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A puppy’s temperament develops (in part) very early, during the first two weeks
The first period of puppy development is called the “neonatal period,” and is generally considered to be from birth to two weeks of age. Puppies are born with their eyes and ear sealed so the first two weeks are mostly a frenzy of nursing, snuggling, and sleeping. Even though a neonatal pup cannot see or hear, they are still learning about the world through smell and touch. We start Puppy Culture when our litters are only three days old — holding them in different positions and offering other tactile stimulation such as tickling toes.
Even at this early age, puppies do react differently to the various touching and holding exercises. For the most part, we do not attach much temperament significance to the puppies’ reactions at this age. A puppy who squirms and squeals when held on his back is more likely to be responding to hunger and being away from his mom rather than signaling that he is a more dominant dog.
Still, there is something to be gained from paying attention to the pups in these early days. A puppy who is consistently calm and quiet during each of the puppy culture exercises or when handled by humans at this young age, often does develop to be a mellow, laidback older puppy.
Nevertheless, as a general rule of thumb, we would not want to make any real claims about a puppy’s personality until they are older. This is why we do not recommend choosing a puppy this young simply based on a photo. Many breeders allow families to select their puppies as soon as they are born.
Color, pattern, and coat type are all apparent from birth, so many families are eager to make their selection based on these factors alone. We caution our readers to make temperament their top priority. That cute little female with the perfect coloring may grow up to be the most energetic out of the litter, which may or may not be the right match for your lifestyle.
You’ll learn more about your puppy’s temperament in the transition period
Returning to the topic of development, around 2 weeks of age, puppies hit their next big stage in maturity. From 2-4 weeks, they are in the “transition period,” and experience a huge leap in sensual development and early motor skills. It is at around 2 weeks of age that their eyes and ears open. Around three weeks of age, you will notice your puppies begin to walk around with a wobbly gait and even wag their tails and start to play with their siblings.
Again, puppies do act differently from one another during this period, but sometimes it is more based on where they are at developmentally as opposed to true temperamental differences. For example, the puppy who is the most active and always play-biting and jumping on his siblings, may be more energetic and dominant, but it is also possible that he is just a big further ahead developmentally (often the larger puppies in the litter develop slightly faster). He may not stand out in these areas once his siblings catch up to him.
By 4 weeks, all of the puppies in the litter should have the basic skills of walking and playing down pat so their true temperaments begin to slowly emerge. Beginning at 4 weeks, the litter is now in the “socialization period” of puppy development. Around this time, puppies become much more aware of their surroundings.
Previously, they were content to just chew at each other in the whelping box. But now, they are much more interested in the world around them and specifically interested in interaction with humans. The older the puppy is, the more confident we are in making predictions about their temperament. Still, by 4-5 weeks, the basics of their personalities are beginning to shine through.
