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Socializing your Puppy
A puppies parent, you’ve got many new responsibilities and should be at the top of your list. Introducing your puppy to people, places, and experiences will take time, and it’s best to start when they are young. The key to ensuring your puppy is safe, happy and confident as they explore the world and taking them out can help.
Socialize your Puppy
Many puppy parents think puppy socialization involves introducing the puppy to other pets. Socialization is raising your puppy to be comfortable with different types of people, places and objects they have never seen. The goal is to introduce the puppy to as many people as possible, including the ideas below:
- Different genders
- People of another race
- People with disabilities
- Variety of animals
- New places, including parks
- Sounds and Smells
Your puppy’s brain can process all these new experiences between three and 12 weeks old. This process is called the puppy socialization period, and during this period where pet parents should introduce their new puppy to as many different people, Places and things to increase strength in the puppy to have no fear.
Being Positive
Being positive is the key. Ways to socialize your puppy is to avoid scary experiences as your dog learns normality and is safe. Puppy minds are brilliant. During puppy socialization, bad experiences can positively and negatively impact the puppy. If the puppy encounters an aggressive dog, it could leave your puppy with a fear of other dogs. So use extreme caution when planning adventures with your new puppy, making sure to remove the puppy from situations that appear scary or can make a puppy feel afraid.
Most puppies are very happy and social and tend to approach new things with curiosity more than feeling scared. Using that to your advantage is critical to socializing.
Puppy Socialization
Socializing your puppy can benefit puppies of any age. Still, puppies need to learn how to be fearless because puppies should receive positive experiences during socialization as it helps them not to be as anxious throughout their lives. After training and being social, the puppies become more understanding of their world. As the puppy matures, dogs are not afraid to conquer new experiences; they have learnt and understand that different things are not always scary.
The goal of puppy socialization is to help your dog understand that no matter what they see from other dogs, they can stay calm and not be anxious or afraid.
Puppy Personality
Your puppy’s personality will affect future anxiety levels if not appropriately trained. Different dogs are born fearful and are not afraid of anything, but if you have been socializing your pup correctly, they’ll be less likely to be terrified when they encounter a new situation. The goal is to help the puppies socialize and help your puppy to understand that it does not matter what they see in other dogs; they can stay comfortable, not anxious or scared, making their lives happy and fulfilled.
Puppy is socializing slowly.
It is best to socialize a puppy with trainers’ advice; this information will help you understand How to Socialize your Puppy.
As you work through the training, remember to create positive experiences for the puppy, to keep it energized! Smiling and praising the puppy is essential when they have mastered the task. Give them treats to show your appreciation, as it will help the puppy recognize that he has completed the job perfectly. Your attitude toward helping your puppy by guiding him to being energized will go a long way in helping to create a brave, strong puppy that does not feel overwhelmed. Always praise his good behaviour.
Exploring his new home
How soon should you start to socialize with your new puppy? The best is to start as soon as you bring a Puppy home.
It is a great idea to start in the yard so the puppy will begin to know where he can go to eliminate as there is grass and soil to explore, helping him train to go outdoors to destroy and not in your home. When the puppy is in the house, he will discover many surfaces, such as tiles, carpets, hardwood and more. He will also learn new sounds and smells, of other pets, such as birds or the meowing of a loved cat. Securing places and things you do not want a puppy to enter or touch is vital. Puppy-proofing your home is essential for puppies’ well-being, and it will help the puppy stay safe, giving you peace of mind.
Encouraging Puppy
If you have windows with a ledge, keep the blinds or curtains open so your puppy can watch the outdoors and see cars driving by, children riding bicycles, your neighbours, and other animals such as squirrels, dogs and more. It will help the puppy become more robust with his surroundings.
Touching your Puppy
When socializing your puppy, many factors come into play as sensory, including:
Beautiful sights when you are out and walking sounds like horns, a car driving by, smells, tastes and being touched. Puppies love to cuddle as this sensory helps them calm down. Scratching behind the ears and rubbing the lower back is another sensory that will help the puppy feel calm. Helping your puppy get accustomed to being touched differently is vital to their well-being.
- Belly rubs will feel amazing to help you feel safe and calm. Touching and holding their paws will help the puppy get used to getting their nails trimmed. Rubbing and touching their tails will also help them feel relaxed.
- Get a Puppy a finger toothbrush and rub the puppy’s teeth to get him accustomed to having his teeth cleaned daily.
- Placing the puppy on his back and rubbing his belly will also create calmness, also having the Puppy move in different positions, like sitting, lying on their side or lying on his back, will help the puppy feel calm.
