Bringing a new puppy home is both exciting and challenging. This new ball of fluff will be with you for the next ten to twelve years and you want to make sure they are set up to become the dog of your dreams. 

Many of us dream of taking our dog with us on trips to the store, hiking, to friend’s houses and on vacation. Unfortunately, many owners do not get the chance to take them anywhere because of their pet’s behavior. 

Dogs that cower in fear or lunge aggressively at people, other dogs or destroy furniture when left alone are not fun to have in our lives us. They even can be a danger to the people and pets they encounter. 

By understanding how your puppy is developing their personality as they age, you can better understand how you can help your pup be the best possible companion. Knowing how they are developing allows you to help them adjust to their environment. By slowly and carefully getting them used to new and potentially scary objects and experiences at the best developmental stage. 

A well prepared pup can be a dream to live with for years to come. 

Puppy Developmental Stages: 

The Neonatal Stage (0-2 weeks):

From birth through the first two weeks of life a puppy’s world is rapidly expanding. Born blind and deaf, they experience the world through smell, touch and heat sensing alone. T

he mother is the most important thing in their lives as the pups require her to do everything from feeding them, keeping them warm to stimulating them to poop and pee. 

Puppies spend most of their neonatal stage in a flat, pancake-like pose. They exhibit few behavioral traits at this age. They can show discomfort; if isolated they have high pitched distress cries.

They can move their front legs in a paddling or swimming motion directed at a teat or the source of milk. It is important for neonatal puppies to be kept  in a secure, quiet environment for the first two weeks to allow the mother to care for them and their senses to develop more fully. 

Transitional Stage (2-4 weeks):

Puppies at this stage have their ears and eyes opening. They are becoming more aware of their surroundings. They begin to develop strength in their legs and move from the pancake-like state to a stumbling walk and beginning to interact with their littermates.

Animal behaviorists recommend that puppies begin to be exposed to normal sights, sounds and smells of a household at this age. 

Things to expose them to would be a variety of sounds such as human voices, pots and pans (quietly though- no one likes thunderous clanging, even the humans!), the distant sound of the vacuum, running clippers, a blow dryer and whatever you think this dog will run into throughout its life.

Add new items into their environment such as toys of different textures, beds, tile floors, carpet, grass, brushes, wheelchairs, cars driving by…anything the dog is expected to encounter throughout the course of its life. 

They should be handled daily for gentle petting and brushing to help set them up for a lifetime of easy grooming. Especially important is gentle manipulating of each individual toe which prepares them for future nail trimming. 

Side note: These little guys are not old enough to be able to regulate their own body temperature and must be protected from getting chilled. Any puppy should wait until they are over the age of eight weeks before they are bathed to prevent them from getting chilled. 

The Socialization Stage (3-14 weeks):

This is one of the most critical periods of development for puppies. Most puppies are kept with their mothers until seven to eight weeks of age to allow them to learn normal dog behaviors from their littermates and mother.

These behaviors include how to properly signal between dogs, bite inhibition and playing skills. 

You most likely are getting your puppy around this age and have missed out on the socialization points up to this time. Don’t panic! You have plenty of time to help mold your puppy into the dog you want them to become. 

They are beginning to get around better and are beginning to show more adult-like behaviors. You will start to hear more growls, the beginning of intentional tail wagging and playing. Their vocalization skills have become more complex and expressive and they are learning how to better communicate with other dogs.

Key Tip: Touch base with the previous caretaker of your pup to see what they have been exposed to previously so you know what they’ve already seen. 

It is imperative to introduce new things slowly and in a positive manner during this pivotal time. Just as a happy, positive association can go a long way in shaping a dog’s future behavior, a negative association may also forever shape the dog’s response to something to be negative, hyperreactive or aggressive. 

For example is the common fear of the vacuum in many dogs. You often see sad videos on social media of dogs so terrified of a vacuum of vacuum hose that they either bolt away to hide, or turn around to viciously attack the hose or machine that the dog perceives is attacking them.. 

To prevent a puppy from being terrified of it in the future you can slowly introduce a vacuum to them.

• Start with having another person turn on the vacuum in a far room of the house with a few closed doors between the vacuum and your pup to help soften the sound.
• Feed the puppy something delicious when the sound is heard to give them something happy and fun to focus on.
• Stop treating when the vacuum is turned off.
• Slowly decrease the distance of the loud vacuum until the pup easily accepts being in the same room with the vacuum while it’s on.
• Immediately stop and reassess the situation if at any point the puppy cowers, licks its lips, shows the whites or its eyes or in general appears uncomfortable. You most likely have passed by their comfort zone and need to increase the distance of the vacuum and more slowly bring it closer.

