Buying an older puppy or waiting until the last vaccination to socialize

Often, we will see people bringing us an older puppy and what I mean by older is 14 weeks and above. When asked why they have waited to enrol their puppy into obedience classes, there are two common answers:

• They were told by their vet to keep the pup home until it received both its vaccinations; and
• The puppy was cheaper because of its age.

Almost all the older puppies that I see have been purchased after the 8-week mark and have received insufficient or no socialisation. The irony is that here we are with an unending plethora of information at out fingertips, yet there is still confusion over a dog’s critical period of socialisation and what socialisation entails. I had a client a little while ago who admitted to not knowing about a dog’s socialisation period. We know that a child’s socialisation period ends at 4 years of age, so why is there so much confusion when it comes to puppies?

The critical period of development for puppies is 3 – 16 weeks of age. During this period, your puppy will learn more during this time then it will at any other time in its life, and its socialisation during this time will determine the type of dog your puppy with mature into. When I purchase puppies from a breeder, I always ask if I can take the puppy at 7 weeks of age as research has shown that it is not advantageous for the puppy to continue to stay with the litter after this age. However, be mindful that removing a puppy from its litter earlier than 7 weeks can and will create issues with the puppy’s development and ongoing behavioural problems.

Once I have my puppy, I begin to socialise it. Socialisation is the exposure of puppies to an assortment of stimuli and experiences that they might encounter in their adult lives. For example, I will take a puppy out daily to various environments (bunnings, post office, cafes, etc.) and introduce it to various noises such as power tools and machinery. These introductions are done incrementally to ensure a positive outcome for the puppy. I also spend a lot of time teaching the puppy certain behaviours, communication signals and building the desire for toys and teaching them games to help with learning.
If a puppy has not received sufficient socialisation, we can expect to see the following:

1. Difficulty with training: Puppies that have not been socialised during the appropriate period may have trouble with learning new commands and obedience training.
2. Behavioural issues: Puppies that do not receive proper socialisation may display fear, aggression, stress, and other behavioural issues.
3. Difficulty with other dogs: If a puppy is not socialised during the critical period, it may have difficulty interacting with other dogs, which could and normally does lead to aggressive behaviour.
4. Difficulty with humans: Older puppies may also have trouble interacting with humans, particularly with children and strangers, which could make them difficult to manage in public places.
5. Health problems: If a puppy is not socialised properly, it may not receive necessary medical care or vaccinations, which could lead to health problems.
6. Reduced lifespan: Dogs that are not socialised during the critical period may have a shorter lifespan due to a lack of exercise, mental stimulation, and socialisation.
7. Over attachments are easily -created because of the dogs’ insecurities therefore it is extremely easy to create a separation problem and it’s usually quite severe ie: self-mutilation etc.
   Remember to consider these potential consequences carefully before deciding to buy an older puppy that has missed the critical socialisation period. If you are unsure of how to correctly socialise your puppy or are looking for a reliable breeder, do not hesitate to contact a professional dog trainer.