The many sensories you have taught your puppy through touch will prepare the puppy for his first visit to the vet’s office, and when examined, he will remember the calming feeling he received as a puppy.
Talking your Puppy Outdoors
One common mistake of puppy owners is overwhelming their puppy, doing too much too soon or too quickly; walking around the block or taking your puppy for a car ride can be frightening with all the outdoor noises.
When taking your new puppy for an outing:
- If the puppy looks tired, with drooping ears and is walking slowly.
- Frequent stops during his walks or when playing
- The puppy is scratching his ear and is constantly yawning.
- Panting constantly
When socializing your puppy, it is best to keep the training short to approximately 10 minutes; it may not sound like a long walk but imagine the new experiences your puppies will get just on a 10-minute walk. The puppy will see many cars, neighbours walking, squirrels trying to find nuts, birds chirruping, and even scents by another dog. If you and your puppy are walking on a busy street with many cars, like the main highway, it is best to keep your walks short and closer to home so you can return home quickly. Puppy can improve a calming environment in that he is familiar.
Puppy is Scared
When you are socializing your puppy, never force your puppy to interact or be placed in a situation where he is afraid. Forcing your puppy into a frightening experience will create the opposite of what you were trying to achieve. It’s best to take a slow approach. It will calm the puppy, and remember to praise it and give treats for good behaviour. Also, let the puppy take training in stride and encourage learning at his own pace, never forcing as it will cause fear they might never forget.
Suppose your puppy is scared of an experience; it is best to immediately remove them from the situation. For example, if you see your Puppy hiding, it’s because it’s afraid of the loud noises of the washer and dryer or a vacuum. Removing the puppy from the situation will help the puppy calm down. Stop the vacuum, hide it, and try again in a couple of days. The next day, leave the vacuum turned off to encourage the puppy to play next to the machine by placing a favourite toy to distract him, letting him sniff, investigating at his own pace, and when he is comfortable, praise him with a treat for a job well done.
Puppy Immunizations
It would help if you prepared your puppy for socialization to stay healthy and without diseases. They need to receive vaccines at eight weeks, twelve weeks, and sixteen weeks to build immunity which takes three weeks from the time puppy has received vaccines. Do not take your puppies to places where many older dogs have peed and pooped, like doggie parks and streets where dogs have walked.
Talk to your veterinarian when it is safe for your puppy to socialize with dogs and people, so they don’t get ill. If you want to walk your puppy through dog parks, it is crucial not to let the puppy walk until immunizations are complete. Dog parks carry many diseases transmissible to puppies, harming their health. It is best to be safe as there will be mature dogs that will play through and will cause injuries to your puppy.
Playdates & Playmates
Puppies need to learn to get along with other dogs, so the best way is to create an atmosphere where you can introduce them to other puppies on an outing or in your home.
When setting up a playdate for your puppy, it’s best to socialize them with other puppies or older calm dogs. Puppies will play gently, whereas a fully matured dog will be heavier and can cause your puppy pain if he accidentally steps on his paw. Inviting a friend or a family member along on your walks will help set up some time for the puppies to get to know each other and play. Make sure that puppies have received all vaccines. Set a playdate in your backyard or at your house where puppies can play together.
Looking for a furry friend
Don’t know anyone else with a puppy? Look through your guide to search for a Doggie Daycare center where you can take your puppy to socialize. Day-cares will separate larger dogs by age group so that an eight-week-old puppy will play in the same age group and not with older dogs. Are you looking for ideas to play at home or a friend’s home? There are many options to create playdates in your area. It is an excellent way to socialize your new puppy in a safe environment and receive Puppy Socialization Classes; plus, it gives you time to calmly go out for yourself, as we all need time.
Dog-Friendly Places
There are many things you can do with your new puppy:
Car Rides are a great way to get your puppy transported to different places in his life, including Vet Visits, Playdates, Friend’s homes and more. It is essential to ride safely!
Meeting People with hats and sunglasses, people in wheelchairs, and dogs in a stroller, meeting people of race, size, age, gender and appearance. Taking a friend or a child along on your walk might help your puppy stay calm.
Pet Stores – Puppy Socialization
You are socializing your Puppy in Pet Stores stores where dog toys and toys that have sounds and smell from fresh dog bones what a great way to create a happy place to socialize your puppy, and while there, buy them a favourite toy or a winter coat for the winter.
City Living has many areas to have an active puppy socialize in a city, and if you live out in the country or a quiet suburb, look to expose your puppy to an area with lots of people, like a park.
