Socialization Period
Before I go over how to socialize puppies, you must first understand how it works and why it is important. Socialization is the process that accustoms puppies to things they may experience at any stage in life. For example, think of wolves. Growing up in a pack, they learn that wolves within their pack are harmless, they smell prey on their packmate's breath, etc. By the time they are weaned (roughly 8 weeks of age), they tend to explore life past their mother's warmth. They are skeptical of things they haven't experienced yet. They smell a rabbit - that smelled like their mother's breath, it is safe and edible. They see a wolf from another pack - he might be dangerous because they have never experienced him before. This is nature's way of teaching babies what is safe and what is not.
In a human household though, pups may experience things that they never did while staying with their mother - a vacuum for example. Have you ever seen a dog who was highly reactive around certain things, such as a person with sunglasses on? This is because the dog wasn't properly socialized to it. They did not experience the harmless eyewear during their socialization period, when they would have readily accepted it as just a part of life. Now, it is something they should fear until further reassured that it is safe, and the longer you wait to accustom the dog, the harder it will be.
The socialization period lasts from 3-16 weeks. This is when everything they experience, good or bad, will leave a strong impact on the way they see the world. For example, you try to desensitize the puppy to a vacuum cleaner, but the pup sniffs the nozzle and gets it's face stuck. The puppy is fine, but scared to death. The puppy now sees the vacuum as a loud monster of doom. On the other hand, if you take precautions to avoid making it a bad experience, the puppy will learn that the loud obnoxious thing they hear a few times a week is completely harmless.
During the first 8 weeks of life, when puppies experience new stimuli, they accept it very readily with little to no skepticism. This is the time time to show puppies everything, as it is easiest to get them to see that everyday things that may be scary are completely harmless. From 8-16 weeks, puppies begin to approach new stimuli more skeptically. It is important that you take on new things slowly and don't overindulge their overreactions. When you coddle them over screaming at a dropped pan, it reassures them that something IS scary and that you will save them. The better way to approach it is to do it again and toss them a treat. Do it again and praise the pup. Do it again, and again. They will see that after a loud noise went off multiple times, they were perfectly fine.
The following covers what I do with my puppies before they go to their new homes.
In a human household though, pups may experience things that they never did while staying with their mother - a vacuum for example. Have you ever seen a dog who was highly reactive around certain things, such as a person with sunglasses on? This is because the dog wasn't properly socialized to it. They did not experience the harmless eyewear during their socialization period, when they would have readily accepted it as just a part of life. Now, it is something they should fear until further reassured that it is safe, and the longer you wait to accustom the dog, the harder it will be.
The socialization period lasts from 3-16 weeks. This is when everything they experience, good or bad, will leave a strong impact on the way they see the world. For example, you try to desensitize the puppy to a vacuum cleaner, but the pup sniffs the nozzle and gets it's face stuck. The puppy is fine, but scared to death. The puppy now sees the vacuum as a loud monster of doom. On the other hand, if you take precautions to avoid making it a bad experience, the puppy will learn that the loud obnoxious thing they hear a few times a week is completely harmless.
During the first 8 weeks of life, when puppies experience new stimuli, they accept it very readily with little to no skepticism. This is the time time to show puppies everything, as it is easiest to get them to see that everyday things that may be scary are completely harmless. From 8-16 weeks, puppies begin to approach new stimuli more skeptically. It is important that you take on new things slowly and don't overindulge their overreactions. When you coddle them over screaming at a dropped pan, it reassures them that something IS scary and that you will save them. The better way to approach it is to do it again and toss them a treat. Do it again and praise the pup. Do it again, and again. They will see that after a loud noise went off multiple times, they were perfectly fine.
The following covers what I do with my puppies before they go to their new homes.
8 x 8 x 8 Method
I am a personal fan of the "Rule of Seven" by Shenanigan Shetlands, but use a version I modified myself, called the "8 x 8 x 8" method. There are eight groups of experiences with 8 stimuli in each group, that a puppy should conquer by 8 weeks of age. This exposes puppies to things they may or may not experience in their new homes, and prepares them to deal with the "stressful" stimuli appropriately, especially when, at this age, they most readily accept new stimuli. By following my 8 x 8 x 8 method, the goal is for puppies to be bombproof. Obviously, we are raising dogs, not robots. Some dogs will be more timid by nature, and some stimuli may never be comfortable for them. But by taking these options, the majority of pups will be significantly more adaptable to life than the average dog.
