Prewaking Movements
Because of its immature state of development at the time of birth, a puppy depends on a number of different reflexes for protection.
Those involving sensory perception were discussed in Chapter 2 and summarized in Table 2-I, Those for locomotive skills, plus or minus sensory input, are summarized in Table 9-I a new puppy moves with circular and side—to—side movements.
While doing so, it uses its head in side-to-side scanning-like motions and as a lever against anything rigid enough to push against the front limbs make awkward paddling-like movements, while the rear limbs make right-left pushing attempts. Several motor reflexes are present at or near birth