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Dr. M. Plonsky
is a Professor
of Psychology at
the University
of
Wisconsin-Stevens
Point. One
of his areas of
expertise is
animal learning
and behavior.
Dr. Plonsky has
prepared a paper
which summarizes
the various
stages and
issues
associated with
puppy
development.
This summary is
presented in its
entirety below: |
Puppy Development
by Dr. M. Plonsky, PhD
Development (Puppies):
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Stages
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Issues
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Stages:
1. Prenatal/Neonatal (inception-12 days)
2. Transition (12-21 days)
3. Socialization (3-12 weeks)
4. Juvenile (12 weeks-sexual maturity)
5. Adulthood (sexual maturity to 3/4 of expected
life span)
6. Senior Years (last 1/4 of lifespan)
1.
Prenatal/Neonatal
(inception-12 days):
At birth, umbilical cord is chewed through, placenta is
removed and eaten, and
the puppy
is thoroughly licked and cleaned.
Besides cleaning, mother's licking stimulates reflexive
muscular movements and
breathing.
At birth a puppy is unable to control body temperature and is
deaf and blind.
The organizing effects of hormones are important here.
A number of reflexes are apparent here, i.e. negative
geotactic - on tilt,
will try to get head
up and rooting - track and oppose pressure to snout area.
A number of reflexes ensure adequate warmth, nutrition,
elimination, and general
survival.
Most time is spent sleeping and nursing.
Urination and defecation must be stimulated by Mom's licking
of the anogenital
region.
Early neonatal handling involving as little as 3 minutes per
day and exposure to
various
mild environmental stressors (i.e. changes in temperature and
physical gentling), may
have
positive impacts on pup's resistance to disease, emotional
reactivity, and learning
ability in
adulthood.
Some amount of handling stress should be part of a breeder's
normal rearing practice
to
compensate for the absence of naturally occurring stressful
changes in the whelping
area.
2.
Transition (12-21
days):
Steady improvement in motor ability.
Eyes and ear canals open.
Visual cliff and righting reflexes appear.
Puppies can support themselves on all four paws and walk as
early as Day 12.
3.
Socialization (3-12
weeks):
Litter begins to behave like a pack.
Expressive tail wagging appears.
Sexual and aggressive play occurs.
In regards to play, Lindsey (2000) notes " . . . in the
succinct words of
Hediger, 'good
training is disciplined play.' Play and training are
not contrary things, but
complimentary
activities. If puppies or dogs cannot be shown the play
in an activity, they
will not willing
perform it for long. Nothing is more motivationally
important in dog
training than play."
Imprinting and process of socialization are important
beginning during this
stage.
Although observational learning has not been adequately
demonstrated in adults,
Slabbort
and Rasa (1997) demonstrated puppies (9-12 weeks) made better
drug dogs at 6 months
if they were allowed to watch their Moms work.
Other studies suggest Mom has influence on food preferences
of pups.
Lastly, it is common belief that canine progeny reflect more
of Mom's emotionality
than
Dad's.
Puppy Behavior
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Adult Behavior:
Anogenital licking by Mom
4
Passive submission
displays (rolling on
side, urinating).
Jumping, licking and nipping of Mom's mouth
4
Adult greeting, active
submission.
Separation distress vocalization (yelping and whining
4
Separation distress
vocalization
(barking and howling).
Distress vocalization
4
Passive submission
vocalization.
Upward head movement, butting, nursing behavior
4
Social greeting and play
solicitation.
Competition over teats
4
Dominance related
behaviors.
4.
Juvenile (12
weeks-sexual maturity):
Stable social hierarchy is established in the litter by about
15 weeks.
Need to be exposed to separation experiences or tend to
become excessively
reactive when
they are finally exposed to it.
Imprinting and process of socialization continue to be
important here.
Object permanence not reliably observed before 11 months.
The "fear impact period" occurs at this time. Reaches a
maximum at about 12
weeks. May
be analogous to stranger anxiety in 1.5 year old humans.
As sexual maturity approaches, the activating effects of
hormones become
important.
Very impressionable age where a lot of training should occur.
Short and fun sessions
several times per day are best.
5.
Adulthood (sexual
maturity to 3/4 of
expected lifespan):
Activity levels typically decrease somewhat. "Settle
in" and become easier to
manage.
6.
Senior Years (last
1/4 of lifespan):
Bodily systems start to show wear and tear.
