The following was written in response to a puppy buyer’s request for information about how we socialize our puppies.  I have put it on the site so that I can refer other potential buyers to it, if they have questions about how I socialize our puppies.

I take socialization pretty seriously.  Since, most of the time, our primary reason to breed a litter of puppies is to acquire a puppy for ourselves, I’d much rather error on the side of providing more, rather than less socialization, to a litter that we raise.

Our pups are reared just off the kitchen where we go past them frequently.  So, they get adjusted to activity and noises, and we can keep an eye on them most of the day.

For nearly the first two weeks of their lives, the pups are blind and deaf and only take in tactile information as well as changes of temperature, and of course, their incredible sense of smell.  I pick up each puppy once or twice a day and gently turn it over in my hands so that it is belly up for just about 3-5 seconds.  I tickle them between the toes, and hold them against my chest where they can smell me and feel my warmth.  Other than that, however, I try to leave them alone with their mother.  I do not allow visitors during this time, since I do not want to add any stress to the mother or new babies.

Once they open their eyes their sense of sight begins to develop better over several days and they also begin to be able to hear sounds.  They begin walking on their feet, instead of crawling and they will also assume a sitting position.  At this stage, I will pick up each puppy once or twice a day and hold it, turn it over for a few seconds (to let it deal with the stress of being on its back), cuddle it and coo to it. I may also take a puppy into the other room and let it sit next to me on the couch for 5 or 10 minutes before taking it back to the rest of the litter. This provides a little stress, but not too much, and offers the puppies a chance to realize that the world is bigger than their whelping area. 

There's also a period, around that time, when they first experience the "startle response".  If the puppies are walking around exploring and you clap your hands or make a sudden noise, the puppies will have this interesting "Freeze!" response where their bodies sort of do a complete "HALT", some even drop flat on the ground.  But, almost instantly, they get over it and continue doing what they were doing.  If puppies don't experience this "getting over" the startle response at this time of their life (by being exposed to these sorts of noises) some data suggest that they can end up having difficulty dealing with stresses in their lives.  So, occasionally, we drop pots on the floor or clap our hands during this phase so that they develop an appropriate response (or lack there of) to loud noises.

We use a vacuum cleaner, play the radio on different channels, open a garage door, slam a house door and the like, all to expose them to as much as possible.  I feel that this helps them to become accustomed to a variety of sounds.

Typically, at two, three, four and six weeks I worm the puppies.  The wormer is sweet tasting and the puppies seem to really like it.  So, at those times I also clip their toe nails and give them the sweet reward after they have had to endure the grooming.  The puppies must remain calm while I do this, or I could clip a nail too close.  So, they learn to hold still in a firm, but gentle grasp from a very early age.  I believe this handling contributes to a puppy's understanding of a human's role in his life of both care taker, but also leader.

I try to apply the Rule Of Seven from week three onwards.  The Rule of Seven is a proposal to expose the puppies to seven different "articles" across several categories by the time they are seven weeks old.  For example, by the time the puppies are seven weeks old they should experience seven different ground textures (a blanket, cement floor, grass, gravel, linoleum, carpeting, shavings etc).  They should eat out of different texture bowls (glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, etc), they should experience seven different toys (ball, rope toy, plush stuffed toy, rubber toy, nylon, rawhide, etc), they should experience seven significantly different sounds (vacuum cleaner, radio, hammering, garage door opening, a fan blower etc).... and, so on and so on and so on.   So, that is what we do with the puppies.  Once they are five weeks old I allow folks to come and visit and play with the puppies.  That way they are also exposed to a variety of people, including children, men and women of various ages and personalities, all of whom have a different “touch”.  We also allow them to meet other dogs at this time.

When they are old enough, I provide a vertical world for them.  For example, they have to learn how to walk up and over a small step to get in / out of their whelping area to their play area.   I put up a ramp made of a board that is supported by a short step stool so that they can climb up it and then back down it or hop off of it (that is always interesting because some pups immediately take to it and walk up it and jump off the other end like they have been doing it all their lives and others take their time, walk up a few steps and then back down again over and over again before they climb to the top).  I may put out a heap of plastic sheeting (that is crumpled and crunches when they run over it), or wooden boards that they can jump over.  I give them cardboard boxes to climb in and out of, I put a dog crate with the door off or open so that they can go inside and sleep (to get them used to using a crate).  I take them alone into another room of the house away from their siblings to run around and explore by themselves.  We have four large parrots in our living room and when I take a new animal into the room (whether it is a new puppy, a board/train dog or a bottle baby lamb that I am keeping in the house for a couple weeks) the parrots always make a big commotion which is great for the puppies to hear, respond to and deal with, etc.

