Here's a surprising new fact: Dog experts have discovered that puppies respond to attention even before they're born! This new knowledge means that dog training can begin while puppies are still in the womb.
Dogs have a natural instinct toward sociability. They're pack animals who look to a leader, an "alpha dog" to know how to behave. Good obedience training establishes the pet owner as the "alpha" dog without harshness or cruelty, so that their pet responds appropriately to other people, other pets and to the world around them.
About three weeks after they're born, puppies entertain into a behavioral period known as socialization. Between three and 12 weeks, the main task of puppies is social play. The investigate, they "play-fight, " and they mimic sexual behaviors. Their subsequent behavior is shaped by the puppies interaction with their mother and litter mates.