Throughout the previous articles, we have seen that by law (Legislative Decree No. 529 of Dec. 30.12.92), puppies younger than 60 days old cannot be sold, because early separation from the mother, would cause profound stress in the pups, with growth retardation, sleep alterations and disappetence, as well as real behavioral disorders.
Around the 4th week of life, the mother begins to impart the hierarchical rules that will allow the puppy to communicate and interact properly with its peers. The socialization period, coincides with the age of food weaning.
Until then, the pups attached themselves voraciously to their mother’s udders, had to fight to get to the most milk-swollen udders first, but there was no hierarchy. But suddenly the introduction of solid food, The same one ingested by the mother, brings changes And in the weeks following weaning, puppies lose their right to first access to food and the mother, faced with the full bowl, violently rejects them by growling until she has finished her own meal. The puppy quickly learns that the approach to food has rules and that adults have the right to serve themselves first. It is therefore correct to let puppies eat in the company of adults, as failure to acquire food hierarchy, may be the basis of behavioral pathology (Primary Dissocialization).
Around 5 or 6 weeks, the first milk teeth emerge. From that point on, unrestrained play within the litter often ends in bites, the pressure of which is in no way controlled by the cub. The crying of the attacked puppy elicits an immediate reaction from the mother, who intervenes by growling at the perpetrator; in this way, the attacker quickly learns to loosen his grip when the baby brother cries and to control the pressure of the bite. The acquisition of the inhibited bite is crucial, as in the case of aggression between two dogs in adulthood, it will cause the one that has the upper hand to loosen its grip on its opponent, who becomes immobilized and assumes a submissive position. For this reason, except for serious incidents due to behavioral problems or human intervention, there are no fatal dog fights. Needless to say, even in this case, early separation from the mother would undermine the acquisition of this milestone, which is the basis of a behavioral pathology (Hyperactivity-Hypersensitivity Syndrome).
The eruption of milk teeth, often cause tears in the mother’s udders, which from 6 to 7 weeks of age, will begin to push the puppies away by threatening them with growls and barks. Thus begins the detachment from the mother (primary attachment bond), which will later allow the pup, to integrate into the new family unit and find a new reference point in a family member (secondary attachment bond).
Next week we will resume talking about socialization and fitting the puppy into the new family. Don’t miss it!
Carla Beard
Sing To The Moon Dog Center
