input. From four to seven weeks, the pup’s main concern is learning his canine iden- tity. Social order in the litter is established and the pup learns appropriate “doggie” greeting patterns, play gestures, and domi- nant and submissive postures. It is essential that the dam be there to play with, super- vise, and discipline or reassure the pups. Weaning can be accomplished during this time, but pups that are totally removed from their mother before the end of this period are apt to be noisy and nervous their whole lives. Housetraining can be started now by the simple expedient of enlarging the pup’s area. On his own, he will begin to move away from the nest to urinate and defecate, and his natural instinct for clean- liness can be easily encouraged to become a habit for the rest of his life. Normal house- hold noises such as telephones, doorbells,
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022 | 269
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