Puppy Socialization: How To Help Your Pup With Positive Experiences

Naturally, not every puppy comes from responsible beginnings. For the shelter puppy, one from a rescue group, or perhaps even a stray from completely unknown origins, your immediate attention to socialization can work wonders. This is the moments of your puppy’s life that can make or break his behavior and reaction to the outside world (as well as inside the house), for years to come.

However, keep in mind that, whether a few weeks or a few months old, coming home with you is a scary experience for a puppy. Give him a few days to adapt before taking him anywhere else.

Home soon provides a wonderful, secure environment for beginning socialization. The television, radio, blender and other appliances prepare your puppy for “strange” noises he may encounter later. Allowing him  on different floorings, like vinyl, tile, wood and carpet, readies him for walking at the veterinarian’s office, pet supply store, friend’s homes, and more.

Of course every puppy is an individual and this fact greatly affects how you socialize your particular canine. Study your new addition, noting how he approaches unfamiliar objects and scenarios. A bold, fearless puppy frequently requires redirection to prevent him from jumping in headfirst, while a slightly timid or cautious youngster might need encouragement even in perfectly safe situations.

Professional trainers suggest that when your puppy shows hesitation towards something, don’t baby him. For instance, if your pup dislikes the slippery feel of vinyl, place a few pieces in or near his play area during supervised times. As you interact with him, purposefully disregard it when he “accidentally” places a foot on the vinyl. Your matter-of-fact attitude helps allay his concerns.

Alternatively, you can try throwing a favorite toy or treats onto the vinyl floor, enough so your pup’s feet make contact. This places his focus on having fun rather than worrying where he steps. As his confidence grows, sitting yourself on the vinyl floor further helps him forget his fears in order to join his favorite person.

These examples of positive, non-force methods illustrates how giving your puppy the time he needs builds confidence in his own abilities. Conversely, forcing a dog to confront and deal with something he is uncomfortable with, often called “flooding”, can be successful, but much depends on the dog, the issue, and application of the method. Done incorrectly, fears increase rather than decrease. For other than experienced trainers, positive works best.

Make Socialization Fun: Plan A Safe Puppy Playdate

Puppies should be exposed to, and allowed to play with, other healthy, vaccinated puppies and dogs (as long as everyone plays nicely). Puppy playdates are a great way to let your pup socialize and learn to properly interact with its fellow canine buddies. When puppies don’t interact with other puppies, they never learn social cues from other dogs, which can lead to fear or dog-aggression as the pup grows into adulthood.

However, make sure you take your puppy out for positive experiences at the right time and in the right places. Having the right vaccinations is vital to your pup’s  health. Although specifics vary, depending on your vet and region of the country, most vets recommend a core set of vaccinations be given two to four weeks apart. A common schedule is canine parvovirus, adenovirus-2, parainfluenza and canine distemper at 8, 12 and 16 weeks.

Several days after puppies have completed their initial vaccinations, they can socialize with other well-cared-for puppies, and go to small public gatherings. However, it would be wise to wait until after 12 to 16 weeks of age and the completion of the final vaccinations before taking puppies to a larger public place, such as a dog park or dog show.

Puppy socialization class is a wonderful way to have your pup interact with lots of other puppies. You can make friends at these classes and set up home playdates with other new pups or dogs.

It’s best to introduce the dogs while on-leash or on opposite sides of a fence or barrier before allowing them to interact, especially if you don’t know the other dog well. Many adult dogs are good with young dogs, and can teach them proper doggie manners, but its important to watch out for aggressive adults. When in doubt, just don’t let your pup play.

Although new and different experiences are important to a puppy’s development, it’s also important not to overwhelm the little guy or gal. Let your pup stand back, observe and move at its own pace. Owners of more than one young puppy at a time know that every pup’s personality is different, and while one may find a specific new experience exciting, the other may start out with a nervous perception, and may need extra time to adjust.

The most important thing to keep in mind when setting up puppy playdates is that the experiences are best kept positive when all dogs are matched by age, size and personality type. The key aspect of a playdate is that you have plenty of supervision and make certain you allow for rest or nap time.

Growing Into Adulthood With Socialization Training

When raising a new puppy, you will find all kinds of information and articles that help you understand how to feed your puppy, housetraining, and grooming tips. Today we want to brush up on how to get your puppy to experience a positive upbringing by way of socialization.

