Generally,
mom and dad are more than happy to sacrifice their own time to let a
new baby feel safe and happy—even if it means a complete change in
lifestyle to provide for baby.
For puppy, in the beginning, that
could mean as little as two months to as long as four months. The
reward means an easier life for both you and puppy for years to come.
It’s
not a far stretch to understand that puppy has the same needs for air,
food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sleep, safety. love and
more.
Once physiological and safety needs have been fulfilled,
“parents” consider what else baby needs to be able to adjust from the
warmth and safety of mother’s womb to his or her new environment at
home.
According to Maslow, the third level of human needs is social. It involves feelings of belongingness.
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| Here's My Honey laying on the floor with young Samson outside his playpen. |
Examples of belongingness needs include friendship, intimacy, trust, acceptance, receiving and giving affection and love.
This need is especially strong for the young pup, and can override the need for safety, as witnessed in dogs who cling to abusive dog owners.
It’s up to puppy’s adopted mom and dad to provide love and belonging in a manner that puppy understands.
Puppies crave acceptance and suffer from separation anxiety when parents are away if “love and belonging” are not satisfied in the beginning. A happy content pup is a pup who is confident he or she is loved, accepted and cared for.
When you provide these important needs of love and belonging for puppy, he or she has a good opportunity to adjust and accept his or her new environment.
Love is generally fairly easy for parents to express for their new baby. According to Happiest Baby, just because babies don’t know what the words “I love you” mean yet, doesn’t mean they don’t know when you are showing them love and devotion.
Any dog lover knows what I absolutely know. All dogs need love. They show their love with a lifetime of love and loyalty and a mountain of joy in return.///