Socialisation and training are a really important aspect of puppy ownership to get right and benefit both you and your puppy.
Puppies have a fairly narrow window up until the age of approximately 16 weeks known by your veterinarian as the golden window. During this time, the stimuli they are exposed to will be accepted as normal. This opportunity should be maximised to allow your puppy to experience as many places, people, smells and sounds as possible.
Benefits to your puppy include reducing the risks of conditions such as separation anxiety, phobias or even self-mutilation as a way to release their internal stress. By being well trained and socialised your dog will be able to participate in fun activities such as doggy daycare, attending dog parks and other events where lots of dogs are present. The isolation from being poorly trained can have mental health impacts on your dog which we often don’t fully appreciate.
Training your dog has benefits for you as an owner. Having a dog who does not listen to you is very stressful and can negatively impact your ability to enjoy going out and about with your dog. Conversely, if you train and socialise your dog well, you can enjoy including them in your day-to-day life, visiting cafes, or parks without feeling stressed and anxious.
It’s a well-known fact that spending time outdoors and with animals can improve a person’s mental health, so actively socialising and training your puppy will have health benefits for yourself too.
A poorly socialised and trained puppy can cause all manner of damage through chewing or destroying items in the home, or digging in the garden or public areas. All of these behaviours are very difficult to correct once established so prevention is better than cure.
Socialisation starts from the first day you arrive home with your puppy.
If your puppy is not fully vaccinated yet, you can start socialising and training at home. Let your puppy experience a wide range of smells and sounds, such as the vacuum cleaner, and the sound of the doorbell going. Use praise and small treats to reinforce good behaviour.
When your puppy is fully vaccinated joining a puppy socialisation class or training group can be invaluable. Your puppy will learn new skills, and be exposed to lots of different stimuli and you can be supported in your learning journey by professionals. Many veterinary clinics will offer puppy parties or socialisation classes.
When you’re not at puppy classes, take your fully vaccinated dog out every day, and walk a different route each time if possible. Use public transport, and visit built-up areas such as towns or shopping districts so your puppy can be exposed to lots of different people.
Apps such as Brave Puppy can help your puppy or dog learn to adjust to new sounds that you may not regularly be exposed to such as fireworks. This means that when the season comes around, your dog will be comfortable with fireworks sounds and not become anxious or injured trying to escape the sounds. Start by playing the sounds quietly a few times a day, and gradually increase the volume of the sound clips until they are the same as the real thing. This can help your puppy avoid developing a noise phobia, which often gets worse as they age.
Basic training
Training sessions should be kept short and fun. Young puppies have short attention spans so by spacing the training into a few minutes multiple times a day, you are more likely to see positive results. Use lots of praise to reinforce the behaviours you want to see, for example learning to sit. Having a keyword that your dog associates with a treat such as nice or good can reduce the amount of treats you use, as too many treats can lead to a tummy upset or weight gain.
Use consistent commands and hand signals if using hand signals so your puppy doesn’t get confused. This is important if you have lots of people in your home who want to be involved in training your puppy.
Avoid shouting at or hitting your puppy during training, this is known as negative reinforcement and can be very damaging to your puppy’s training as they can develop a fear response to training or the person who shouted or hit them.
Young puppies cannot hold their bladder for long, so taking your puppy outside each hour is a good starting point, and sets your puppy up for success. Offer lots of praise when your puppy urinates or defecates outside. A puppy will need to be let out during the night so they can toilet, and this is often something that can come as a surprise to many first-time pet parents. Your sleep schedule will come back to normal fairly quickly as your puppy grows and can hold their bladder for longer, but by getting up and letting your puppy toilet at night, you reinforce the message that toileting is an outdoor activity.
If your puppy does toilet indoors do not make a big fuss or shout at them. Simply clean up the accident and move on with the day. It’s important to reinforce the positive behaviour we see, rather than scold for the negative. A puppy has a short memory, and cannot associate you shouting at them with the fact they have toileted inside a few minutes ago.
Training and socialisation is a fun process that can strengthen the bond between you and your new puppy. Your puppy is keen and eager to please you, they just need some direction as to how you would like them to behave in your home. Be consistent in your approach and positive. If you are struggling, reach out to your local pet clinic in Singapore for advice, they will be happy to help.
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