imprinting | 0–4 months

Like children, puppies have a small window of time during brain development when they are most impressionable. This is called the imprinting—or critical learning—period. Puppies learn more during this period than they can in a lifetime. The quality and quantity of what they experience will have a huge impact on their future personalities and shape many of their behavior tendencies.

NEONATAL X TRANSITION X

1ST SOCIALIZATION PERIOD | 0–7 WEEKS

Puppies gain use of all senses, become mobile, start growing baby teeth, transition to eating solid foods and become completely weaned (independent) from their dog moms.

Learning is already rapidly occurring. For puppies to develop properly and adjust to living with humans, it’s crucial that human caretakers provide them with specific neurological stimulation, a complex environment and careful, yet thorough, socialization.

There are also critical lessons that the puppies must learn from their dog moms and siblings. Therefore, puppies should not be removed from their original homes before 7 weeks of age.

2ND SOCIALIZATION PERIOD |

7–16 WEEKS

The optimal time for puppies to be placed with their new families is 8–10 weeks of age. As soon as your puppy comes home, time is of the essence for you to provide a huge helping of high-quality socialization and schooling, which are key to raising a socially confident, well-behaved puppy who’s strongly bonded to you. Early socialization is also crucial in preventing yappy, shy and/or aggressive behaviors from developing later in life. To make sure you’re set up for puppyhood success, visit our preparing for puppy and puppy’s first 20 weeks pages. Read AVSAB’s Statement on Puppy Socialization.

fear-impact period | Around 8-11 weeks of age, your puppy experiences her 1st fear-impact period. If puppies have bad or scary experiences during this time, the impressions are likely to last a lifetime and resurface during maturity. You can protect your puppy from these long-term effects by avoiding bad experiences. Should your puppy become afraid for any reason, dangerous or not, immediately step in and remove her from the situation. That is good parenting!