“According to research by behaviorists, a dog’s behavioral makeup is 35 percent genetic and 65 percent due to socialization, nutrition, health care, training, and management. In other words, socialization cannot change temperament, but it certainly plays a role in behavior modification. Opportunities that are missed during the critical socialization period puts puppies at risk of becoming shy, fearful, defensive adult dogs. Animal behaviorist have shown that puppies exposed to increasingly complex stimuli, or enrichment, sought out complex environments and were dominant over “stimulus-poor” puppies. Those that lacked enrichment were inhibited, fearful and looked for less complex environments, and often compensated with self-destructive behaviors such as chewing and licking.” -AKC.ORG

I have always known that socialization was important but it wasn’t until I invested in Puppy Culture did I learn that what I thought I knew was only the tip of the iceberg. Socialization (and enrichment) is so much more than throwing a few cool toys in the puppy pen. We proudly use the Puppy Culture Program and our puppies are exposed to age appropriate stimuli, enrichment, socialization and training. This program is for puppies 0-12 weeks (and even older puppies benefit) and we recommend all of our puppy buyers invest in the DVD/Streaming video and continue with the program after the puppy goes home. Socialization does not stop when they leave me at 8 weeks, which is why we also recommend all of our puppies enroll in a puppy and or basic obedience class.

Please watch the videos below for more information on Puppy Culture.

A LOOK INSIDE PUPPY CULTURE from Jane Killion on Vimeo.