{"id":1146,"date":"2016-05-17T15:43:36","date_gmt":"2016-05-17T13:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/illis.se\/en\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2024-12-30T20:58:40","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T19:58:40","slug":"maternal-separation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/illis.se\/en\/maternal-separation\/","title":{"rendered":"Are dogs separated from mom too early?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In the last couple of weeks, I\u2019ve had influences from two directions that have caused me to consider the age at which dogs are separated from their litter and mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not a dog owner, and I\u2019ve never seen puppies mature first-hand, so this post is hypothetical and based on theoretical reasoning rather than observation. I\u2019m counting on you, my reader, to let me know if I\u2019m off track!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But since I\u2019ve found myself returning over and over to this nagging idea, this post has been begging to get written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Influence number one:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been reading up on the effects of social isolation and the quality of caregiving during infancy on animals\u2019 future behaviour, personality and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depressing, I know, but important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what I found interesting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Extended early social separation has potentially huge influences on later development, social skills, stress sensitivity and whatnot in social species.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Less-than-optimal care may have huge effects too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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    For instance, rats that have been well mothered (licked and groomed) grow up a lot less stress sensitive than their unfortunate neglected comrades. So, although the latter group remained with mom, the quality of care influenced later stress sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Monkeys reared without mothers but with extensive contact with other young monkeys develop normal social behavioural repertoires and function well in familiar and stable social settings. But these animals display extreme behavioural and physiological reactions to environmental challenges, such as brief social separations, later in life. If reared by foster mothers, they appear to develop effective strategies for coping with later environmental challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So, it seems that in animals as diverse as monkeys and rats, having a competent parent nearby during crucial developmental periods is important. The same goes for humans, but let’s not go there today… Relying simply on constant companionship and play is not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When challenged by stressful events, animals who have not grown up with a competent caretaker don\u2019t cope well. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What about dogs, then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Well, studies have shown that the early environment of dogs have long-lasting effects on their behaviour and coping styles in a stressful test situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Surprisingly, research about maternal care and maternal behaviour is rather lacking in dogs, but one recent Finnish study found that the largest explanatory factors associated with fearfulness was the quality of maternal care (as estimated by owners) and the amount of socialization during puppyhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In dogs, being separated from mom and siblings at 4-5 weeks and kept in partial isolation for 1 week leads to behavioural abnormalities such as hyperactivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So, at that age, separation is problematic. That\u2019s not surprising, and perhaps an irrelevant comparison since that\u2019s a highly atypical situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    In one review on the impact of mother-infant bonds on later social development, it was suggested that the period of 6-8 weeks after birth is the peak of the \u201csensitive period\u201d in dogs, and that maternal separation of puppies around this period may increase the chances of developing behavioural problems in adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hmm. Isn\u2019t that about when they\u2019re typically sold? If 8 weeks is still at the peak of the sensitive period,<\/em> that suggests a potential problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What about if the puppy was instead homed at 10 weeks? 12 weeks? 6 months?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At some point in a puppy\u2019s life, the effect of separation from mom and siblings go from \u201cwow, such an early separation could really influence later social skill sets and stress sensitivity\u201d to \u201cthe pup is now old enough so another week with mom wouldn’t make a difference”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When does that switch occur? When is the impact of separation on future stress sensitivity no longer an issue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At this point I think we need to know how dogs would behave if they could choose rather than being exposed to current socialization\/separation\/homing practices. So, how do free-living dogs behave?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Dog mothers nurse their young for 5-10 weeks. Free-living dogs have been observed regurgitating for 10-week-old pups, although this is apparently rare. Free-living puppies start travelling independently for food collection around 10-11 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In puppies raised normally, at 7 weeks the dam shows more aggression and fewer care-giving behaviours, and the puppies more care-seeking and contact-seeking behaviour. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So, even though the female may start indicating that she\u2019s done nursing, the puppies are simultaneously signaling that they disagree: this is a classic parent-offspring conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019m sure that every ethologist reading this would be nodding in agreement: when it comes to parental investment, most mammal species arrive at a point where mom says \u201cthat\u2019s it, I\u2019m done. I\u2019m no longer serving free dinner, I\u2019m saving that energy for the next brood\u201d and the offspring responds with \u201cWHAT!!! I\u2019m not ready yet!! I have no idea how to fend for myself!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They may not be quite so eloquent. Monkeys throw tantrums, as in this short clip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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