11 Tips To Socializing Your Puppy

Going places where your puppy can interact with dogs while you maintain distance from other people, here are 11 tips for socializing your puppy.

Going places where your puppy can interact with dogs while you maintain distance from other people, here are 11 tips for socializing your puppy, so he gets comfortable with people from all walks of life and other dogs as well.

1. Get him as familiar with other people as possible. Take him with you when you go to the store, and allow him to go with you everywhere you go. He should be exposed to other people, other dogs, and dogs at least once a day if not many times.

2. If you have friends who have dogs, invite them over. Let your puppy be around dogs of various kinds, including horses, cats, goats, birds, and more, whenever you want to.

3. Introduce your puppy to children. Let them play with him, and let him sit on children's laps while they play. He should be accustomed to them, and they to him. You should never leave your puppy unsupervised around children.

4. When you are with other people, let your puppy be around them whenever you can. He should be exposed to various kinds of people, including strangers.

5. When you go out, introduce him to the whole world of traffic. Let him experience all there is to see and listen to. Allow him to walk near big trucks and other vehicles.

6. Get your puppy used to being on a leash. Let him walk next to a running child, and next to a dog about to jump onto a table. He should be able to experience various types of leash handling.

7. When you take him for walks, be sure to take him to an open area. Don't lead him down a dark alley and make sure his ears are safely covered. If you are walking him in a park, keep his leash long and let him experience several sidewalks, streets, and alleys. Don't let him run too far ahead and don't let him go very far behind you. Make sure he is close to you most of the time, and let him experience lots of sights and sounds.

8. When he is ready for a walk, let him have his way with the lead. Let him run in different directions, so he is prepared to handle different situations. If he begins to feel uncomfortable, call him back to you. If he does not come, let him off the lead. If he starts to bark in anxiety, let him come when he is calm.

9. Keep your puppy safe while on leash. Let him roam safely and freely, and don't let him get in the wrong place or accidentally step on anything he shouldn't. If you don't want a person approaching your puppy, walk on the opposite side of the street and keep him close enough so that he can see the other person.

10. Your puppy will be with you a lot of the time, so he needs to feel safe. Let him do a lot of his exploring around the house and with his family. But, when you are home give him plenty of opportunities to feel secure. Let him feel wanted and loved.

11. If you are going to travel with your puppy, make sure he is properly vaccinated. Don't let him get a disease. He needs all of his shots and should have been dewormed. He should also be thoroughly examined for ticks or spider infections.

Categories: Socialization