*Note*
Be absolutely sure to keep it a positive experience, every time. If puppies appear stressed, dial it back, or end it on a good note end end the session. This can be done by pairing the stimuli ("noise" for example) with something they enjoy (cuddles, scratches, playtime). I.E. drop a pan, pet a puppy, repeat. If puppy appears stressed, increase what it enjoys, tap the pan for a much lighter version of the sound, reward again, and end the session. Always end on a good note, even if that means going back to a step you know they were okay with. Especially when they are older, ending on a good note will leave the puppy more confident, rather than resistant to new things. Make everything fun or pleasent.
Also be absolutely sure to make things sanitary for sensitive puppy immune systems. Best Shot 256:1 kill just about every concern (parvo, kennel cough, general disinfectant), and is a great rinse-free all-purpose cleaner. Bleach works as well. This is safe to use throughout your house. If you utilize the option of other locations, be sure that that environment has received the same treatment. While puppies get the most out of their first few weeks of life, it is also the age most susceptible to disease. Vaccinate accordingly and take precautions.
Surfaces - This can be introduced whenever the puppies have confidence on their whelping pen traction. The puppy should experience all of the following surfaces, as they could experience any combination of them in their new homes. Short carpet, shag carpet, tile, wood flooring, dirt, gravel/wood chips (something that will move underfoot), concrete, and grass.
Toys - This can be introduced whenever the puppies eyes are open and they are mobile. The puppies should experience the most common types of toys, such as large balls, tennis balls, stuffed toys, squeaky toys, rubber toys (like a Kong), paper balls, sticks, and long lasting bones (like a bully stick or rawhide). When not supervising, be sure to remove any toys that pose a suffocation or choking hazard.
Noises - This can be introduced around three to four weeks when the puppies have opened their ears and are acclimated to mild, normal household noises (fan in whelping pen, foot steps, clanking food dishes). The puppies should experience all of the noises on a regular basis. Vacuum, loud music, slamming doors, dropped pots and pans, flapping bags, clapping, bubble wrap, and yelling (like a kid suddenly blurting out). Heavy notation to keep associations positive. If puppies show any sign of stress, dial it back.
People - People can be introduced at any time, but will be most effective at two weeks or older, when their eyes are open, assuming their breeder handles them daily. The puppies should experience all types of people. Small children, various skin tones, sunglass wearers, hat wearers, tall people, larger people, people wearing all black, and even a small group of people at once. Please be sure to keep disease avoidance in mind.
Places - This can be introduced when the puppies are reliably mobile, and confident about their immediate housing. Aside from the room they nursed in, they should be exposed to various places, keeping disease avoidance in mind. They should accept the full spectrum of appliances and common noises made from each room. Kitchen (sink, garbage disposal, microwave ding), bathroom (shower running, steaminess, toilet flushing), living room (video game noises, TV running, swamp cooler blowing), laundry room (washer and dryer), garage or shed (automatic door lifting, power tools roaring), car (engine roaring, honking, air conditioner, wind coming in the windows), and the yard (use your imagination here). At about 6 weeks, I like to have them sleep in a crate at night - all together or separated (depends on the litter size and crate size) that way they associate the crate with safety and are easier to acclimate to it.
Touching - This can be introduced from birth and should be regularly practiced until going home. This accustoms puppies to being handled in various places. For example, dogs that fight nail trims aren't always because of a bad experience. How often do you pet your dog's paws? Rarely, so they think it's weird, like if someone were to randomly go up to you and stroke your nose - you'd be pretty taken off guard, right? It is not a normal touch, so you react defensively. Make it normal, and the puppy will be more accepting. For breeds that will require regular grooming, I suggest touching them everywhere with a vibrating phone or similar object until they accept it as normal. Stroke, pet or scratch common areas regularly to keep a positive association with touch. Key places are the paws (separate their toes), mouth (open it and look inside), ears (examine them, clean with a mild cleaner recommended for puppies), belly (poke and prod gently, lift a leg to view belly), make them roll over (not in a dominance pin, but to scratch their belly), kiss their face regularly (to desensitize them to kids who will likely do so), and if it's a small breed, pick them up regularly (as a groomer or vet is likely to do).
