Puppies: What to Expect the First Year
On the above-linked Doctors Foster and Smith website, the page about what to expect during a puppy's first year is interesting in that it particularly advises that pups be kept from much in the way of new and stressful situations such as travel or even unnecessary grooming. It goes on to say that by the 12th week the pups confidence was greater and his brain at a better learning stage. If they would recommend against even groomng, I would think leaving his comfortable birth home, his mother and siblings, the breeder who he has known all his life and going to a totally new home situation with new, strange people and sometimes other animals and even children would be far more stressful and difficult for a puppy than a grooming session. Read the below information and it lets you know how difficult this age is for making changes to a young dog's life.
7 - 9 weeks of age
By the seventh week, your puppy's senses have more fully developed and he continues to willfully investigate any new addition to his environment. After weeks of interaction with his littermates and the introduction of people into your pup's world, he has begun to develop a sense of how he should behave during interaction with others.
Sometime between seven and nine weeks of age, your puppy's attitude towards his environment seems to completely reverse. Unlike previous weeks, your pup now tends to be very cautious of everything and is increasingly fearful of both sounds and movements - especially when each is sudden and/or loud. This fear may even include activities he previously handled with ease, such as entering and exiting his
crate or playing with a
small toy. Because of your pup's new attitude, it is best to avoid traumatic, frightening, or painful situations during this time, including unnecessary surgery, travel, or even grooming. If visits to the veterinarian are necessary, ensure the utmost caution, gentle handling, and constant reassurance are continually offered to ease later visits. By about 12 weeks, your puppy should re-gain his former confidence. In addition, your pup's brain is now at the stage where he is ready to begin learning his name, basic commands (sit, stay, down, etc.),
housebreaking, and
leash training. Maybe the best news, however, is that your pup also has increased bladder control and the ability to sleep completely through the night.