The development of the puppy: impregnation and socialization
During this period, puppies go through three distinct kinds of learning: sensory imprinting, intra-specific socialization, and inter-specific socialization.
A future adult's balance is shaped mainly, if not exclusively, during this phase of development. This period serves as a frame of reference for the rest of the dog's life and conditions its future reactions. The imprinting period is a key learning period, during which the dog must learn to communicate with its own species, discover other species (including ours), and learn to adapt and react to novelty. The more a puppy's senses are called upon during this period, the better it will adapt to different environments later — hence the importance of the breeder's work. Owners also have a role to play here: without continued reinforcement, the effects of imprinting and socialization fade, so it's important to keep up the work the breeder started. Once or twice a week, the puppy should be taken to crowded, noisy places — a train station, a market, a shopping center, a school at pickup time...
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