[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Mike1975

Inspector Gadget strikes again

Mary Morrow IS Mary Kopechek

(The wedding of Luke Adam Morrow and Mary Elizabeth Kopechek on March 17, 2012)

Thank you, Inspector Gadget , for bringing the Masters thesis to everyone's attention. The Literature Review and Introduction should be required reading for dog breeders. Here are some excerpts:

The socialization period begins at approximately three weeks of age and continues to approximately 12 weeks of age (Scott and Fuller, 1965). The period of socialization is one of the most important critical periods of development in the life of an animal. This is the period in which the most critical social relationships are built (Scott and Fuller, 1965). In many animals there is an initial period of imprinting and socialization which allows emotional attachment to any object (normally the mother), that is followed by a period of strong avoidance behavior to novel stimuli.

[..]

By studying hazard avoidance behavior in greater detail and identifying the variation in times of onset in additional breeds of domestic dogs, it is hoped that dog breeders, current and future dog owners, veterinary professionals, behaviorists, and researchers will have a more reliable understanding of fear-related behavioral development in young puppies. This knowledge could be further applied to rearing, training, socialization, and behavioral modification techniques in domestic dogs. In addition, a broader understanding of hazard avoidance behavior could potentially lead to the prevention of some fear-related behavioral problems by increasing the potential for, and understanding of, appropriately-timed exposure and socialization techniques for puppies in the sensitive periods of their development.