Puppy Steps to Therapy Dog Success

"If you're raising a puppy you hope will mature into an affiliative, adaptable, and self-assured therapy dog, playful socialization should be a significant focus of your first months together. Socialization is an essential aspect of puppy training that lays the foundation for a confident, friendly, and well-adjusted dog. One of your key responsibilities as a guardian-handler is personalizing a socialization program according to your pup's age and needs."

"The neonatal stage lasts from birth to approximately two weeks of age. During this time, puppies depend entirely on their mother for warmth, nutrition, and stimulation. You can do little to promote socialization at this stage. Still, excellent breeders gently handle the puppies during this period to get them accustomed to human touch. The transitional stage occurs between two and four weeks old when puppies begin to open their eyes, develop their senses, and become more mobile."

Playful socialization during the first months shapes affiliative, adaptable, and self-assured therapy dogs. Socialization lays the foundation for confident, friendly, and well-adjusted adult behavior. Guardians must personalize socialization programs to a puppy's age and individual needs. Neonatal puppies (birth–2 weeks) depend on the mother for warmth, nutrition, and stimulation; gentle human handling during this period fosters touch tolerance. The transitional stage (2–4 weeks) brings opening of eyes, sensory development, mobility, littermate interactions, and introduction to household sounds and careful handling. The socialization stage (4–14 weeks) is the most critical window for exposure to unfamiliar people, animals, environments, and experiences while observing vaccination schedules.

Read at Psychology Today