Growing into adulthood is a very important topic that should be taken into consideration. While even animals in the wild will eventually grow to maturity with no human care all, it is important for your new puppy to develop a certain sociability, a willingness and desire to live with and around people, and to accept his owner’s word as law, since such is his lot in life.

Proper Socialization Doesn’t Happen By Accident

This socialization is accomplished not haphazardly, not by chance, but rather by diligence, hard work, and intelligent handling. Exposing a puppy to a variety of stimuli and gently, patiently, guiding him with each new experience will serve to create a confident, well-educated, socially acceptable canine.

The spooky dog, the fear-biter, the animal who backs away when approached, and many other dogs who behave in socially unacceptable fashions were created by neglect; neglect on the part of their owners to expose them to what the world has in store. Often these poor, neurotic animals are filed as the unfortunate status of “outdoor dogs” since they have become virtually uncontrollable under normal living conditions as family pets.

Proper socialization includes exposure to noises, unfamiliar people and places, other animals, children, travel, and other such stress-like situations. Puppies may be cautious about unusual and unknown things. Their lack of confidence may be demonstrated by barking, backing away, whining, or acting with nastiness.

Reassuring your puppy, talking to him quietly, giving praise, and coaxing him to explore the offending object or person will teach them that there is nothing to fear. Each time he overcomes his anxiety, new self-confidence is developed and he will find his next unfamiliar situation less threatening.

His exposure to people and children should be treated in a similar fashion. Many puppies are quite comfortable with all types of people, big or small, but just as many are timid when presented with unfamiliar faces. Ask strangers and children to play with the puppy, to pet him and gently encourage him to make friends. Kneeling to his level or sitting beside him on the floor will eliminate some of the trepidation he might feel by their mere size or quickness of the children’s movements.

One Last Word About Children…

Very young children should be allowed to play with animals only under direct adult supervision. A puppy is not a stuffed toy and should the child mishandle him, the animal could be irrevocably damaged regarding his adjustment to all children in the future. Therefore, if your child is too young to understand the concept of gentleness, by all means wait before bringing a little pup into the household or you may want to consider buying an adolescent puppy (4 to 9 months old) rather than an infant one.

Proper Diet & Feeding Instructions For Puppies

Feeding your new puppy can be as simple or as complicated as you care to make it. You will undoubtedly get feeding suggestions from breeders, shelter operators, friends, dog books and magazines, and perhaps even your personal recollections of past experiences with other dogs you have owned. Of course, in the end, the proper advice to listen to comes from a professional breeder or your veterinarian.

However, basic guidelines can be established for diet. Puppies should be fed frequently (generally 3 times each day) and should be allowed to eat all that they want at each meal during their rapid growth period, which is up to approximately 9 months of age.

Keep Your Puppy On A Steady Diet

A steady diet is better for the majority of dogs than are scraps and leftovers which may be lacking the proper nutritional elements for growth and development. Milk is a fine addition to a puppy’s diet if it does not cause an allergic reaction such as diarrhea or vomiting. Should either of the signs occur, a switch to powdered or canned, condensed milk, may be substituted to supply calcium for growing bones and teeth.

Many puppies too well on a diet of semi-moist foods (those packed in cellophane) or dry meals mixed with some canned food for flavoring. The semi-moist and dry foods provide a high calorie energy supply while the canned foods supply a palatability.

For tiny puppies or toy breed dogs, the semi-moist and serial type foods can be made into a mix if necessary. Water should always be available in each be changed as often as necessary to keep it fresh, clean, and cool (but not ice cold).

Make Changes Slowly

Quite often, finding the proper food for a new puppy is a matter of trial and error. A safe procedure to follow is steering clear of all additives until the animal can tolerate his basic diet with no diarrhea or vomiting. That is, if the puppy is to be fed canned food, make sure he is doing well on that diet before adding oil, eggs, or other supplements that may tend to cause intestinal upsets.

Should changes in diet be necessary, it is generally adding a new food and decreasing the amount of the original food over a period of several days until a complete changeover has been accomplished. For those dogs that come equipped with loose bowels, a bland diet is advisable.

Cooked, drained ground beef mixed with an equal amount of boiled rice is easy to digest and may help firm up stools until a trip to the veterinarian can be arranged. Remember that water is very important to any animal’s diet, especially those dehydrated by diarrhea or other diseases, as well as those puppy’s which are fed dry or semi-moist foods.

