Puppy socialization

It is very important that puppies are well socialized as it prepares them to cope with living as part of a household. Although dogs need to get on with other animals it is most important that they are comfortable with their human carers above everything else. Well socialized puppies are more likely to form positive and strong bonds with their owners and animal housemates. They will also be able to adapt to any changes within their environment without becoming distressed. This has a positive effect on your dog’s welfare and the relationship they have with you and other pets in the household throughout their life. Puppies that have not been socialized from an early age are far less likely to be able to cope with living in a home environment, so before you get a new puppy always ask how the breeder has socialized them.

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Dogs are a social species, but they need to be exposed to a variety of people, objects and sounds from a young age. This greatly increases the chances of them being friendly and interactive pets. Socializing involves introducing lots of new things to a puppy, in a positive and controlled manner. It is worth noting that puppies with easy going and relaxed parents are more likely to be confident in the presence of humans themselves. It is therefore always advisable for prospective new puppy owners to view the parent dogs and to assess their personalities before purchasing their new puppy.

The ‘sensitive period’ for puppies; when puppies are most responsive to learning and forming positive associations and bonds with humans or other animals, starts around three weeks of age and finishes at approximately 12-14 weeks of age. Socialization should therefore start at a very early age while the puppy is still with the breeder. A new owner can then continue to build on this.  It is also important to note that the first “fear period” for puppies occurs at around 8–10 weeks of age. This is right around the time a puppy will usually be joining their new home. It is important not to overwhelm your puppy and to keep any new experiences positive during this time.

It is important to start handling puppies when they are two weeks old. All the puppies should be handled while their mother and littermates are present. Initially only people that the mother is familiar with should have contact with the puppies, so the puppies understand that their mother is not distressed by the process. The mother should be given some fuss or distracted with a treat, so she is happy while her puppies are gently handled. Puppies from mothers that are anxious or fearful around people are more likely to be upset in the presence of humans.

Anyone handling young puppies should always wash their hands and puppies should be handled safely, with minimal distance from the floor. The handler should kneel down. Try not to ‘loom over’ the puppy if possible as this can be frightening for them.

Handling sessions should start slowly and for short periods only (a couple of minutes) giving each puppy time to become accustomed to being gently stroked and then picked up and placed back with the rest of the litter. Start by gently touching or stroking the puppy’s head, chin and back and eventually the rest of the body, observing closely for any signs that the puppy is not happy – stop if the puppy seems distressed in any way. Gentle handling is really important as it will help the puppies form a positive association with being touched. Always use a soft voice to reassure the puppies and help them feel relaxed during handling. Never use rough handling or play to ‘teach’ the puppy a lesson, it will not work and may result in the puppy developing fear or aggression toward people and handling.

Handling can last 30-40 minutes a day (no more than one hour a day) and this can be split into two sessions, if need be, providing the mother and puppies are happy and not disturbed too much. Towards the end of the socialization period, puppies can be gently examined in more sensitive areas such as the ears, paws, mouth, and tail. This will mimic how they are examined during a health assessment at the veterinary practice, making examinations less stressful for the puppy and easier for the veterinary team.

Ideally, at least four different people should handle the puppies during socialization. Research has shown that this can help puppies become less fearful of unfamiliar people as they get older. If possible, these people should be of different ages, genders, and races to help the puppies become used to a variety of people.

Studies have shown that regularly handling puppies right up until nine weeks gives even better results, producing more friendly puppies.

Ideally, puppies should stay with their litter mates until around 8-12 weeks of age to learn how to interact with other dogs. Many breeders are actually keeping hold of their puppies until at least 10-12 weeks to provide a couple of extra weeks of dog-to-dog interactions.

Contact with calm and friendly dogs or cats can be introduced from around six weeks of age. Initially some scent from the other cat or dog is collected on a clean cloth. The puppy can then investigate the cloth and offering treats or toys at the same time will help the puppy form a positive association with the scent. Visiting cats should be contained behind a barrier so the cat can choose to interact or not and the puppy can investigate from a distance. Visiting dogs should be kept on a lead or behind a barrier throughout the process. It is worth bearing in mind that these sessions should be a positive experience for the puppy and visiting cat or dog, so great care should be taken to ensure that both participants do not become startled or frightened. A slow, staged approach is less likely to cause alarm in puppies who are experiencing their first encounter with another dog or cat.

Puppies who are not socialized with cats are far more likely to react undesirably towards cats as adults. It is worth taking the time to work on this aspect of their socialization, especially if it is known that puppies will be going to households with cats.

Puppies can be introduced to items such as brushes, collars, nail clippers and food puzzles during the socialization period. These items should be introduced slowly, one at a time – not bringing in a new object until the puppy is comfortable with the previous one. Allow the puppies to become accustomed to the smell, sounds, shape and texture of the objects. Leaving the objects with the litter will encourage the puppies to start exploring at their own pace.

There is another critical time in a puppy’s development – the juvenile period, which is between approximately twelve weeks and six months of age. In this period puppies should continue to be exposed to noises from household appliances, eg washing machine or vacuum cleaner, and the sight/smell/texture of new flooring or furniture. If puppies are raised in a home environment (rather than in a sterile breeding kennel) they can naturally become accustomed to these stimuli in a positive way. This habituation can also carry on once you have your puppy at home with you. This can be done in a positive manner by using treats and play, plus keeping an eye on your pet’s body language to ensure they are relaxed with any new experiences or sounds. Puppies should continue to have positive encounters with:

• Other animals and people: until your puppy has completed all its vaccinations you will not be able to take it out into the wider world to meet other dogs. It is best to make sure all these early encounters with other dogs are done in a controlled environment. Take your puppy to puppy socializing classes where they can meet other friendly young dogs in a planned manner. If your puppy runs up to an unknown dog in the park the dog may snap at them, and this can affect your puppy’s confidence. Meeting new people should also be done in a positive and controlled way. Use a verbal cue like ‘say hi’ and give the person some low value treats to offer them. You can then get the puppy to come back to you with the use of higher value treats. Remember not to force the puppy, it should be their choice whether to interact or not.
• Methods of transport: try to let your puppy experience buses and trains (and even a ferry if possible) as well as the car. You never know when you might need to take your dog on public transport in the future.
• Textures: puppies should be given objects of all different textures, sizes and forms to investigate in their own time. Treats can be given, or owners can play with the puppy in or around new objects or flooring to encourage further exploration and a positive association.
• Sounds: puppy socialization sounds can be downloaded online to help habituate puppies to noises like fireworks, thunder and traffic. These sounds should be played as a background noise at a low volume at first and then the volume increased with time. Puppies may become startled if sounds are played at too high a volume too quickly.

All puppies develop at different rates, it is important not to push your puppy too hard. If they seem anxious or wary of anything then just stop for the day and try again, more slowly, another time. You should also think about how you could introduce the new experience in a different way, for example starting at a greater distance to the object.

It is very important that puppies are socialized correctly so that they can fit into a normal household and enjoy the company of humans and other animals. Socialization must be started early because there is only a short window of a few months when the puppy is open to accepting any new experiences. These should be introduced in a controlled and positive manner. While it is still possible to train dogs to accept new situations when they are older, it can take much more time and patience. If you need any advice on socializing your puppy, contact your veterinary practice for help.