Truth: Puppies are more receptive to new experiences during the socialisation window, if they are introduced safely and at the puppy’s pace but learning occurs throughout the dog’s life and with intentional action, socialisation can occur at any age.

I recently had a new owner in my puppy class who was losing sleep over the prospect their adorable but rather barky puppy was fast approaching the end of their socialisation window and they would be stuck with a nervous dog for the remainder of their life. This was not something she wanted and she was carrying a heavy emotional load because of this.

I reassured her this was not the case. Let me explain.

In their famous research, Scott and Fuller (1960) identified five critical stages of social development for puppies under laboratory conditions – neonatal, transitional, socialisation, juvenile and adulthood. Based on this research, they proposed that a puppy must learn all their social skills before they reach the juvenile stage, somewhere between 3 – 18 weeks, depending on the breed. This is the source of this perpetuated myth and, as with most myths which stick, there is some truth to it.

Once puppies have become socialised with their littermates and mother, they are ready to meet people and all the other stimuli they will encounter in life. If this occurs correctly and early enough (by five weeks) they are usually confident. This is one reason why buying a puppy from a reputable source is vital. If this does not really occur until after 14 weeks of age, it is often a scary, challenging experience.

However, when approached correctly, this fear can be addressed and largely overcome in most cases.

Dogs enjoy neuroplasticity meaning their brain creates new neuropathways throughout their lives in response to new experiences and it is this process which leads to learning. If a puppy (or dog) is introduced to new experiences at a pace they can respond positively to, they will learn that experience (thing, person, sensation) is safe, resulting in calmness and confidence around it.

After the critical period, this can require more support, involve more intentionality and take longer but it is not too late for a dog to learn. The dog’s pace of learning will vary depending on many factors such as their personality, their life experiences, the strength of the relationship with their carers (current and/or previous) and medical conditions such as pain so it is vitally important to go at the puppy’s pace, allowing them to choose when and how they approach the novelty.

So, if you have reached, or are fast approaching, the end of your puppy’s critical period and they are fearful of their environment, relax! There is a solution!

For more details on how to socialise a puppy safely refer to this blog post (ADD LINK) or get in touch for 121 support either online or in person (if you live in Strathearn, Scotland).