It’s your pawrent responsibility to socialize your puppy while they are still young. Here are 5 things you can do!
The phrase “it takes a village” has never been truer than when it comes to introducing your new puppy to different places, people and, you guessed it, puppies! And while you may think you have plenty of time to bring your puppy around certain relatives and friends, the window for early socialization isn’t as wide as you think!
Whether you have already started to try your hand at puppy socialization or don’t know where to start, getting educated around puppy socialization is key! There are a lot of different factors that you may not be aware of when it comes to proper socialization. It’s important to understand why socialization for your puppy is imperative but also know the proper methods to follow to make sure you are giving your puppy the best experience possible.
These 5 tactics are designed to help you reduce stress, anxieties, and fears through proper coping mechanisms by helping your puppy gain experience through different environments and situations!
#1 Timing is Everything!
The first few days with your puppy are full of excitement. You probably want to cuddle, take a million+ photos and just obsess over the little ball of fuzz. But did you know that your puppy’s socialization clock is already ticking?
@indi.countryside
In general, many breeders start the socialization process as early as 4-6 weeks old. Chances are you are receiving your puppy anywhere from 8-12 weeks which means you’ll need to start exposing your puppy to different people, sounds, and surfaces under their paws ASAP! We can’t stress enough: This early period of their lives is crucial for them to have these interactions!
“Be mindful of your puppy’s vaccination schedule, as well as the status of other pups’ vaccinations they interact with, outside of their littermates, to ensure their optimal health and safety. Your vet can help answer questions around this!”
WANT TO SOCIALIZE YOUR PUPPY IN A FUN AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT? SIGN UP FOR PUPPY TRAINING CLASSES! THE PUPPY ACADEMY IS HERE TO HELP!
#2 Remember: Stay Positive!
No matter what, stay positive! Ok, what we really mean without making you nervous about things going array is that it’s important to create a positive experience for your puppy while socializing. They imprint moments quickly and you want them to associate a happy experience with meeting new people and dogs. Every time they have a good interaction with a new person or dog, you should give them a reward in the form of praise such as “Good boy!”, a food reward with kibble, or even petting them.
@thepuppyacademy
But rewarding comes with a special balance. Here at The Puppy Academy, we have a saying: “What you pet is what you get!" Think about it like this, if your puppy gets excited and jumps all over you, and you pet your puppy in their excited frenzy, you’ve actually just affirmed to him that’s good behavior. A general rule of thumb is to only pet a pup when they're calm!
“Not all social scenarios are the best for your puppy. Pick quality over quantity when it comes to interactions!”
#3 Switch it Up!
For successful puppy socialization, think about all the instances you’d want your puppy to be exposed to. Depending on where you plan to bring your puppy along with you, it may be a good idea to introduce them to those environments. If allowed: the beach, a cafe, a department store, festivals, etc. are all possible dog-friendly locations you’ll want to start to incorporate your puppy!
@whinnie_gram
But before you start taking your puppy for ride alongs everywhere, take into account their confidence level.
Put yourself in their paws, their young and the world is really big! Confident pups can go into busier areas while nervous pups should start in calm areas and work their way up.
#4 Older Dogs Can Make Great Teachers!
Think about it as a type of mentorship of sorts. Dogs are pack animals and learn about hierarchy and boundaries through interactions with other dogs. The same can be said for puppies, but one key learning experience is that it teaches them behavior through play.
@dog_lovers_1
With adult dog interactions we like to recommend using caution in certain instances. For starters, observe the potential adult dog playmate behavior. Are they rough players? Do they nip? All of these behaviors, some of which can be breed-specific, may not be things that you want to expose your puppy to. And of course, we can’t stress enough, apply supervision to these play dates! Short meetings work in the beginning and can gradually extend, but always be aware if your puppy becomes uncomfortable and needs a breather from their older playmate. And vice versa! Sometimes older dogs can only deal with young puppy energy for short spurts before they’ve had enough and need a break, too!
“Join a group puppy training class where your puppy will be able to interact with other pups around the same age and in a safe, controlled environment. BONUS - When you see who your pup is making friends with, you can even exchange numbers with their owner so you can set up more socialization dates together outside of class!”
#5 Opt for Puppy Training Classes Early on!
Puppy training is never a bad idea, especially when it comes to socialization for your puppy. It’s a safe and controlled environment where they can learn about sensory stimulators, coping mechanisms, and of course play!
For all our puppies undergoing The Puppy Academy puppy training curriculum, we developed a "Desensitization and Familiarization Class" where puppies can be comfortably exposed to a variety of everyday situations. The scary noises from vacuums, hairdryers, doorbells, construction, car honks, etc. all debunked for puppies so they can go home with confidence!
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