	6 week old puppies

We also do a bit of "training".  We do not tolerate even a little nibble on our hands.  We have a zero tolerance policy about canine teeth on human flesh.  So, from around five weeks onwards, they will get a growl and a little correction for biting and they learn very quickly not to nip or bite.  We teach them to "wait" before going out of their whelping pen.  Around seven weeks old, we teach them "sit" and "down" (with treats), and they learn to follow us in the yard and to come to "Puppy Puppy!"

So, that is how I raise a litter of puppies.  They all develop somewhat differently and do have different personalities, but none ever seems "shy" or aloof and they are happy, outgoing and able to handle the adjustment of going to a new home.  There is a controversy about how old a puppy should be before it leaves the litter.  Some people say that seven weeks is a good time because eight weeks is considered (by some) to be a critical "fear" period when the puppy is more likely to "never forget" a negative experience.  Others claim that the puppies are better adjusted and have superior bite inhibition if they remain with their litter mates longer (who challenge them, bite them and give them feedback about how biting hard hurts) - especially if the dam has been removed around 5-6 weeks.  That way, they learn from peers (not just their mother) about pack hierarchy.  Some puppies will never again be with other dogs very much, so by remaining with their litter until eight weeks old, they get a bit longer time to learn about being a dog and how to act socially acceptable with other dogs before becoming a part of a human family.

I prefer they remain here for at least eight weeks because I see a big difference in their coping abilities in that last week.   I just feel that they are more capable and confident little tikes at eight weeks than they are at seven weeks.  Also, they get their first puppy shot at around seven weeks and I like them to have a longer chance to develop immunity before they go home.  That last week is a major pain with regards to keeping things clean and providing them ample play time both as individuals and with their litter mates.  So, I know why some breeders want them out earlier.  They are a lot of work.  But, they are stronger and tougher at eight weeks in my opinion, and that means they will be better able to adjust to their new homes.  That, in my opinion, overrides any issues regarding that critical "fear" period that some people describe. 

There are breeders, now, that won't let their puppies go until 10 or 12 weeks old because they believe it's easier on the puppy to remain in the litter, longer.  Some of these folks will completely shun a breeder who chooses to let puppies go home at 8 weeks old.  I know that it is less demanding on the human to take a 10-12 week old puppy because they are easier to crate train and housebreak for ever additional week they are old.  A 10 week old puppy can simply "hold it" longer than an 8 week old puppy.  Often, a 10 week old puppy can sleep through the night, while an 8 week old puppy may need to relieve himself at 2:00 AM.  However, there is a "follow the big person" response in 8 week old puppies that is very strong and with each passing week it diminishes until, at about 12 weeks, the puppy feels confident to explore his world without worrying about his human as much.  Taking a puppy home at 8 weeks can offer some "training" and early learning experiences that may be lost by 12 weeks old.  If you take an 8 week old puppy outdoors in a big space and walk about, you will find he will keep careful tabs on your position.  If you hide behind a tree or some bushes when he has his nose to the ground and isn't paying attention, he will look up and see you are gone.  Then, he will begin to worry and immediately try to find you.    When he does (by using his nose to track you), you can make a huge fuss about how wonderful he is and tell him you are so proud of him for having found you.  Or, if he seems terribly anxious, you can jump out from behind the tree and say, "Here I am!", stand still to encourage him to run to you, then love on him for coming.  In this way, you can teach your puppy to be responsible for monitoring your position, instead of feeling responsible for monitoring his position.  That shift in philosophy is much harder to set when the puppy is 12 weeks or older because he is moving into a more independent and exploring mode of operating.  He is more confident and simply doesn't "need" you as much.  It's tough for a breeder to do this work because it's best to do with a single puppy.  When they are in a group they will still follow, but they are also relying upon each other for security.  So, the effect of your hiding is far less dramatic.

So, 8-10 weeks is the optimal period, in my opinion, for puppies to go to their new homes.  However, I do not think that the puppy should be introduced to the entire extended family of aunts, cousins, uncles, and the whole neighborhood in its first week with its new family.  I prefer the puppy have a quiet first couple of weeks when it can bond with its new "micro-family" of those few folks who it will rely upon for all its needs.  Stability and consistency is so important to a little puppy, that I recommend the first couple of weeks provide plenty of time to sleep, a little time to play with the new humans in its life, and concentrated efforts on house breaking.  There will be plenty of time for the puppy to meet the Jones, Jacksons and Grandma, too.  A puppy that feels well rested, safe and secure is a happy puppy; one that can learn and explore and become a wonderful addition to its new family for many years to come.