There are many stages of puppy development, some overlap but each is important. Please keep in mind that these phases of puppy growth are basic generalisations, different dog breeds and individual puppies progress at their own natural pace.
Most dogs are considered puppies for up to two years of age, though puppyish behaviour may end sooner or last longer in some breeds. The stages listed are fairly constant, however dogs are open to new knowledge and training well beyond the puppy years.
• Stage 1: Neonatal Stage (Birth to 2 Weeks)
After a gestation period of approximately 9 weeks, a puppy is born blind and deaf and is less developed than a human baby. During the neonatal stage, the puppy is entirely dependent on its mother. Initially movement is quite limited but he will become a little more mobile during this period, trying to get his feet underneath him and crawling around. Puppies cannot regulate their own body temperature and they need special stimulation from their mother to remove waste products. They can cry and suckle. Smell, touch, and taste reflexes are strong.
• Stage 2: Transitional Stage (2 Weeks to 4 Weeks)
The puppy's ear canals will open at about 2 weeks of age and he will hear sounds for the first time. His eyes will also start to open during the transitional stage and he will start to respond to light and movement. His new sense of sight will be limited and very sensitive and to avoid eye damage care must be taken to protect his eyes from bright lights.
By the end of the transitional phase he will recognise his mother and his littermates and any objects or toys placed in his bed. Puppies start to learn basics from their mother and littermates, movement, social etiquette, rules, boundaries, and limitations. With his new mobility, he will begin to attempt to better explore his surroundings.
Puppies will begin to recognise you and other family members. It’s best to avoid loud noises or sudden changes during this period – negative events can have a serious impact on his personality and development at this time.
As the second stage progresses, the puppy's body becomes better at regulating its own temperature which should be about 100 degrees Fahrenheit; however, he still depends on his mother and the temperature of his environment to maintain a healthy balance. Rapid or extreme temperature changes can still be harmful to his system.
The first teeth emerge during the transitional stage and as the puppy learns to lap he will become better equipped to drink milk from a bowl and less dependent on his mother as his source of nourishment. During this time the puppy's instinct to relieve himself away from the den will take over and he should no longer need his mother’s stimulation to urinate or move his bowels.
Near the end of the second stage of development the puppy's sense of hearing continues to improve, and sight and smell should be well-developed. The order in which these senses fully mature will continue to influence the way he experiences the world around him. It's important at this stage to encourage the bond between the puppy and human beings by exposing puppies to gentle handling.
• Stage 3: Socialisation Stage (3 Weeks to 12 Weeks)
From 3-4 weeks your puppy begins the most critical social development period of his life as he learns social interaction with his littermates, how to play and bite inhibition. He’ll also learn discipline at this staget. His mother will begin weaning the pups around this time, and will start teaching them basic manners, including accepting her as the leader of the pack. If a puppy steps out of line, his mother will growl or snap to let him know he has done something wrong.
Early socialisation takes the form of basic play with the puppy's littermates, wrestling and play-biting known as "inhibited bite." This is the way puppies begin to learn about social structure and pack ranking.
During this stage, a good mother will lead the way with weaning. Puppies need gentle daily handling but ought not to be separated from their mother and littermates for more than about 10 minutes per day. Puppies that are removed from the nest too early frequently are nervous, more prone to barking and biting and have a more difficult time with socialisation and training. Puppies need to be left with their mother and siblings until at least 6 weeks of age and ideally until 8 weeks old for optimum social development.
Experts say that the window of opportunity to make sure your puppy grows up to be a well-adjusted dog is between 3 and 16 weeks of age. It’s extremely important to leave your puppy with his mother and his littermates during as much of this period as possible. Play fighting, housebreaking mistakes and mouthing are all normal behaviour for a puppy at this stage and he should not be reprimanded for any of these activities.
The puppy's fear response to sudden startling sights and sounds will begin to develop during this stage of his development. Exposure to normal household objects and noises and association with positive experiences is very important. Also, the kind of play that puppy is used to with his littermates, including the "inhibited bite," or "mouthing," may begin to appear in his interaction with his human handlers. It is important to remember that this kind of behaviour can often escalate and lead to dominance or aggression, and should be discouraged.
Care must be taken about the possibility of infection. The health of the puppy should be carefully monitored, as should any and all interaction with human handlers who may pose a risk of communicable disease. By the time puppies are 5 weeks, their mother has passed on some immunity, but puppies are still very susceptible to diseases.
If you have chosen to adopt through a reputable breeder you will take your puppy home at the age of 8 weeks. Because the puppy has spent his early weeks developing in the company of his mother and his brothers and sisters, his mental processes should be mature enough to handle the move from the breeder to your home and he should be receptive to training. However, even though your puppy has been socialised he will still need your guidance from day one. Start immediately by letting him know your rules. Your new puppy is easily influenced by pack leadership, so keep it balanced and consistent.
Housetraining and introduction to the sights and sounds of your puppy's new home should begin right away. Positive experiences associated with the many new elements of your puppy's life will help ensure a smooth transition. Don’t forget that your puppy is still a social animal. If you have no other dogs or pets, try to find calm, vaccinated dog friends for him to play with. This could prevent issues that may arise later on from lack of socialisation.
