Prolonged Kennel Rearing

Sadly, some  people who should know better (breeders) don't provide adequate socialization during the critical time period of a pup's development.  There is also a genetic component to temperament and you'll read about that too n Scott and Fuller's book.   There isn't one single component that determines the ultimate personality of a dog or any other animal.    

Almost every living creature requires exposure to the environment in which it will live as an adult animal.  

Ian Dunbar has quite a few books and articles that address socialization of puppies and their physical and mental development. I find the subject fascinating.  

Look at the statement here:  avsabonline.org/.../puppy_socialization.pdf

Despite what many breeders, and even veterinarians tell new puppy owners, the risk of exposure to a disease is much less of a worry than the risk of a puppy who is not properly socialized ending up in a shelter or euthanized due to behavior problems.  

You've done a wonderful job with Lillian. It is always possible to help a dog become more confident with positive experiences, even when they're past the socialization period.  Even dogs who were properly socialized can develop behavior problems if they are not allowed positive contact with other dogs and people throughout their lifetime.  

Thank you! Just returned from our practice test run through (she has CGC and Therapy Dog tomorrow, yay!!). She's going to pass with flying colors. And while this makes me proud, I am even MORE proud knowing where this pup started! She was so afraid and not socialized what so ever. Now she seems unphased by everyone, everything, always calm, just sits there or lays there and falls asleep like "yep you are boring me with this training stuff mom I'm gonna nap"... hahahaha

Absolutely I agree. I have a good friend who basically confined her puppy (that they got WAY too early... 5-6 weeks... eeeeeek) and now she says oh well I have to wait more till my puppy calms down. What she doesn't understand is you keep waiting and waiting and this is causing all the anxiety and "craziness" of your new dog. Oh help this girl she isn't even a dog person a total cat person... boston terrier... oh man... haha anywho!!

I do agree because all thought they (the breeders) insisted they "socialize" the puppies. Well no you really don't. Yes YOU hold them YOU play with them, you stick them in the same pen in the same yard... that's not really socializing. If you took them places exposed them to numerous things yes NOW you are socializing. So I mean it's sad we started out on the wrong foot. I see drastic improvement. I look forward to getting to the temparament part b/c I think that is where I am right now. She's always going to give people who have wild crazy energy this look like uhhh you are weird calm down.... We went over this today in my run through I had the evaluator for therapy act OVER THE TOP crazy with canes and walkers and she didn't bat an eye but had that look like "weirdo..." hahahaha and she said that's fine! She just can't FEAR it she can't flee the scene which she doesn't. Nor does she chase or herd nothing. She's doing amazing.

It's remarkable what a dedicated owner can achieve. You're proof of that. :) Good luck tomorrow!  I'm sure she'll ace both evaluations.

JackieG  - So summarizing parts of Fuller & Scotts book is Clarence Pfaffenbergers book "The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior" where he goes through his passion to find the perfect Guide Dog and working/observing/taking information from Scott & Fullers study. And I'm kind of in disbelieve or more so disheartened by Pfaffenbergers STRONG conclusions about a puppy's critical stages.

"A puppy who has had no socialization before it is sixteen weeks of age has little chance of becoming the sort of dog that any one of us would want as a companion. Playing with the litter has some socializing effect, but it misses the important things: the development of the individual as a companion, and as an individual with self-confidence." (Pfaffenberger, The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior, Ch 9, P 131)

"Many buyers wonder why the four or five month old puppy they buy never seems to care much about them. The emotional side of the puppy goes along with his physical and mental development in a parallel course. By sixteen weeks of age all of these important developments are fixed in the way that they will continue through life. It is very difficult to gain the affection of an older puppy. Because the puppy needs someone to turn to for affection and guidance between four weeks and sixteen weeks of age, the person who finally substitutes for his mother in his life becomes very important to him and should take over as the puppy's mother gives up her duties, or, if convenient, make the transition gradual. In the time, at three weeks of age, when the learning stage began, to sixteen weeks of age, the character of a dog is formed. No matter how good his inherited character traits, if they are not given a chance of expression during this period he will never be as good a dog as he could have been. There is no way one can go back and make up to a dog in later life the things he failed to do for him at this age." (Pfaffenberger, The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior, Ch 8, P 119)

"The time is so short - from twenty one to one hundred and twelve days in all - and once it is gone it can never be retrieved. The implications of what this short time means in the development of a dog are so great that it well behooves puppy raisers to employ this time wisely. It can never be made up at an older age." (Pfaffenberger, The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior, Ch 9, P 132)

WOW! Some bold statements...