Slabbert J M, Rasa O A
Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
J S Afr Vet Assoc. 1993 Mar;64(1):4-8.
The separation of young dogs from their mother at the age of 6 weeks had a negative effect on the physical condition and weight gain of separated pups compared to that of pups with maternal contact till 12 weeks. Disease susceptibility and mortality was higher in pups with a shorter maternal contact period. These factors were related to behavioural measurements of separation stress. However, early separation had no significant advantage to socialisation with humans, provided that separated and nonseparated pups had daily human contact. Early separation therefore did not improve dog/human bonding processes but lowered condition and increased mortality in separated pups.
与那些与母亲接触到12周龄的幼犬相比，6周龄时就与母亲分离的幼犬，其身体状况和体重增加受到负面影响。母亲接触期较短的幼犬疾病易感性和死亡率更高。这些因素与分离应激的行为测量有关。然而，只要分离和未分离的幼犬每天都有人类接触，早期分离对与人类的社交并没有显著优势。因此，早期分离并没有改善狗与人的亲密关系，反而降低了分离幼犬的身体状况并增加了死亡率。
