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In this episode of Pandemic Puppy, Kayla and Jane Lindquist of Puppy Culture discuss developmental stages in puppies! They cover fear periods, teething, increases in confidence, changes in energy level, and more!
Why does understanding development matter for owners?
- It is important to set your puppy up for success
- Knowing how to properly socialize your dog will essentially hardwire their brain into understanding how to handle new experiences without causing them emotional distress
What are the stages?
- Neonatal (0-2 weeks)
- Sensory development (2-4 weeks)
- Training, vaccines, socialization (4-16 weeks)
- Social growth (4-6 months)
- Teenagerhood
How can owners support their dog in the important socialization period?
- Be out making positive associations for your puppy and be 100% sure that they ARE positive experiences/associations
- Flooding and mere exposure may set your puppy back
- Curate and control every interaction your puppy has and favour quality over quantity
- If you have any doubt on an interaction, its best to just pass on it
- Best advice is to try and make sure all the high points of socialization experiences happen by 12 weeks old
How do you know if your puppy isn’t too overwhelmed?
- Your puppy should be challenged, but never terrified
- A tight mouth means tension, but if they are still taking food they are okay
- If they won’t take food or are very bitey, it means the stimuli is too much for them
- If your puppy can interact with you and do trained behaviors, they are okay
Fear periods
- The more your puppy can move, the more likely they are to find something that scares them
- You know they are in a fear period if:
- It’s acute/it comes on suddenly
- Fear of the familiar
- It passes
Links Mentioned in the Episode
- Puppy Culture
- Sniff Spot
- The Teenage Brain
- When Pigs Fly
- Another Piece of the Puzzle
- Madcap University: Puppy Culture
You can support the Pandemic Puppy Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/pandemicpuppy.
Get extra help with your puppy through Journey Dog Training’s Puppy Raising Blueprint Course.
Join the free Pandemic Puppy Raising Support Group on Facebook.
Kayla founded Journey Dog Training in 2013 to provide high-quality and affordable dog behavior advice. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant who’s worked with hundreds of private clients, thousands of shelter dogs, and dozens of working detection dogs. Kayla’s dog and cat behavior advice has been featured in NPR, the Chicago Tribune, and Pet MD. She’s an avid adventurer who is currently doing #vanlife on the Pan-American Highway with her two border collies and a cat. Aside from running Journey Dog Training, Kayla also runs the nonprofit K9 Conservationists, where she and the dogs work as conservation detection dog teams. You can get 1:1 advice with a Journey Dog Training team member here.
