Sherry Davis: Lack of socialization in puppyhood leads to problems later
| Sunday, Jun 13 2010 12:00 PM
Last Updated Sunday, Jun 13 2010 12:00 PM
For decades, "Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog" by authors John Paul Scott and John L. Fuller has been considered the classic study on the critical socialization periods and physiological and behavioral development of puppies.
According to their 20 years of extensive research, 35 percent of a dog's ultimate behavioral makeup is genetic and 65 percent is attributed to management training, socialization, nutrition and health care.
Different theories have evolved over the years since the publication of this book by behaviorists and researchers in an effort to pinpoint the stages in a puppy's life where learning and socialization are maximized, but what they all agree on is there are "windows" in a puppy's development when learned behaviors are emphasized.
During these periods positive behaviors are learned and stored in the long-term memory, and likewise, negative experiences can have amazing effects on future behavior.
Sadly, millions of dogs are put down each year by veterinarians and shelters due to a lack of training and socialization in puppyhood.
When I am contacted by an owner of a fear-aggressive dog it is not unusual for the owner to be shocked by their dog's sudden personality shift from that of a loving pet into a potentially dangerous dog. Evaluation and taking a detailed history will usually reveal dogs that were not properly socialized during puppyhood as well as an absence of clearly defined boundaries for behavior.
Signs of anxiety, stress and over-stimulation go unrecognized and in many cases are encouraged by anthropomorphic and over-permissive behavior on the part of the owner. My goal becomes to bring aggressive behavior in these dogs into a controlled state through behavior modification training and owner education.
In an overview of the stages of psychological development, it will be apparent how small these "windows" may seem, and one can only wonder how such short time-frames can have such lasting effects, but when comparing the rapid maturation rate of dogs versus humans it is clear to see how important the first months of a puppy's life become to its future development.
It should be noted that variables in psychological and physical development can be seen among different breeds and even between littermates of the same age so that influences within the different stages may vary in puppies by days or weeks. While transitions from one stage to another can be gradual, an overlapping within the different critical periods can show a puppy who is confident and outgoing one moment and then, seemingly overnight, become suspicious of anything new.
Having a basic understanding of these critical socialization periods will enable owners to develop the maximum potential of each puppy.
But before you even bring your puppy home it is important to realize its temperament began before birth. Genetic and certain temperament traits are passed on to puppies through their family line, and aggressive or fearful behavior observed in the parents of a litter can be confusing to the average person who has no way of knowing if the behavior exists due to genetic flaws or a lack of socialization or training.
Because of the mother's role and close proximity to the puppies during pregnancy and the first weeks of life, stressed, fearful or aggressive mothers raise puppies with similar characteristics, and those given inadequate nutrition, suffering from parasite infestation or kept in social isolation will produce puppies with emotional and behavioral problems.
When purchasing a puppy from a breeder, it's important to determine whether that person is someone who is concerned with the quality of temperament they are producing. The ethical hobby breeder will have nurtured the potential of the litter through selection of parents with good temperament, adequate prenatal care of the mother, as well as providing the puppies with lots of individual physical contact and stimulation during their first weeks in a healthy and non-stressful environment.
When acquiring a rescue dog, it is unlikely that a history of such care and nurturing will be available nor any knowledge as to the mental stability of the parents. Many owners of a rescue assume that fearful or aggressive behavior is due to physical abuse by the previous owner or in the case of aggression towards children, teasing or other mistreatment.
In the majority of cases I've encountered over a career spanning 30+ years, most often the reasons for the behavior stem from a lack of socialization during puppyhood, followed by a lack of defined boundaries for behavior and genetic predisposition.
Next: the critical socialization periods.
-- Sherry Davis is a dog trainer/owner of CSI 4 K9s. E-mail her at doglady@bakersfield.com. These are her opinions and not necessarily those of The Californian.
