What are The Missing Eight and why does it matter?
The Missing Eight are the eight weeks BEFORE you get your puppy.
The eight weeks before YOU have any influence on their socialization and upbringing.
What happens during that time, and what does it mean for you and your puppy?
WOOFS! owner and puppy expert Laura Sharkey will be presenting her webinar “The Missing Eight” for the Brain and Behavior Academy on February 25, 2026. The recording will be available for a minimum of one year.
“The importance of puppy socialization is widely acknowledged, yet most conversations begin after puppies go home, after a significant portion of the sensitive socialization period has already passed.
As a professional trainer and breeder, I’ve come to realize that the majority of the socialization window occurs before owners ever meet their puppy. If puppies go home between 8 and 10 weeks of age, then as much as two-thirds to three-quarters of the critical developmental phase happens under the breeders care.
This webinar challenges the owner-centric model of early socialization and shifts the spotlight to the first eight weeks of life. We’ll explore why the first 8 weeks matters so profoundly for long term behavior, and how it can shape resilience, adaptability and emotional health.”
Join Laura on February 25th to learn more!