Dishes - This can be introduced around 4-5 weeks when the puppies begin eating solid food. Puppies should eat from multiple types of dishes, as you don't know what they may be eating out of in their new home. A perfect example is when my Dachshund broke her dog dish, I had to feed her on a plate that night. She had never experienced that before and looked at me like I grew two heads, and wouldn't eat. Recommended dishes include metal, plastic, paper, china, ceramic, flat plate, soup pot, and a slow-feeder dish (which can be modified by putting "obstacles" in any of the other food dishes).
Activities - As many of these require good coordination and a bit of muscle, I like to introduce these at about 6 weeks of age. Puppies should be able to crawl over an obstacle (like getting out of their whelping box), climb stairs, move through a small tunnel, meet a well-behaved gentle dog other than their mother, go through a dog door, meet a small animal (like a cat or ferret), swim (like in a kiddy pool that is only filled enough to go just above their paws), and visit another house (keeping diseases in mind).
*Note*
Be absolutely sure to keep it a positive experience, every time. If puppies appear stressed, dial it back, or end it on a good note end end the session. This can be done by pairing the stimuli ("noise" for example) with something they enjoy (cuddles, scratches, playtime). I.E. drop a pan, pet a puppy, repeat. If puppy appears stressed, increase what it enjoys, tap the pan for a much lighter version of the sound, reward again, and end the session. Always end on a good note, even if that means going back to a step you know they were okay with. Especially when they are older, ending on a good note will leave the puppy more confident, rather than resistant to new things. Make everything fun or pleasent.
Also be absolutely sure to make things sanitary for sensitive puppy immune systems. Best Shot 256:1 kill just about every concern (parvo, kennel cough, general disinfectant), and is a great rinse-free all-purpose cleaner. Bleach works as well. This is safe to use throughout your house. If you utilize the option of other locations, be sure that that environment has received the same treatment. While puppies get the most out of their first few weeks of life, it is also the age most susceptible to disease. Vaccinate accordingly and take precautions.
Surfaces - This can be introduced whenever the puppies have confidence on their whelping pen traction. The puppy should experience all of the following surfaces, as they could experience any combination of them in their new homes. Short carpet, shag carpet, tile, wood flooring, dirt, gravel/wood chips (something that will move underfoot), concrete, and grass.
Toys - This can be introduced whenever the puppies eyes are open and they are mobile. The puppies should experience the most common types of toys, such as large balls, tennis balls, stuffed toys, squeaky toys, rubber toys (like a Kong), paper balls, sticks, and long lasting bones (like a bully stick or rawhide). When not supervising, be sure to remove any toys that pose a suffocation or choking hazard.
Noises - This can be introduced around three to four weeks when the puppies have opened their ears and are acclimated to mild, normal household noises (fan in whelping pen, foot steps, clanking food dishes). The puppies should experience all of the noises on a regular basis. Vacuum, loud music, slamming doors, dropped pots and pans, flapping bags, clapping, bubble wrap, and yelling (like a kid suddenly blurting out). Heavy notation to keep associations positive. If puppies show any sign of stress, dial it back.
People - People can be introduced at any time, but will be most effective at two weeks or older, when their eyes are open, assuming their breeder handles them daily. The puppies should experience all types of people. Small children, various skin tones, sunglass wearers, hat wearers, tall people, larger people, people wearing all black, and even a small group of people at once. Please be sure to keep disease avoidance in mind.
Places - This can be introduced when the puppies are reliably mobile, and confident about their immediate housing. Aside from the room they nursed in, they should be exposed to various places, keeping disease avoidance in mind. They should accept the full spectrum of appliances and common noises made from each room. Kitchen (sink, garbage disposal, microwave ding), bathroom (shower running, steaminess, toilet flushing), living room (video game noises, TV running, swamp cooler blowing), laundry room (washer and dryer), garage or shed (automatic door lifting, power tools roaring), car (engine roaring, honking, air conditioner, wind coming in the windows), and the yard (use your imagination here). At about 6 weeks, I like to have them sleep in a crate at night - all together or separated (depends on the litter size and crate size) that way they associate the crate with safety and are easier to acclimate to it.
