Tips for socialising your new puppy
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 5:49 pm
Puppies are most receptive to socialisation during the ‘sensitive period’ up until 12-18 weeks of age.
This is the period in which they learn what is normal in their world. At this stage of life they are most accepting of external stimulus and will readily catalogue experiences as ‘normal’ (ie not scary), meaning they are comfortable with them in later life.
Socialisation should begin from the minute you bring your puppy home and needs to take place across a range of environments and situations. Ensure your puppy has had its first primary vaccination (at 6 weeks of age) before going out of the house.
Sounding off
Acclimatise your puppy to all sorts of sounds around the home, in the garden and further afield so that they are used to motor vehicles, music, ring tones, vacuum cleaners, sudden loud noises (gun shots, fire works, thunder) and other sounds that are potential phobia triggers in later life.
Animal magnetism
.Once your puppy is vaccinated, make sure he meets any fellow pets as soon as possible. Dogs that grow up with cats are much more likely to live harmoniously with them.
Take care to introduce your puppy to dogs of all shapes and sizes that you know are friendly (healthy, and fully vaccinated) so that their experience of their fellow canines is a happy one.
Puppy pre-school is a great opportunity to introduce your puppy to contemporaries. If you live in the country, it is important to introduce your puppy to livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, chickens) so they are used to them as a normal part of the surrounds.
Out and about
Take your puppy to a range of places, both walking and in the car. Give your puppy the chance to explore a range of environments and their associated sights, sounds, smells and terrains so that these experiences become a normal part of their world. Taking your puppy to populated areas like shopping malls is a great early life experience.
Meeting and greeting
Introduce your puppy to people of different ages and races, and both sexes, men with beards, people with hats….with particular emphasis on introducing them to children who understand and are gentle with pets, so that they become used to coming face to face with all sorts of people when they’re out and about. Remember, for safety's sake, children should be very closely supervised with new puppies.
Socialisation is the single most important investment of time you can make in your puppy. Without it they can develop a range of behavioural issues including fearfulness, separation anxiety, aggression and inflexibility.
This is the period in which they learn what is normal in their world. At this stage of life they are most accepting of external stimulus and will readily catalogue experiences as ‘normal’ (ie not scary), meaning they are comfortable with them in later life.
Socialisation should begin from the minute you bring your puppy home and needs to take place across a range of environments and situations. Ensure your puppy has had its first primary vaccination (at 6 weeks of age) before going out of the house.
Sounding off
Acclimatise your puppy to all sorts of sounds around the home, in the garden and further afield so that they are used to motor vehicles, music, ring tones, vacuum cleaners, sudden loud noises (gun shots, fire works, thunder) and other sounds that are potential phobia triggers in later life.
Animal magnetism
.Once your puppy is vaccinated, make sure he meets any fellow pets as soon as possible. Dogs that grow up with cats are much more likely to live harmoniously with them.
Take care to introduce your puppy to dogs of all shapes and sizes that you know are friendly (healthy, and fully vaccinated) so that their experience of their fellow canines is a happy one.
Puppy pre-school is a great opportunity to introduce your puppy to contemporaries. If you live in the country, it is important to introduce your puppy to livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, chickens) so they are used to them as a normal part of the surrounds.
Out and about
Take your puppy to a range of places, both walking and in the car. Give your puppy the chance to explore a range of environments and their associated sights, sounds, smells and terrains so that these experiences become a normal part of their world. Taking your puppy to populated areas like shopping malls is a great early life experience.
Meeting and greeting
Introduce your puppy to people of different ages and races, and both sexes, men with beards, people with hats….with particular emphasis on introducing them to children who understand and are gentle with pets, so that they become used to coming face to face with all sorts of people when they’re out and about. Remember, for safety's sake, children should be very closely supervised with new puppies.
Socialisation is the single most important investment of time you can make in your puppy. Without it they can develop a range of behavioural issues including fearfulness, separation anxiety, aggression and inflexibility.