It’s sometimes easy to forget, but young puppies are literally baby dogs. They have not been on this Earth very long and do not understand the ways of the world. Through their exploration they will discover gravity, inertia and how to their bodies through space. They will learn about their environment through new smells, tastes, sights, sounds, and sensations. Puppies aren’t born understanding verbal language but of course, can begin to comprehend some of our words over time. It’s up to their new families to help their puppy navigate this very important stage of development. During their Socialization (or sometimes called Sensitive) period, which is from about three to twelve weeks of age, we have the opportunity to make a positive impression, create optimism and help puppies become more confident. According to the book Your Puppy and You, there are four cornerstones to keep in mind as you help your puppy grow into the dog of your dreams.

Puppies need to learn about the world around them. We call this Socialization.

Socialization is much more than introducing puppies to other dogs and people, it’s about introducing them to the big wide world around them at a pace and intensity that they can handle.

Puppies are social creatures and need emotional bonds with their family members. We call this Bonding.

Bonding can be very different for different puppies and occurs when the human family members and their puppies are engaged in activities with a focus on each other. Some puppies love to cuddle, others like to run errands, still others will enjoy playing with members of their human and canine family. It’s important to find those things that everyone enjoys doing together.

Puppies need an outlet for their natural tendencies. We call this Enrichment.

This can include chewing on puppy approved enrichment toys, chasing after a ball rolled across the ground, or digging in a sand pit with buried toys made especially for puppies who show they need to dig. Puppies have natural tendencies that need to be expressed mentally and physically. Finding ways to help them do these things in an appropriate way will help everyone live better together.

Puppies need us to teach them what we need them to do, when and where we need them to do it. We call this Training.

Training includes teaching our dogs to do specific behaviors, like keeping their feet on the ground when interacting with people and where to potty. It also includes learning our routines, and learning how to understand and communicate with their family members. Training is a two way street. It also includes the family learning how to understand and communicate with their puppy.

Finding a well-run, positive reinforcement based puppy class can go a long way to helping families and their puppies with all four of these objectives. For additional ideas on how to provide more Socialization, Bonding, Enrichment and Training for your puppy, check out the book Your Puppy and You.

© Laura Hills 2023 www.thedogsspot.com