Dogs

The puppy period is a very important stage in a dog's growth. As the saying goes, "what happens by age three determines a lifetime," indicating that early influences play a critical role in future development. Therefore, we should instill good ideas in dogs from an early age and shape them purposefully to ensure they have a healthy psychology, cultivate good mental qualities, and become excellent dogs.

The psychological development of puppies is closely related to their environment. While meeting basic survival needs, puppies also interact with the external environment. However, during this period, puppies are less influenced by external actions and more by various external information. Hence, controlling the living environment affecting the puppy influences its understanding of the outside world. Shaping a well-rounded psychology in dogs can begin with the following aspects:

1. Meeting a puppy’s sense of security is the foundation for developing a healthy psychology. "Benefit and harm are the puppy's only understanding of the outside world." During the survival process, puppies naturally "seek good and avoid harm." Puppies aged two to six weeks have developing sensory organs, and imprinting plays a significant role. At this stage, harmful stimuli from outside easily form firm and hard-to-change memories. Therefore, it is essential to create a safe environment during this time so the puppy does not unintentionally receive sudden stimuli or harm. We should build a good relationship with the puppy and try to eliminate possible dangers, allowing the puppy to grow with confidence. Studies of adult dogs’ timidity and neurosis often link back to harmful stimuli received during puppyhood. For puppies, safety is everything.

2. The relationship within a puppy group is an important step for psychological growth and promotes sensory development and information exchange abilities. A dog’s social habits are established early in life, while adult social behavior often carries traces of interactions from puppyhood. Puppies younger than five weeks have similar functions and activities, so interactions rarely cause harm. Behaviors like playful biting and chasing during this period are rehearsals of hunting instincts. Providing spaces that stimulate puppy interaction, such as lawns, encourages spatial judgment and strengthens physical stamina. Changing activity locations also offers more opportunities for play.

Providing a Safe Environment for Dogs from an Early Age

3. Guiding a dog's individual awareness is key to psychological growth. From six to nine weeks, physical differences become more pronounced, leading to stronger self-awareness characterized by contests over food and other resources. The development of individual awareness helps puppies recognize themselves further, producing behaviors based on conditioned reflexes, such as hesitation to eat food or reluctance to compete for objects. At this stage, puppies should be separated for raising. Timing is critical — separation should occur after these behaviors appear but before causing severe psychological stress. This method helps build confidence. When separated, puppies should maintain visual contact to meet their need for group connection. Spatial separation training begins developing the personality of weaker puppies and enhances dominant puppy traits. Adequate feeding ensures physical energy. Setting separation fences enables mutual barking and threat communication. In group feeding with poor management, differences between dominant and weak puppies intensify, leading to nervousness and lack of confidence in weaker individuals. In contrast, such pronounced nervous or weak characteristics are rare in household dogs, possibly due to timely separation during upbringing.

Having a healthy psychology brings enormous benefits to dogs and makes future training easier. By finding the right methods to nurture them, caring for dogs will be much smoother.