It’s quite the task to socialize a puppy in a regular world. You need to make sure that they get to know and learn to be comfortable with so many things: people, other dogs, all kinds of noises, surfaces … now how on earth do you do this? It’s quite a challenge!
Here are 101 ideas to help you maximize the amount of input he gets while at home. Because the truth is, your house is probably full if items perfect for exposing and socializing your puppy!
Patience and Positivity
Any of the following ideas should be presented to the puppy in a calm and positive setting. This is not about flooding your puppy with sensations that scare them. Instead, you want to keep all socialization session happy and no big deal. If your puppy appears scared and taken aback, you need to reduce the intensity of the stimulus. Of course, there should be plenty of treats involved in all these activities! Your puppy needs to eat every day anyway, so why not use their daily food to help them see that the whole world is a playground, and there is nothing to be afraid of.
Surfaces, All The Surfaces
Surface insecurities can be a hallmark of poorly socialized puppies. If young puppies are not introduced to a variety of different textures under their feet, they can become quite apprehensive towards any that they do not know. I have seen so many young dogs that refused to walk on novel surfaces that they had not gotten to know during puppyhood – from the dogs that would not put a foot on stairs to the dogs that didn’t like slippery tile floors. Here are some ideas for exposing your puppy to surfaces – simply spread them out on your living room floor and have your puppy walk across, with many treats as encouragement:
Parchment paper
Aluminum foil
Cardboard
Pots and pans
(For brave puppies:) Bubble wrap
Styrofoam (make sure your puppy does not chew it)
Books
Beach towels
Crumbled up newspaper
A plastic box with a bit of water
Dress Up
You don't have to expose your puppy to a variety of people, you can simply expose them to different looks! You will be surprised at how they might be unsure when they see you in an unusual outfit for the first time. Try on a variety of clothes you might not regularly wear inside, such as:
Trenchcoats
Gloves or mittens
Baseball hats
(If you have) any kind of helmet, such as bike or ski helmets
Down jackets
Heavy boots
Sunglasses
Rain ponchos (those are also great for the crinkly sounds)
Overalls
Flowing dresses or bathrobes
Weird Equipment
The first time any puppy sees persons with unusual “equipment” – such as a wheelchair or a suitcase – they can be pretty freaked out. Teach them that there is nothing to be afraid of, by walking around your house with:
Backpacks
Suitcases (both carrying and rolling them)
Plastic bags
Umbrellas (both opened and closed)
A stick you are using as a cane
Your bicycle (pushing it)
A wagon
A broom
Buckets
A vacuum cleaner
Noises Of Everyday Life
You want your puppy to get used to all kinds of sounds and noises. The internet offers unlimited possibilities for playing any sounds you can think of for your puppy at home. Just go to Google or YouTube and put together your puppy’s daily playlist. Make sure to include some that are usually part of life but currently not happening, such as:
Children playing
Babies crying
Skateboards
Crowds
Motorcycles
Cars
Trucks
Thunder
Heavy Rain
Fireworks
Noises Of Other Animals
Especially if your puppy is an only dog, you want him to get used to the fact that there are other dogs and animals out there, and that they are – no danger whatsoever. Play sounds of other dogs and animals for him. Include for example:
Cats
Horses
Roosters
Cows
Pigs
Birds
Donkeys
Large dogs barking
Small dogs barking
Dogs howling
Noises In Your House
But even just around the house you will have plenty of different machines that make all kinds of noises already. Now is the time to dig them all out and introduce your puppy to them. How about starting up a:
Sewing machine
Lawn mover
Leaf blower
Power washer
Drill
Electric saw
Sander
Carpet cleaner
Dremel (which you can also use to trim your puppy’s nails!)
Cordless vacuum cleaner
Unstable Ground
Many puppies don’t like ground that is moving underneath their feet. Here are some easy ideas for unstable surfaces you can set up to teach your puppy that this is nothing to be afraid of. Be sure to keep these safe and always be there to help your puppy if he loses his balance.
Pillows (these are the easiest – start out with them!)
Big and fluffy dog beds
Air mattress
Sleeping pad
Balance discs
Pile of blankets
Gymnastic ball
Cookie sheet on top of food bowl
A wooden board on top of a pool noodle
Skateboard
Handling
Get your puppy used to being handled by you in many ways, and being happy and relaxed during it. This will be useful for your home routine as well as future vet and grooming appointments. You can practice:
Touching his feet
Touching his ears
Touching his tummy
Touching his tail
Having his nails trimmed
Putting his collar on and taking it off
Putting his harness on and taking it off
Putting on dog coats (if you intend to use them)
Giving him a bath
Drying him with a towel
Blow-drying him
Brushing him with different brushes
Having him being weighed on scales (if he is small enough)
Touching the pads on the underside of his paws
Looking at his teeth
Gently moving his legs
Training Challenges
Practice your puppy’s skills such as leash walking and sitting when asked in many different situations to help him generalize what he has learned, and give him some thinking challenges. How about:
Loose leash walking up and down stairs
Sitting in the bathtub
Loose leash walking in a figure 8 around chairs
Finding a treat hidden underneath a plastic cup
Sits and downs on a yoga mat
Balancing on a wooden board
Loose leash walking while you are skipping on one leg
Finding treats you hid in a rolled up towel
Sits on a new surface outside – for example on wet grass after it rained
Finding treats you tossed in a pile of crumbled newspaper
Miscellaneous
And finally, some miscellaneous ideas for your puppy home-socializing program:
Walk your puppy on one side and drag your outdoor trash can on the other. Many puppies are unsure about the sound it makes, so best to get them used to it right away
Even if you are not driving anywhere, you can still put your puppy in the car and turn on the engine every day. It will teach him that car rides are just a part of everyday life.
“Accidentally” drop items such as spoons, your wallet or shoes in your puppy’s presence (not on him and try not to scare him!). It will help him learn to not startle at sudden noises, as they seem to just be happening all the time, and are no big deal.
Make sure your puppy spend some time by himself every day. If he can now be with you 24/7, but in a couple weeks or months you go back to work, he will be really shaken and might develop separation anxiety. Have him take a nap in a separate room every day.
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