Neonatal - Birth to 12 Days
- Your puppy cannot see and does not hear very well.
- He scoots around and stays close to Mom and litter mates.
- Daily human interaction is important during each phase of a puppies life.
- Early Stimulation begins
Transition Period - 13-20 Days
- Early stimulation is continued.
- Eyes begin to open, puppy can hear, and they begin to walk around on wobbly legs.
- Puppies begin to eliminate waste on their own.
- Your puppy starts eating on their own towards the end of this period.
- A puppy needs to begin hearing sounds, playing with different toys, feeling different textures.
- Puppies need to be in a temperature controlled area.
- Daily interaction is a necessity at this point.
Socialization Period - 3-7 Weeks
- Vision is getting better and will be fully developed by about 8 weeks old.
- Your puppy is able to use senses of sight and hearing now.
- Usually around 5 weeks of age, they learn to bark and what it means.
- Your puppy will learn how to be submissive to the leader of the pack, which will eventually become you!
- Your puppy is now learning from their mom and litter mates about bite inhibition.
- Your puppy begins to learn from positive reinforcement.
- Mom begins weaning puppies from 4 - 6 weeks and they begin more solid foods.
- Continue with sounds, sights, and textures with these puppies.
- They should receive their first round of shots during this time.
- Daily interaction is essential for a happy, healthy puppy.
Human Socialization - 7 Weeks
- Your puppy has been completely weaned from their mom.
- This is the time where your puppy needs to be exposed to lots of different sights, sounds, people, etc.
- Generally early spay/neuter is performed at this age.
- Temperament testing is performed.
- Microchips are placed.
Fear Impact Period - 8-14 Weeks- Your puppy should receive his second round of shots and possibly his third.
- Your puppy is now able to be easily frightened. They will learn from bad experiences, this is a period that will impact them forever and will take a long time to make changes.
- Get into a puppy training class! This is the best thing for your puppy and your family, it is time well spent for a wonderful, happy, family.
- It is helpful to use fun, short, positive training times with your puppy. Remember your puppy will succeed if you have a positive attiude and keep training times short so they can succeed!
- Reward your puppy with lots of treats! Remember food is a key in training!
- Discuss what heart worm and flea & tick medications you will use with your vet.
- Never leave children unattended with your puppy during this time, both need to get properly acquainted with each other. Because this is such a crucial time in their lives, you do not want a youngster to do something to a puppy which will scare them for life.
- Consistency is key in training your puppy!
Juvenile Period - 14 Weeks-Puberty
- Your puppy will begin testing your boundaries.
- Keep them on a leash as they will venture off even if they haven't before.
- Your puppy will grow like a weed! Most of their height develops in this period.
- A puppy will start chewing on lots of things because he will be losing puppy teeth and gaining adult teeth. Make sure you have Bitter Apple Spray around in case they start chewing on something they are not supposed to chew on.
- Praise and reward your dog, do not hit them and tie them up. Use positive reinforcement like Clicker Training.
Adolescent Period - Puberty-Social Maturity
- Your puppy will test you in various areas to see if you are consistent and if any of the rules have changed.
- They may not come when you call, make sure you have treats and you keep them on a leash or in a controlled environment.
Second Fear Period - Between 5-12 Months
Your puppy may be shy and timid of new people and surroundings offer your puppy treats to help build confidence. Avoid pushing the puppy to make it more fearful, this could instill much trouble for the rest of your canine's life. Fortunately, this lasts only about 3 - 4 weeks.
Maturity - 1-4 Years
- Yearly Shots
- If you have worked hard during the puppy year, you will have a dog you can be very proud of. A dog who will obey and look to you for commands.
- By now, you should be able to leave your dog out of a crate when you go away without them getting into any trouble.
- You should also be able to leave them sleep anywhere and not worry about what they may get into.
- They will probably defend their territory from strangers, animals, or anything unusual by barking. This can be something they are trained to do or if you prefer, it they can be trained not to bark.
It is always good to continue practicing your dogs manners. Take an occasional class, go to dog parks, or get involved in therapy or agility training. This helps stimulate your canine companion and keeps them happy and alert!
At Ashford Manor Labradoodles we work with our puppies from the day they are born until they enter their forever homes. We do socialization, potty training, crate training, leash training and more! Our adult dogs are all health tested to make sure they are the best possible breeders. We have guardian families so each Australian Labradoodle is given the love and attention they deserve.
Visit us at http://www.ashfordmanorlabradoodles.com to find out more about making one of these beautiful dogs part of your family today.
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