Some dogs fly through this with ease in just a few minutes, others may take multiple sessions to become acclimated, still others may never be comfortable with a stimulus such as a vacuum. 

It is your duty as their caretaker to give them what they need to thrive, if they don’t ever become comfortable you may just need to manage their environment and make sure they are not in a room with the vacuum. 

Make sure that guests and children understand that chasing them with the vacuum may seem like a game, it is causing serious stress and fear for the pup. Chasing them or forcing them to bein the room with something they fear can reinforce serious behaviors like biting or bolting. 

The Juvenile Stage (3-6 months): 

The juvenile stage of puppies can make any owner grumpy. Your cute and sweet puppy is now morphing into a sharp fanged demon that destroys everything. While I am joking about the demon part, the juvenile stage of a puppy’s growth is quite challenging for everyone involved. 

Your puppy is beginning to explore the world more independently.  They are testing out the boundaries you’ve previously set down. This is the time to stand firm and gently hold your ground on their activities. Consistency is key and you should remain firm and calm with all of your commands and cues.

Potty training begins at this time, if you’ve not started earlier. Sticking to a schedule will help your puppy quickly and easily learned where and when it should go to the bathroom. 

As if the potty training aspect of this period wasn’t enough, it may seem that your puppy has gotten several bad habits once they hit this stage. It’s common to hear owners complain of nipping, chewing, digging and getting into everything during this time frame. 

Puppies at this age are exploring everything with their mouths- all while losing many teeth! You may see a tooth or two lying on the carpet after a tough chewing session or a game of fetch.

Don’t panic! This is normal.

They have a dental growth pattern similar to humans where they are born with baby teeth and then have their permanent adult teeth grow a few months later. Rest assured those needle sharp teeth should be entirely gone by the time they finish out their sixth month!

If your puppy nips or chews, it will take careful patience for you to help them learn what behaviors are acceptable, and which ones are not.

Biting, barking, digging and marking their territory are all normal dog behaviors that we as humans generally hate to have done in the house.

When your puppy does something that you do not like, gently interrupt them and redirect them to another activity that is ok for them to do. 

For example, if they are chewing on a rug, remove the rug and give them a soft toy or a rope chew that they can nibble on. 

Or if they accidentally potty inside you can carry them outdoors to an approved area and wait until they finish going to the bathroom. PRaise them immensely and give them a treat for doing what you want. 

As your puppy grows, keep and maintain a positive training method. 

Adolescent Stage (6-18 months): 

During this period your puppy may exhibit behaviors similar to human teenagers. They might become more independent and curious, exploring their environment with newfound confidence. 

However, this independence can sometimes lead to disobedience or testing boundaries. 

For instance, your puppy may start ignoring commands they previously obeyed or engaging in more frequent bouts of play biting. Consistency and patience in training become crucial during this phase. It’s essential to reinforce obedience commands regularly and remain firm but gentle in correcting undesired behaviors.

Socialization remains important during adolescence to prevent fearfulness or aggression towards unfamiliar people or animals. Your adolescent dog may display heightened reactivity to stimuli such as loud noises or unfamiliar situations.

Continued exposure to various environments, people, and animals can help them become more confident and well-adjusted adults.

Obedience training should focus on refining commands and teaching impulse control, such as waiting patiently before receiving meals or greeting visitors.

Adult Stage (18 months and beyond):

As your puppy transitions into this stage, you’ll likely observe a more settled demeanor.

Behaviors that were once wild or impulsive tend to stabilize as your dog matures into adulthood. However, it’s essential to maintain consistent training practices to reinforce desired behaviors and prevent regression.

Without ongoing mental stimulation and physical exercise, adult dogs may become bored or restless, leading to destructive behaviors like chewing or excessive barking.

The experiences and socialization efforts invested during puppyhood continue to influence an adult dog’s behavior.

Dogs that were well-socialized as puppies tend to exhibit more confidence and adaptability in various situations. Conversely, inadequate socialization may result in fearfulness or aggression towards unfamiliar stimuli. Therefore, even as adults, providing opportunities for positive interactions with other dogs, people, and environments remains crucial for maintaining good behavior.

In conclusion, understanding the stages of your puppy is currently in helps to equip you with the knowledge to navigate each phase effectively. Patience, consistency, and proactive training are essential tools for fostering a strong bond and raising a well-behaved adult dog. 

By addressing your puppy’s developmental needs and providing appropriate guidance, you can ensure a harmonious relationship and a fulfilling life for both you and your puppy.

Take home tips: 

• Your puppy will go through several well-defined stages as they mature.
• At each stage their behavior can be a little different
• It is important to socialize and expose your puppy to positive experiences of the things they will frequently come into contact with throughout their lives.
• With care, patience and consistency you can shape you dog into the dog you want them to be.

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