Dogs mature at a very different rate than humans. As with physical development, behavioral development is a dynamic process that undergoes successive changes throughout the life of the animal, from before birth to death. However, there are certain periods in which these changes have a greater implication in the life of the animal.
In the next article on our site we will explain the different stages that comprise the life cycle of a dog,from its conception to its the end of his life.
Prenatal stage
It is the stage that takes place from conception to birth It is common that, when we think of the life cycle of a dog Let's forget this first stage. However, it is a fundamental phase in the development of the life of the dog and of any species.
Fetal development is strongly influenced by the mother's internal environment. In fact, stress during the last third of gestation is related to the appearance of extreme behaviors in puppies after birth such as:
- Greater tendency to fear.
- Greater tendency to anxiety.
- Greater tendency to aggressiveness.
In addition, it can also be related to a reduction in their learning abilities. Therefore, it is crucial to guarantee proper care for the mother during this stage, providing her with:
- Adequate nutrition and a pleasant environment.
- Preparing the farrowing pen in advance.
- Avoiding any sudden change that could cause significant stress.
In this way we will ensure that the puppies have some ideal conditions for their prenatal development and that the litter arrives at delivery in perfect conditions optimal.
If you want to know more about the care of a pregnant dog, do not hesitate to consult this other article that we suggest.
Neonatal stage
From birth to approximately 2 weeks of age. The dog is considered an altricial species, which means that at birth she has incomplete nervous, motor and sensory development
Their sense of sight, hearing and their ability to thermoregulate are barely developed, so at the time of their birth the puppies are Absolutely dependent on their motherto survive. In this phase, the sense of smell plays a fundamental role in establishing mother-child bonds.
Unless it is unfeasible due to the death or illness of the mother, it is essential that during this stage the litter stays together with its mother. The mother not only provides her litter with the food and basic care, but she also provides the protection and affectionthat newborns demand
The lack of maternal effect on the puppies will have important consequences for them. Among other things, the puppies will have:
- A worse weight gain.
- Increased susceptibility to disease.
- Less emotional stability.
Therefore, Keeping the litter together with its mother must always be a priority. Due to their immaturity, the behaviors observed during this period are related almost exclusively to sleeping and eating, which we will detail below.
- The dream: When the puppies have been well cared for and stimulated by the mother, they present a typical REM phase encephalogram, which that protects them against the possible stressors of the environment that surrounds them. Find out how long does a puppy sleep? in this other article on our site.
- Food: Unless it is not feasible, breastfeeding should always be preferred. During this stage, the puppies spend about a third of their time feeding. What do puppy dogs eat? Learn more here.
The neonatal handling of pups appears to accelerate the maturation of the nervous system, improves your resistance to stress, your ability to learn and your emotional stability. For this reason, it is advisable to subject puppies to gentle handling (such as small massages) during the first weeks of life, especially in orphaned puppies or from mothers without maternal instinct. However, the level of stimulation should never be excessive , since it can have very negative consequences for the puppies.
Transition stage
The next stage of the dog's life cycle is the transition stage, which occurs between the second and third week of life, which is characterized by a rapid motor and sensory maturation.
In this phase there is a very rapid transformation of the puppy's behavior patterns, which begins to have behavior more typical of adulthood or mature puppyDuring these weeks the first exploratory behaviors and interactions between the siblings begin to be observed, with play patterns appearing in the litter.
Socialization stage
It covers from week 3 to week 12 of life and is characterized by rapid development of the animal's behavior, it is special in terms of their social behavior.
We can say that the period of socialization is one of the most important in a dog's life and, without a doubt, the one that has the most consequences on its future behavior and temperament. At this stage, it is essential for the puppy to socialize with its peers and with beings from other species with whom it lives (including people). Socialization can be carried out in the following ways:
- Through play with their siblings: puppies learn behaviors necessary for their adulthood (such as mounting, bite control, etc.) and also contributes to their motor development.
- Regarding socialization with people: it is important not to delay it beyond 12 weeks of age, since From then on, the puppy's fearful reactions towards people can seriously hinder its relationship with the human species.
In addition, it is important for the habituation of the puppy to all those beings, places and situationswith which he will have to interact when he reaches his adult stage, in order to avoid abnormal responses to the different stimuli of the surrounding environment. A puppy repeatedly exposed to a wide variety of stimuli (as long as they are non-threatening) will show a good general response to novelty as an adult.
Don't hesitate to consult The socialization of the dog or How to socialize a puppy correctly? in these two articles that we suggest.
Youth stage
It is the stage that develops from the 12th week of life until sexual maturity, which will occur at different times depending on the race. In small breeds, puberty is reached at 6-7 months, while in large and giant breeds it can be delayed up to 18 months. However, onset of puberty is generally considered to occur when animals reach 85% of their adult live weight
During this period, dogs are characterized by increasing their exploratory activity, especially oral exploration, due to the appearance of dentition permanent. This stage also continues to refining motor skills and learning ability However, this stage may still be difficult to teach puppies complex tasks or tasks that require pay close attention, as they do not usually maintain concentration for very long periods.
Therefore, When does a puppy begin to mature? We could say that it is from the juvenile stage when dogs acquire a more mature and stable behavior. It is from then on that cooperation and protection behaviors appear, and when the dysmorphic behaviors between males and females become evident.
Adult stage
It is the longest period in the life cycle of dogs, since it covers from their sexual maturity to the beginning of their mature stageor senior.
Once a puppy reaches sexual maturity, it is considered mature from a physical point of view, but not from a behavioral point of view, as there is still a period of about a year in which the animal finishes maturing relationships with people, with other animals and with their environment. Therefore, we can say that within the adult stage, there is a period of transition from “sexual maturity” to complete “social maturity”
During this transition period, important changes can be observed in the behavior of the dogs, with aggressive and territorial behaviors being able to appear. These changes are usually specially conditioned by the learning acquired by the dog until then, as well as by its hormonal activity.
Once social maturity is reached, there will hardly be any changes in the behavior of dogs, unless they suffer traumatic experiences or medical problems that affect your behavior.
Mature stage
Dogs reach the mature or senior stage at different ages depending on their breed:
- Small breeds: at 8-9 years old.
- The medium breeds: at 7 years old.
- Large and giant breeds: at 5-6 years.
During this stage it is common for medical problems to appear related to the degeneration of the different organs and tissues of the animal, being especially frequent those osteoarticular problems. However, proper care and quality veterinary care will allow mature dogs to continue to enjoy a good quality of life.
During this period, changes in behavior are also common. Some are motivated by medical problems, since the pain or discomfort associated with certain pathologies can lead to increased irritability or aggressiveness in dogs.
However, not all behavioral changes are due to physical changes. The simple fact of getting older makes animals have less energy and decrease their activity level So, if you're wondering at what age do dogs stop playing, you should know that it is usually after middle age when the time and intensity of the games tend to decrease considerably.
Furthermore, it is common for dogs at this stage to adapt with greater difficulty to changes in their environment and in their daily routine become more dependent on their caregivers and become less tolerant of intrusion into their space personal (especially by other dogs or unknown people).
As you have seen, each of the stages of the life cycle of dogs is associated with a series of physical and behavioral changes. Providing care and an adequate environment in each of these periods will be crucial to guarantee a good quality of life and optimal development of our companions.
