Puppyhood lasts roughly one to two years physically and mentally — social maturity can take longer still. Here's what to expect, stage by stage, from the day your TAGA puppy is born to the dog they'll grow into.
This is when puppies learn faster than at any other time in their lives — every experience here shapes their confidence and personality.
Newborns are blind and deaf, fully dependent on their mother. Eyes and ears open, and they begin walking. Littermate play teaches bite inhibition, and puppies wean around 6–7 weeks. We never let a puppy leave littermates before 8 weeks — this is also when we focus on gentle handling, enrichment, and exposure to household sounds.
The ideal time to join a new family, typically around 8 weeks. Puppies are at their most receptive to new people, environments, grooming, vet visits, travel, and basic obedience.
Puppies are especially sensitive to frightening events during this window. Keep experiences positive and controlled, step in calmly if your puppy is startled, and pair anything new with warmth and reward.
The "teething phase" — baby teeth fall out and adult teeth come in, bringing more chewing, rising energy, and growing independence. Coat changes begin, and most puppies near their adult height. Some have a brief secondary fear phase.
This is a good time to set boundaries, keep training structured, and maintain consistent routines.
Hormones, peak energy, boundary testing, and distraction can make it seem like your puppy has suddenly "forgotten" everything they knew. This is completely normal development, not regression.
Physical maturity depends on size — around 12 months for small-to-medium breeds like our Aussies, though mental and social maturity can continue developing to 2–4 years.
A well-socialized, consistently trained dog at this stage shows emotional stability, reliable responses, an established temperament, and a strong bond with your family.
Research links early neurological stimulation, socialization, and structured guidance to a lower risk of fear-based aggression, separation anxiety, excessive barking, resource guarding, and reactivity later in life.
At TAGA Ranch, we believe balanced, confident dogs start developing before they ever go home — which is exactly why our Early Development Program begins at birth, not at pickup.