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Issues:
1. Hormones - Two types of effects: (1)
Organizing - occur very
early in life and (2)
Activating - occur in adulthood.
2. Imprinting and
Socialization
3. Temperament Tests
1. Hormones:
Organizing
Effects -
Occur neonatally.
Have permanent effects on physical development
and behavior, i.e.
sexual behavior,
urine posture, life expectancy. Females exposed
to androgens at birth
urinated in the
adult male posture 62 percent of the time (Beach,
1974). Some males
(neutered young) do
not raise their leg to urinate.
Activating Effects -
Produce a state of readiness to respond.
In males, it beings with the lifting of the leg
somewhere at 7 to 15
months of age.
Become more interested in smells and spend more
time sniffing.
Begin marking and take an interest in the female
(especially the odors
she leaves
behind).
Activating Effects of
Castration -
Animals that require more learning for adequate
performance continue to
be active
for longer periods after castration. In
humans, the effect is
highly variable.
Two important variables: (1) age at castration
(neonatal and pre/post
puberty) and
(2) previous sexual experience.
May influence some forms of aggressive behavior
in a similar manner.
2.
Imprinting and
Socialization:
Imprinting -
Defined as "an instance in which an object acquires
significance as a result
of early
exposure."
Distinguishing characteristics: (1) requires a small
amount of early
exposure, (2) occurs
during relatively short sensitive period, (3) exhibits
long lasting and durable
effects, and
(4) is largely irreversible
Primarily associated with social attachment, but may
play a role in numerous
complex
behaviors.
Perfect example of the complex interaction between
nature and nurture.
Generality of Imprinting - Extreme isolation (at around
6 months) creates an
animal
fearful of any social or novel context.
Imprinting in Dogs -
Six to eight weeks is considered to be a critical
period for social
bonding. Occurs
from
three to 12 weeks (or 16 weeks), but the dog is most
sensitive during six to
eight weeks.
This age is considered by many to be the most
influential time of the
dog's life. Thus,
this
time is often called a "critical sensitive" period.
Personally, I believe that the first couple of years
are sensitive (although
the above time
frame is especially so).
Things Learned During
Sensitive Period -
Appetites and aversions,
social affinities, and
responsiveness.
Sexual behavior.
Patterns of active/passive agonistic behavior and play.
Packing (allelomimetic) behaviors.
Reactions to separation and other emotionally
provocative situations.
Approach-avoidance patterns.
Development of dominant-subordinate relationships.
Functional fear and avoidance responses.
General learning and problem solving ability.
Trainability.
Specific Things to Train During
the Sensitive Period -
Housebreaking.
Walk on leash without pulling.
Close ranging during off leash walks.
Name and recalls.
Feedback words, i.e. "good" and "no."
Retrieving.
Socialization.
Socialization - Recommendations -
Definition - A process of exposure to relevant
stimuli in the
environment (preferably
during
the sensitive period).
The pup should be pleasantly exposed (food and play can
be helpful).
I do trips to Main Street during the first year and
regularly during the
second year.
Need to be introduced to and interact with people
(children, men, women,
crowds)
regularly throughout the first couple of years.
Exposure to different floor surfaces, swimming, baths,
grooming, nail trimming,
check
teeth, etc.
Get used to various sounds (i.e. traffic, vacuum, lawn
mower, etc.) and other
dogs, cats,
horses, cattle, etc.
Socialization Deprivation -
The following conditions may be observed: (1)
patterns of extreme
hyperactivity and
neophobia, (2) intense precocious aggressiveness, (3)
fearfulness toward
humans and other
dogs (which can lead to aggression).
Deprived pups are more prone to: (1) separation
anxiety, (2) oral
fixations, (3)
coprophagia
(eating feces), and difficulty with house breaking.
3.
Temperament Tests:
Lindsey (2000) notes - "Puppy temperament tests
should not be
employed to predict
adult
aptitudes or the potential exhibition of adult behavior
patterns but should be
used as tools
to isolate and quantify a puppy's various strengths and
weaknesses at the time
of testing."
Common tests - (1) isolate and walk away, recall
(sociability), (2) roll
ball past, toss toy
(retrieve and play), (3) loud noise (reactivity to
environment), (4) pinch
toe (reactivity to
pain), and (5) roll puppy on back, lift puppy (reaction
to dominance).