Touching - This can be introduced from birth and should be regularly practiced until going home. This accustoms puppies to being handled in various places. For example, dogs that fight nail trims aren't always because of a bad experience. How often do you pet your dog's paws? Rarely, so they think it's weird, like if someone were to randomly go up to you and stroke your nose - you'd be pretty taken off guard, right? It is not a normal touch, so you react defensively. Make it normal, and the puppy will be more accepting. For breeds that will require regular grooming, I suggest touching them everywhere with a vibrating phone or similar object until they accept it as normal. Stroke, pet or scratch common areas regularly to keep a positive association with touch. Key places are the paws (separate their toes), mouth (open it and look inside), ears (examine them, clean with a mild cleaner recommended for puppies), belly (poke and prod gently, lift a leg to view belly), make them roll over (not in a dominance pin, but to scratch their belly), kiss their face regularly (to desensitize them to kids who will likely do so), and if it's a small breed, pick them up regularly (as a groomer or vet is likely to do).
Dishes - This can be introduced around 4-5 weeks when the puppies begin eating solid food. Puppies should eat from multiple types of dishes, as you don't know what they may be eating out of in their new home. A perfect example is when my Dachshund broke her dog dish, I had to feed her on a plate that night. She had never experienced that before and looked at me like I grew two heads, and wouldn't eat. Recommended dishes include metal, plastic, paper, china, ceramic, flat plate, soup pot, and a slow-feeder dish (which can be modified by putting "obstacles" in any of the other food dishes).
Activities - As many of these require good coordination and a bit of muscle, I like to introduce these at about 6 weeks of age. Puppies should be able to crawl over an obstacle (like getting out of their whelping box), climb stairs, move through a small tunnel, meet a well-behaved gentle dog other than their mother, go through a dog door, meet a small animal (like a cat or ferret), swim (like in a kiddy pool that is only filled enough to go just above their paws), and visit another house (keeping diseases in mind).
Early Neurological Stimulation
"Developing High Achievers" by Dr. Carmen Battaglia suggests an excellent method of early neurological stimulation for puppies. This method, sometimes referred to as the "Bio Sensor Method", is more recently referred to as the "Superdog Program". It is popular among military dog training, based on years of research. Their studies confirmed that from 3-16 days of age, neurological stimulation has optimal results, as it kicks the puppies' neurological system into action earlier than normally expected. In puppies of the same litter, half getting this stimulation, the other half not, there were noticeable differences. Puppies used in the Superdog Program became more active and exploratory sooner than the others and were more confident in competitive situations. This gives them the ideal personality for training as military dogs and service dogs. It obviously doesn't do any harm for pups intended to be in pet homes - they will likely respond better to unavoidable fears, like thunder and fireworks.
The long-term effects of this method have been shown to improve cardiovascular performance, give stronger heartbeats and adrenal glands, and give greater resistance to stress and disease. There are five exercises to be repeated daily until 16 days of age. Each exercise should be held for 3-5 seconds each, and be done once a day. Do not exceed the 3-5 seconds and do not do it more than once a day, as overstimulation may be detrimental. Some puppies may struggle, others seem to care less. The exercises include:
1.) Puppies are held upright, nose in the air.
2.) Puppies are held upside down, nose to the ground.
3.) Puppies are held belly up, in a supine position.
4.) Puppies' paws get stimulated by tickling between their pads with a Q-tip.
5.) Puppies lie on a cold, damp towel (do not restrict movement, let them crawl away).
The long-term effects of this method have been shown to improve cardiovascular performance, give stronger heartbeats and adrenal glands, and give greater resistance to stress and disease. There are five exercises to be repeated daily until 16 days of age. Each exercise should be held for 3-5 seconds each, and be done once a day. Do not exceed the 3-5 seconds and do not do it more than once a day, as overstimulation may be detrimental. Some puppies may struggle, others seem to care less. The exercises include:
1.) Puppies are held upright, nose in the air.
2.) Puppies are held upside down, nose to the ground.
3.) Puppies are held belly up, in a supine position.
4.) Puppies' paws get stimulated by tickling between their pads with a Q-tip.
5.) Puppies lie on a cold, damp towel (do not restrict movement, let them crawl away).
