Why Socialisation is Extremely Important for Your Puppy

Dog trainers and veterinarians often tell you how important socialisation is for your pets. So what exactly is it?  It’s essentially the method used to teach puppies how to cope with the world around them as they grow. The critical socialisation period is generally from 4 to 12 weeks of age. This is the time you’d introduce your puppy to various situations they would encounter in their life. The objective is to ensure that every experience they have is positive and that they don’t become distressed in any way. 

When your puppy sees something new for the very first time, they are more likely to be startled than interested. The interest quotient comes in later, after which they decide how significant it is and whether they should pay more attention to it. The different things they would be trying to determine are whether it’s safe, can be eaten, played with or is it dangerous?

Important Facts About Canine Socialisation 

Being able to discover all this vital information in a comfortable and safe way, with positive outcomes helps them become a more balanced adult dog. Here are some facts about socialisation for puppies:

• As mentioned at the start, the critical time for socialisation is 4-12 weeks. 
• Puppies that are in the 8-10 weeks age group often experience a fear period. A negative experience during this time can create an indelible mark on their psyche. 
• Successful socialisation can be achieved by thinking carefully about the things you are doing before pushing your young puppy into any situation. 
• It’s much more than just taking your puppy to a dog park and encouraging them to mingle with other puppies there. This effort won’t be useful if your pup is unsure about the outcome or is scared. That will only have a negative effect on your puppy. 

Puppies aren’t intrinsically social animals and they won't freely associate and instinctively welcome strange dogs & other animals or even humans. It’s why they need to hone their understanding of the world through positive experiences. This can help them bond well with others. Successful socialisation is when your dog or puppy is exposed to myriad social stimuli and environments in a positive manner; this is vital in promoting confidence. 

Tips to Socialise for Success 

Archie and Keira thought it was a great idea to come to K9 Swim on such a beautiful sunny day with the top down of mum's car!

• Make every effort to expose your puppy to a range of experiences such as taking them for walks and car rides. 
• Visit family members that like puppies so your pup can explore new yards and garden areas. While you are there have your family members sit down near the puppy to play with them and feed them treats. This will reinforce that it’s fun to meet new people. 
• Introduce your pup to people from different walks of life and of different ages- children, women, men, teens on skates and skateboards, people on bikes, individuals in wheelchairs, men with beards, people with walking sticks, the plumber, the postman, the gardener etc. This is one of the best ways to diminish the fear factor for your puppy. He will slowly start accepting them as part of his environment without becoming fearful, shy or aggressive. 
• Introduce your pup to as many dogs as possible, but ensure they aren’t aggressive to other dogs. It’s important that you closely monitor all interactions in order to guard against any negative experiences. 
• Never leave your puppy alone with any other dog, especially ones that are bigger than them. The larger dog may lose inhibition and become aggressive with your puppy. Even if the dog doesn’t get aggressive, there is always the risk of them potentially injuring your pup even in normal play. 
• Don’t force your pup into new experiences. Give them a choice and let them get comfortable with new things at their own pace.

Once your pup is 3 months old they can come to K9 SWiM’s Hydrotherapy centre for a swim in our state of the art canine heated pool. K9 SWiM also runs regular Puppy Splash classes that run for six weeks where puppies will learn to socialise and get confident in the water. It is a great bonding experience for you and your pup. You will both have lots of FUN!
Check out when the next Puppy Splash starts

Here's Doug one of our Puppy Splash Graduates

Here's Boo enjoying a swim with Brooke and Sharon

You may also be interested in reading:
Canine Hydrotherapy  
Making Your Garden Dog Friendly  
How To Recognise Whether Your Dog is Anxious- Tips To Help Them Naturally