Always Feed Your Puppy At The Same Time Each Day

Foods should be offered on a regular time schedule. This will not only help your puppy to adjust to the family routine, but will also be an invaluable aid in housetraining. After each feeding, his dish should be removed and any remaining food discarded or refrigerated until the next meal time.

Leaving food down for your dog to have access to at all times will only encourage picky eating and poor habits. Not to mention it makes housetraining nearly impossible and can cause your puppy to have food poisoning, especially during the summer months when spoilage is common.

Housetraining Your New Puppy (Part 2)

When initiating housetraining, always keep in mind that until a puppy is 7 months old, his control over excretory functions is extremely limited. At least once per hour, and possible more often, he will have to relieve himself.

These urges are even more pronounced after sleeping, eating, and playing. By keeping the puppy confined to a relatively small area lined with papers, you will assure that he does not have the opportunity to make a mistake and necessitate verbal reprimand. He will naturally seek the place furthest from his sleeping quarters to soil so that he may keep his own bed clean.

Therefore, take this cue and, after he naps, eats or plays, place him on his papers or outside in the yard. When your puppy soils where you have placed him, praise the dog immensely, but make it sincere. Unconvincing praise doesn’t fool anyone, even an eight week old puppy.

And as a side note, apartment dwellers and owners who are away at work all day are generally are more successful paper-training a puppy until his is old enough to have considerably control.

Keep Supervision Tight For The Free-Roaming Puppy

If the puppy is allowed to roam about other areas of the house, be sure he is carefully supervised. Should he lower his head, sniff and begin to circle, be quick! Get him onto his papers or into the yard immediately. When he relieves himself, praise, and lots of it, is in order. However, if, through your fault, he has an accident, no spanking or rubbing his nose in it, please!

Such punishment does not fit the crime, being too degrading and encouraging such habits as stool eating (and thereby re-infestation with parasites). By all means show him what he has done, scold him and place him on the papers. But remember, the accident was your fault for not supervising him properly or not being aware of his warning signals, so go easy on him. Be sure that the soiled area is carefully cleaned, deodorized and disinfected as any remaining scent will surely prompt him to return to that very spot when the urge next hits him.

Housetrain Older Dogs The Same As You Would A Young Puppy

For the older dog, paper training is generally superfluous. Regular outings timed to coincide with his peak urgency periods (which, by the way, are the same as a young puppy’s: after meals, naps, and play periods) should accomplish training in short order. While confinement to a very small area is probably unnecessary, supervision and praise must never be forgotten. They are the magic “tricks” to housetraining any dog.

Housetraining Your New Puppy (Part 1)

Housetraining seems to be the most common nemesis of all dog owners. Left unsupervised, a puppy can spend months in a home without catching the slightest hint of what housetraining is all about. And if over-supervised and harassed, he may become neurotic and overanxious.

A happy medium does exist, of course, but many pet owners seem unwilling or unable to make the necessary commitments to the tried and true methods established by professional dog trainers. In the long run, a few weeks of effort will result in a truly housetrained pup, with a minimum of effort and strain on both you and your pet.

Housetraining Rule Number 1: Confinement

There are several important factors to consider in housetraining. The first of these factors is confinement in a relatively small area that has an easy-to-clean floor and is not isolated from the rest of the family (using a playpen is perfect). Far from being cruel as most dog owners complain, confinement reassures the young puppy and allows him to become completely familiar with the surroundings without being overwhelmed with the size or complexity of your entire home.

Confinement keeps little paws and playful teeth out of range of dangerous places, while ensuring that your dog is close to his papers, or the door to the yard, whenever the urge to use the bathroom comes over him. This means he is more likely to behave correctly than to have an accident, which results in lots of praise and affection from you.

Praise

And that is the second important factor in housetraining: praise. Your praise and approval are more important to your puppy than practically anything else in his life. A mere scowl out of anger can start him sulking in sadness while a pat on the head or a few kind words will set his tail wagging and put a big smile on his little face. Young puppies respond much more quickly and effectively to praise and encouragement than they do the physical correction. Therefore, we believe that there is no place for physical punishment for any puppy.

Consistency

Consistency is the third vital factor in housetraining. Consistency in schedule, in feeding habits, in praise and reward for proper behavior and in verbal reprimand when accidents occur, is of supreme importance.

