During the first year of you puppies life, your puppy will go thru several stages of development and will begin to mature physically, emotionally, and mentally. The timeline we have outlined below will give you a general idea of how your puppy can and should develope. Depending on the breed of dog, your pup may mature faster or slower then other puppies.

• Birth to 7 weeks^{Puppy with Mother and Littermates}
  Puppies are born deaf and blind, but there hearing and eyesight begin to develope between 2 and 3 weeks. This is usually about the time when he/she will begin to move around more. During the first 7 weeks (many enthusiasts and owners will argue about wether its 6-8 weeks), your puppy should remain with his/her mother. She uses this period to teach puppy about social behavior during this time. This includes how to play with others and respect for authority. The mother will also wean her puppies.

• 7 to 8 weeks^{Your Puppy comes Home}
  Around 6 to 8 weeks, your puppy is weaned from his/her mother and ready to go to his/her new home. Between 6 and 8 weeks of age is the best time to bring your puppy home as he is at a stage where he/she can easily adjust to change.
  Your puppy will need his/her first set of shots and vaccinations around 8 weeks of age.

• 8 to 18 weeks^{Your Puppy and Socialization}
  During this period your puppy is like a sponge absorbing anything and everthing he/she observes.To socialize your puppy expose him/her to a variety of people, places, and situations. Be careful and watch for a brief period when he/she could become easily frightened, usually about 8 to 11 weeks. Your puppy is ready to learn some simple basic obedience commands, such as sit and come.
  Your puppy will need his/her second set of vaccinations around 12 weeks old, and third set around 16 weeks.

• 4 to 6 months^{Your Puppy growing up}
  As active as your puppy was before, his/her energy level will increase greatly during this period.To keep him/her busy you can increase the difficulty and frequency of his/her training. Your puppy still has a long way to go before he/she is an adult, which means there is still alot of physical and emotional growing for him/her to do. His adult teeth will come in soon around this time, so keep a good supply of chew toys(or as we call 'em chewies;)) on hand.
  Be consistent with expectations of puppy and create a comfortable routine for him/her to minimize stress and confusion. At about 4 months your puppy may go thru another timid phase. Dont worry, as his confidence grows, he will become more independent and curios.
  Around 6 months of age, check with your vetrinarian about spaying or neutering.

• 6 to 12 months^{Your Puppy's "Teen-years"}
  Your puppys activity level will peak near 8 months of age. Get ready though, as his/her independence increases and his/her confidence grows, he/she will more then likely test his/her boundaries with you. Again, be firm and consistent with your expectations with him/her. Now is a very good time to really begin making him/her wait and earn his/her rewards.
  As your puppy enters this stage he/she may start to display behaviors such as jumping up uninvited, begging, or pulling on his/her leash. You should work persistently to correct these behaviors. During this time keep your puppy in a confinment area when you cannot keep an eye on him/her.

• After 12 months^{Finally! Adulthood! But it's not over yet!!}
  Although age wise your puppy is an adult your dog still has some growing to do mentally and emotionally. Depending on your breed of dog he/she may still have growing or filling out to do. When he/she is physically mature, you can start doing more advanced training such as agility, or the sport of your choice. This again depends on your breed of dog.
  By this time your dog is used to a particular routine in your home and is comfortable with his place in the home. After his first year you can limit your visits to the vet to once a year or so unless your dog has an illness.

Here is a few other sites that may be helpful:

• Phouka's Dog Pages