There are many different factors that go into the temperament of a dog. There are genetic factors, including the temperament of the sire and dam, and there are environmental factors. Genetic factors cannot be changed, but choosing family raised puppies provides the best possible environmental factors.
The Problem with Isolation
Puppies that are raised in puppy mills or with backyard breeders are often raised in isolation. This means they have very limited social contact with people, and they have no experience in the sounds, smells, and even the sights they will experience later in life. This lack of interaction can create significant problems for puppies once they leave the litter and move in with their new human family.
On the other hand, home raised puppies, or puppies kept in the house with their litter mates and their mother, are better adjusted to life moving away to their new homes.
The Early Weeks
Family raised puppies, or those raised in a home with regular and ongoing human interaction, are socialized to sounds, interactions, smells, and sights from a very early age.
Puppies go through a period starting at about three weeks of age where they begin to socialize. At three weeks, puppies are naturally curious and want to interact with new things. When they have positive experiences in these interactions, they become more confident and less aggressive as they age. Home raised puppies are also positively sensitized to noises like televisions, appliances, ringing phones, and interactions with the family and visitors.
If you are interested in choosing a puppy, always ask about how the breeder raises the litter. Choosing family raised puppies from healthy breeding lines is always a winning combination.
Click here and check out the available puppies for sale at Homemade Puppies. They have interviewed and screened each puppy and family to bring you the very best in-home raised, socialized puppies!