Scolding occasionally for accidents but ignoring others, feeding at irregular intervals, lack of praise for soiling on the dog’s papers or in the yard – all will only serve to confuse and discourage your puppy. So be consistent and have total awareness: your awareness of your puppy’s whereabouts, his needs and urges, and his signals informing you of what’s on his mind.

Puppy health: Veterinarian, Vaccinations, & Over-The-Counter Medications

Having a happy puppy means keeping him healthy, and one of the primary concerns in raising a young pup is making sure he is in the best of health. This can be accomplished by starting out with good quality veterinarian care. In fact, bringing your new pup straight from the breeder, pet shop, or shelter, directly to the veterinarian is a wise beginning, especially when many pups come equipped with a short-term health guarantee.

Although your puppy’s doctor may not be able to foresee what the dog may be incubating, he can certainly point out congenital defects, lack of adequate care, and diseases that are already established and showing signs. He can also advise you about vaccinations, worming, and nutrition.

These three factors will be essential to keeping your puppy healthy during his early formal months. In fact, all puppy care advice should be absorbed with the complete and total understanding that definitive information on the individual puppy’s care should come exclusively from the veterinarian.

General Vaccinations

While vaccination procedures vary with the individual doctor and may depend on the puppy’s health and age, the general procedure is essentially the same. Your new pet will get a series of vaccinations at periodic intervals (typically 3 to 4 weeks) which will protect him until he reaches 15 to 16 weeks of age.

At this point, he will no longer be protected by the colostrum (the mother’s first milk) which supplies natural antibodies to protect newborn puppies temporarily against distemper. When he has outgrown this initial protection, the modified live distemper vaccine will have its full effect and will protect him for a year against the disease.

There is, at this time, no vaccine that is truly permanent. Every dog should have yearly booster vaccinations against distemper, hepatitis, and leptospirosis. If your new dog is over 14 weeks of age, then he will probably only need the final injection in the series to provide year-long immunity.

The rabies vaccine is not generally administered until a dog has reached approximately 6 months of age. However, in order to guarantee that your puppy is fully protected, it is extremely important to follow your veterinarian’s advice about the number and proper timing for vaccinations.

Protect Your Puppy From Over-The-Counter Medications

Several over-the-counter worming preparations are available for the pet owner to try. While many of these may be harmless when given to the healthy adult animal, they are potentially dangerous especially to the unthrifty puppy who is severely debilitated by parasitization and its side effects, or other unrelated diseases.

First days in a new home

As a new puppy owner, before you can properly digest the high amounts of information regarding feeding, training, and socializing your pup, let us say one brief word about your new pet’s first night in his new home.

This experience, by its very nature, will be a frightening one for him. Do not shower him with affection and attention during his first few hours. In fact, it is a good idea to have his personal area already set up before he arrives and place the puppy in it and allow him to investigate as soon as you get him home.

His bed, a water dish, and plenty of newspapers are the basic furnishings that will be necessary. In addition to these necessities, a toy or two (I recomend soft, furry toys that will provide him with a sense of security), and a great deal of peace and quiet will be all he really needs for a while. If you like, sit down quietly nearby to reassure him as he orients himself.

No Food Please

Feeding should be postponed for a few hours until he has become somewhat acclimated to his surroundings. Between his car ride home and the excitement of his new life unfolding before his amazed eyes, chances are he will develop an upset stomach from any food offered immediately. If after a few hours, he seems hungry, offer him a light meal.

Limit The Affection

Don’t try to overload him with affection right away. There will be many long years ahead when he will need and appreciate your love and care. Right now, it will only serve to confuse him more than ever, if that’s possible. Let the family meet the puppy slowly, one at a time perhaps, and after a few gentle pats, leave him be for a while.

Avoid Unnecessary Injuries

Keep play periods short for the first few weeks, making sure the little puppy is not allowed to exhaust himself. He will soon become a full-fledged responsible family member and will be eager to play and roughhouse in due time. But right now, he is an infant and needs plenty of sleep just like his human counterparts, as well as safe play surroundings.

Do Not Be Overwhelmed

While all puppy care instructions and recommendations may seem complex at first, it is important to remember that your puppy will be learning these many things whether or not you are aware of what is happening. It is so much wiser, and easier in the end, to have him learn properly from the very start than to try to undo bad habits that have been established by improper handling or total lack of training.

