When you get a puppy, it’s all about the love. But did you know that a puppy’s most critical social period is between ages 6 and 12 weeks? During this time, he is most open to learning about the world around him. He gains confidence around new things – men with beards, kids on bikes, other dogs, things that move and make noise. He needs to meet lots of people and play with other puppies his age – and receive gentle handling. Even if he’s older when you adopt him, don’t just keep your pup at home – he is ready to learn!
Your puppy needs to be safe, too. He isn’t ready to go to places where there are lots of unknown dogs. His exposures need to be mild for now – both for his health and well-being:
- His immune system is immature. Your vet needs to give him an exam and puppy vaccinations against diseases – and keep him up to date. But after he has his first puppy shot, you should get him out and about. He’s ready to roll.
- He’s not ready to play in the big leagues yet. Avoid situations that are very exciting – such as social interactions with unknown dogs, noisy fireworks, and hordes of kids. They are stressful could overload him and cause long-term fear.
The best thing you can do for your puppy is to enroll him in an organized puppy kindergarten class. There he will develop confidence around strangers and new things. He’ll also learn good dog-to-dog play skills. You’ll have fun, too, and learn great things about your puppy’s personality. Puppy K is the most important class your dog will ever take. Be sure he doesn’t miss out!
- DO look for a class with trainers who have solid training credentials, and where puppies are grouped by age.
- DO check that training methods are always kind and gentle – puppies should be rewarded for doing good things, never punished for being wrong.
Contact us if you have questions about early puppy development, or want to find lessons for your pup: info@spry.dog
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