The mother, courage and her puppies
Indeed, the mother dog plays a major role in her puppies' development, both before birth and in the whelping box. Mothers differ, but her puppies are influenced by her fears, how she cares for them, and how she shows courage.
Fears
Many understand that inherited fears carry over to offspring. Sadly, learned fears can also be passed on to puppies. These can be inherited for up to 3 generations before diminishing. This is because trauma alters the dog's DNA, leading to chemical and hormonal imbalances that affect their emotional life. It's vital to consider this when choosing a breeding dog.
Commitment
How affectionate a mother dog is with her puppies also impacts them. All mother dogs are different and have varying abilities to play, raise, and care for their pups. Her capacity to engage with and care for her puppies influences how stressed, socially adjusted, and curious they'll be as adults. Physical contact makes puppies feel secure, resulting in secure adult dogs.
Courage and confidence
A mother dog has a huge influence on her puppies' learning. How she behaves on outings, particularly displaying courage and confidence, is mirrored by her puppies. Fear has a strong learning effect as it's a survival mechanism, but if the mother exhibits fear, it can create future problems for the puppies. Social learning involves imitating the mother. If she is forward, curious, and confident, it helps her puppies view the world with similar curiosity.
Mother dogs play a crucial role for their puppies. This includes selecting breeding stock that doesn't show obvious fears, ensuring the mother has constant access to her puppies, and that she demonstrates courage around them.