Taking into account that your new dog will, hopefully, be spending at least the next decade in intimate contact with you, your family, your neighbors and friends, I hope that you will agree that following proper puppy care guidelines will be well worth the effort. Someday, someone observing your dog look at him with admiration and respect because of his radiant good health, his obvious good care, and his delightful manners.

A perfect age to bring home a puppy

What Is The Perfect Age To Bring Home A Puppy?

The day your puppy comes home to stay is often a fun and exciting time. Usually there is something that makes it a special occasion to remember, an occasions adults always seem to be able to call upon no matter how many decades have gone by.

Someday this puppy will be all grown up and hopefully following the rules of the house. But alas, you have a long way to go before a well mannered dog develops from that playful new puppy. But never fear you can make it positive and successful. You must begin right away, as soon as the little guy or gal walks in the door.

New Puppies Are Like New Babies: Lots Of Work!

It is very normal for most pups and owners to experience some difficulties within the first few days of arriving. It can’t be helped with the world of his litter mates suddenly gone and an entirely new world thrown upon them. But good humor must prevail and with patience you can accomplish things in a good way for the entire family.

The best puppy age range to bring home is commonly thought to be 6 to 8 weeks of age. But to be exact, a lot of breeders believe 9 weeks to be best. With a puppy in this age range there will be a need for frequent rest periods, mainly in the afternoon, with some in the morning.

And take heed, when your puppy first arrives in his new home he might seemingly go crazy to explore anything and everything for several days while he adjusts. But this will pass and as long your puppy isn’t in harm’s way or hurting anything then let the little squirt have at it.

The 8-Week Old Pup

If you have brought home a puppy that is 8 weeks then beware from the start. This pup is at a stage that is called the fear stage. Thus anything that is heard by the puppy or done to this puppy could cause fear that lasts a long time and takes a while for him to grow out of (if ever). So you will have to be more patient during this age and let your new puppy take the time needed to explore and adjust.

The 10-Week Old Pup

For a puppy that is 10 weeks or slightly older, you will have brought home a bundle of energy. This puppy will play more and sleep less, especially a large breed dog. But the positive aspect of this is you can more easily get your puppy to stick with you and keep his attention on you for both play time and training sessions.

Never Select A New Puppy Without The Following Considerations

He won’t be nearly as expensive as your new car and probably won’t last as long as your home, but your new puppy is bound to be more a part of your everyday life than any other single acquisition you can imagine.

The handsome, healthy, well-mannered dog that you have adored on television, at the local dog show, or at your neighbor’s house, did not get that way by accident. Rather, his care and upbringing were deliberate and well-planned in order to produce a rewarding companion and a focal point of pride within the family.

Know What You Are Getting Yourself Into

The owner who is truly compatible to his pet has surely spent some time thinking about what type of dog would be most suitable for his home, time limits, energy requirements, and purpose. Many breeds and mixed breeds can be too large, too energetic, or just plain too difficult to groom for the average owner.

To get the most pleasure from owning an animal, you should consider very carefully what you want most in a dog and how much time and effort you are willing to devote to his everyday care and upkeep.

If you are ready to take on any challenge, then great, simply choose any breed or any combination of breeds that you desire. However, if your time or willingness to cater to a dog is limited, give it some serious thought as to how much you can offer your new puppy when the fun period of puppyhood is over.

A full-grown Collie, English Sheepdog, Afghan Hound, or Poodle can be quite a chore to groom a yearly and the non-trained Irish Setter adolescents will surely wear out the otherwise placid dog owner to complete and utter exhaustion. Likewise, Your average Italian Greyhound is not suitable to protect a large country property nor can a mixed breed dog be shown in conformation or obedience competitions. So start off on the right foot by making the correct decision about what type of puppy to choose.

Take The Age Of The Pup Into Consideration

Age is an important factor in selecting a puppy. If the choice is up to you, try to bring your puppy home when he is exactly 8 weeks old. Studies have proven that this is the most ideal time for a pup to leave his dam and littermates in order to start a new relationship with a new human family.

Before a puppy is eight weeks old, he has not yet completed proper socialization with his canine peers and after that point, may develop too close an attachment to his littermates and dam, which can inhibit the strong bond that he could otherwise form with humans.

However, if the dog you are considering is not precisely 8 weeks old, and he has definitely stolen your heart, then of course do not pass up the opportunity to bring him home. Do keep in mind, however, that potential problems may come up with temperament or behavior and will require patience, extra love, and special handling later in time.