what are the critical periods in the life of a dog?
What must a breeder do and not do in order to help a pup develop his aptitudes to the highest potential? What can a breeder do to assure a sound out-going temperament, while helping the pup develop confidence without being aggressively dominant? Where does the responsibility of a breeder begin and end? It isn’t enough to select a stud and bitch for their sound genetic qualities and temperament. Super dogs are not bred. They are carefully moulded each step of the way through the established critical periods. Scientific studies have shown a dog’s innate temperament and trainability can be altered by the type of environment provided. While we can’t change their aptitudes the dog has inherited, we can take these aptitudes and with careful handling turn almost any pup into a super working dog and a super companion. Hopefully this article will provide some of the answers for the breeder. Each of the critical periods is explained in everyday language. What must be done and what must not be do
