i'm getting my new puppy!! but not till 14weeks old!

[hazyfox]

hello, everyone! i'm so exited!! yeah! i've done lots of homework, found the reputable breeder, decided on my new baby, but i won't be able to get her til next month and she'll be 14weeks old when i bring her home. anyway i'm wondering if anyone can tell me what the differences are in bonding and initial housetraining, socialization, that sort of stuff as compared to the normal 8weeks. thanks in advance!

[TribalRats]

What breed of puppy are you getting.

[Big Donnie Brasco]

Like TribalRat asked "what breed"
If I remember right didn't you (tribalrat) used to have Staffies?
My daughters Staffy is arriving tomorrow 11-21-05 at 16 weeks old!

[flyndog]

Excerpt from "Global Paw's Woof Review" (this section written by Carrie, "stickied" at top of Global Paw General Forum. Visit there for complete article.) Your mileage may vary (based on breed and individual). That's why there is some overlap between periods.

Critical Periods of Development- What To Expect When

7 – 12 weeks – Socialization Period

Your puppy’s attention span is short and his ability to focus on any task is limited. He has very little bladder and bowel control. He will need constant supervision. He needs to be encouraged with positive reinforcement and he needs to bond with people and get accustomed to new surroundings.

While he’s this young, he will tend to follow you closely and look to you for security. He knows little or nothing of what you expect of him. Your puppy will be capable of learning simple, basic behaviors such as Sit, Down, Stay and Come, but don’t expect him to be perfect yet. You’ll need to keep his lessons short and fun.

Socialize your new puppy to different people, friendly dogs you know that have been vaccinated, and various environments gradually, but steadily. Make sure each experience is pleasant and that nothing frightens your puppy.


3 – 7 months – Juvenile Period – Early Adolescence

The pup is becoming much more self assured and is very busy. You might notice that he is suddenly afraid of things that he was never afraid of before. This is just part of this period. He won’t come when called and won’t obey very well. He’ll be relentless in attention-seeking behavior - barking, stealing, and running off. He may seem deliberately vindictive but he’s really just trying to be what he best knows how to be...a dog. He will need to be shown that calm, obedient and gentle behavior is what will win your attention and affection. Reward him for coming close to you and for any good behavior. Leaving a leash on him while he is supervised will help you be able to enforce your requests. He will also need lots of exercise and plenty of playtime.

7-12 months – Adolescent Period

Your adolescent is now a sweet, compliant darling one minute and a defiant, independent rouge the next. He has a constant struggle between his good sense (which you have worked all this time to instill) and the sexual hormones coursing through his body. He is going to be testing you on an ongoing basis, making you wonder if he doesn’t have a serious personality disorder. This is the time to turn up the speed on your training. He’ll need refresher courses on what you have already taught him. Increase exercise according to his breed and needs.

12 – 24 months – Adult

This is the time when your young adult dog might try to exhibit more protective or territorial behavior than in previous stages. He needs to know, beyond a doubt that you are the one taking care of him and he does not need to orchestrate you and your family. In a dog pack, dogs need to know that they are working members and not the controlling member. The same holds true in a human family, where children need clear boundaries. Your dog would just as soon not be the controlling member, but if no one is clearly taking on that role, then he knows that someone has got to do it… and he will. This is when we start to hear about a lot of aggression problems, resource guarding and over-protectiveness. Some dogs will never have much desire to take control. Others may be more up for the job. Socialization and training must continue. Those lessons are never over.

Be sure you research the breed you’re interested in and understand what job it was bred to do. This has a huge bearing on temperament and will make or break your relationship with your dog. Is the job it was bred to do and the personality which goes along with it in keeping with your lifestyle? If you have certain expectations of a relaxed, unfettered, outgoing, dog who is quite happy to quietly lie by the hearth a good deal of the time, but you get a high maintenance, high energy protection dog that requires more than the average amount of socialization, training, exercise, time and involvement, you will be in for a lot more dog than you bargained for.

Finally, all thinking mammals learn best by motivational and reward-based of training. Punishment and harshness has no use in teaching anyone anything. If we don’t take the time to understand canine behavior and can’t identify motives and developmental stages, our expectations will be out of line with our dog’s capabilities. A bond may never be fully realized. Our relationship with our canine pals is the most important tool we have in training and they don’t sell that in pet stores. Learn all you can and be involved with your best friend. This will help you know what to expect and will keep you both on a forward-moving and happy course.
Check out a few of our beginning training links below.

[Carrie]

This is very exciting. Congrats. However, I am concerned a little bit, depending on what kind of reputable breeder this is. Do you know for a fact how much and what kind of socialization this pup has had? It must be difficult for a breeder, even a very good one to spend the necessary time with each pup in a litter to socialize them to things and people away from the house...out in the big world. And it is very important to get a good handle on it by the time the pup is 16 weeks old. That is why I ask. I hope everything works out well for you. Keep us posted. Glad you're here!

[Big Donnie Brasco]

"Congrats. However, I am concerned a little bit, depending on what kind of reputable breeder this is."

Was this directed toward me or hazyfox?

[Carrie]

Well, I guess it would be directed to anyone getting a puppy who is older than about 8-12 weeks. In my estimation, it's best to be able to socialize the pup a lot by 16 weeks and most breeders simply don't have the time to deal with every pup amply, at least I suspect that to be true. I mean...when I get a puppy, every day I take him/her to new places to see different kinds of people, dogs, enviornments, objects, ground surfaces, crowds, small groups of people, stores, elevators, on sidewalks near traffic, over grates in the cement...everything I can possibly expose the dog to before 16 weeks and then continue for life. When you get a pup at too old an age, it's difficult to get enough in.

My last GSD I got at 14 weeks. He was socialized as far as being brought into the house and handled by various people. He was actually outside in a kennel around a bunch of other kennels and he had his littermates with him. I don't think she took her pups to different places or anything. So when I got him, I started taking him for walks in the city and really poured on the steam. He turned out beautifully...no problems at all with people. He was as friendly as my Lab. LOL. So, maybe I'm overly worried about these things. But anyhow, some dogs really need an extra dose of this sort of thing I think. I was very, extra diligent with my Doberman.

Of course, you don't want to overwhelm or have any frightening experiences...absolutely necessary to avoid that. But a little something every day which is associated with a good time and even treats.... is good.