When puppies are separated from their littermates too early, they often fail to develop key social skills, such as sending and receiving signals, the hierarchy process (who is in charge), how far to go in play-wrestling, what mouthing pressure is acceptable (inhibited bite), and so forth. Play is important for puppies. It increases their dexterity, social interaction, and helps them to learn their boundaries.
Through these interactions with their mother and littermates, puppies learn what being a dog is all about. During the first eight weeks of age, skills not acquired may be lost forever.
• Stage 4: Fearful Stage (8 Weeks to 3 Months)
The fearful stage starts from about 8 to 10 weeks and can last until your puppy is 3 months or so and is characterised by rapid learning as well as a “fearful period.” Not all dogs experience this, but most do, and they’ll appear terrified over things that they took in stride before. This is not a good time to engage in harsh discipline, raised voices or traumatic events.
At this time your puppy’s bladder and bowels are starting to come under much better control, and he’s capable of sleeping through the night.
Basic commands like come, sit, lie, stay, etc. can be introduced and lead training can begin. It’s important not to isolate your puppy from human contact at this time, as he’ll continue to learn behaviours and manners that will affect him in later years.
• Stage 5: The Juvenile Stage (3 Months to 6 Months)
The juvenile stage lasts from about 3 to 4 months of age and it’s during this time your puppy is most like a toddler. He’ll be a little more independent, he might start ignoring the commands he’s only recently learned just like a child does when they’re trying to exert their new found independence. Firm and gentle reinforcement of commands and training is required during this stage. He might start biting you, play biting or even a real attempt to challenge your authority. A sharp “No!” followed by several minutes of ignoring him, should take care of this problem.
Continue to play with him and handle him on a daily basis, but avoid games like tug of war or wrestling with him as may perceive tug of war as a game of dominance, especially if he wins. Wrestling is another game that can rapidly get out of hand. As your puppy’s strength grows, he will want to play-fight to see who’s stronger and even if you win, the message your puppy receives is that it’s ok to fight with you. That’s not acceptable!
Your puppy will be going through a teething cycle during this time, and will be looking for things to chew to relieve the pain and pressure. Frozen bones and hide chews can help.
• Stage 6: Adolescence (7 Months to 12 Months)
Just like children, dogs go through adolescence. If your dog appears to suddenly have forgotten his commands, is reluctant to obey and becomes a bully he may be going through this difficult phase.
At this time it is crucial that owners remain consistent in their training or even go back to basics to remind the dog who is in charge. As frustrating and challenging as this phase may be, it will pass.
The ‘teenage phase’ is possibly more challenging than the ‘puppy phase’ with house training, obedience training and teething. Sadly this is the stage when most dogs are placed in shelters. The average peak teenage age is between 9 and 18 months, typically occurring between 7 months to 12 months in small to medium dogs and later in large breeds.
Physically, a teenage dog is reaching sexual maturity. Male dogs, with high levels of testosterone may be more prone to bullying other male dogs, urine marking, humping and roaming in search of a soul mate. Females will appear flirty with males, moody and aggressive towards other females, will experience their first season and may even develop a false pregnancy.
Growing pains and teething can also happen during this difficult time. As the last permanent molar teeth come in, take care that your dog does not revert to (or even start) a chewing phase.
Mentally, dogs at this stage may exhibit selective hearing, meaning they chose when to listen and this will be mostly when he ‘feels like it.’ He may simply be slow in responding to your commands. Just as children do, dogs require extra guidance. Gently reaffirm all of his commands, as you did when he was a puppy.
Mental stimulation and a good exercise regime is vital at this age. A tired dog is a good dog and less likely to cause trouble.
As challenging as this phase is, stay calm, show leadership and be consistent. Your efforts will pay off and your dog/owner bond will be stronger once your dog matures.
Please keep in mind that your dog is going through very rapid physical and chemical changes, their 'teenage' hormones will be raging. There are both pros and cons to having your dog spayed or neutered and you will have to do some research to conclude what is best for both you and your pet. You may like to read our notes on this topic.
As your dog grows up, you should remember that his needs are going to change in many ways. As a puppy, he will need plenty of rest, but as he grows older his need for rest will be replaced with a need for play, exercise and interaction with humans. You must never underestimate the amount of attention a dog needs and some people start to pay less attention to their dogs once they have reached adolescence when older puppies and dogs actually need more attention from humans than younger ones.
• Stage 7: The Young Adult Stage (6 Months to 18 Months)
The Young Adult stage lasts from 6 months to about 18 months, and is usually a great time in your dog’s life. He’s young, exuberant, full of beans and yet he’s learning all the things he needs to become an adult dog. Be realistic in your expectations of your dog at this time, just because he’s approaching his full size and may look like an adult, he’s not as seasoned and experienced as you might expect.
Gradually increase the scope of activities for your dog, as well as his training. More advanced training can be started during this period, such as herding or agility if that’s something you are interested in. Otherwise, extend his activities to include more people and other animals allowing him to interact with non-threatening or non-aggressive dogs.
• Stage 8: The Senior Dog
As your dog approaches his senior years, you should bear in mind that he will not be as active as he once was, so do not push him into activity if he is trying to rest. Like a puppy, a senior dog needs to get plenty of rest. You should check that his dietary needs are catered for depending upon his age, condition and health.