When we meet puppy owners for the first time we always bring up meeting 100 people and 100 dogs before they turn one. This doesn't actually mean you have to walk up to 100 people and 100 dogs and make a direct connection with them- what we mean to say is you should expose your puppy to a variety of dogs and people before turning one. This can be walking in your neighborhood and waving to your neighbors and their dog from a distance. It can be exposing them to drive thru restaurants or banks- even car washes; there is so much more to socialization than dog and people interactions.
Puppies need to be exposed to as many sounds and textures as possible in that first year. It prevents them from growing into fearful adults afraid of anything new.
Some overlooked exposure ideas include:
Vacuums
Concrete
Cars
Tile
Kitchen appliances
Hardwood
Stairs
Ramps
Automatic doors
Hair Dryer
Bathtub (the loudness of the running water is typically what they are afraid of at bath time)
Kid toys
Sand
Carpet
Busy parks
One thing that can help puppies meet their human interaction quota is hosting a puppy party once a month. This is as simple as hosting a dinner once a month and having everyone over to play and pet the puppy. The timeframe doesn't have to be terribly long. Duration is not the goal- just exposure in numbers.
A few other places to help meet your dog/human exposure are the following:
Beaches (it is typically limited hours-check ahead)
Public Parks (most are dog friendly)
Hardware Stores
Craft Stores
Drive thrus
Car Washes
Outdoor festivals (we are lucky to have them year round here)
Feed Stores
Pet stores
State Parks are great too, and our local one has a dog park
Dog Park in Waycross ( We only recommend this one, because we frequently go and there are no other dogs there off leash but plenty of humans on the playground and running the track. Dog parks can be dangerous in high numbers or with a pushy crowd).
Vet Office ( A perfect time to get your puppy loving the vet to make future visits easier).
Grooming Shops ( It is important to expose them to all the sounds and equipment at a young age).
Grooming shops are sometimes avoided until the puppy is older (which means they can become harder to manage in the tub at home). It is best to start them off once fully vaccinated to become familiar with the tools and equipment used in groom shops.
A few things you can do at home until the puppy is vaccinated for the groom shop.
Handle feet/toes daily starting from back and working down to toes.
Begin brushing with the appropriate brush for your puppy's hair type.
Practice getting in and out of the bath tub (so they can get comfortable standing on the slick surface).
Blow dry ( your home hair dryer is much quieter than the force dryers used in shops but this makes the transition much smoother when the time comes).
Rub ears, muzzle and tail daily as well those are sensitive spots, but will also need cleaning.
Socialization is also getting them used to the equipment you will be using in the public places when the time comes. We recommend starting all the equipment inside, then outside, and lastly on the field trips of your choosing.
The following are things we use with puppies in public and what we use to prep for groom shops as well.
Collar for Identification
Front Clip Harness (pullers)
Back Clip Harness (non pullers)
Treat Pouch (for all grooming exercises and public outings)
Licki Mat (We use for grooming/bath time exposure)
Socialization is so critical in helping shape a well rounded adult dog. If they miss out on these places as puppies it makes doing these things as adults much harder than it has to be. One field trip a week and one puppy party a month can help prep for the best case scenario as they turn into adults. We socialized our pack a lot the first 3 years of their lives by local field trips and fostering. It made it so much easier to travel with them when we started that part of our life.
As a force free dog trainer, I am constantly asked, "well...what do YOU use for your dogs?" These are the exact products I use to keep the seniors in my pack as healthy and comfortable as possible. Full disclosure- as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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