This article not produced by CW staff
By now, most everyone understands the importance of socialization for puppies. The typical “man with a beard” or “crying babies” are examples of things to expose your puppies to at the imprinting stage of development. We always welcome new ideas for socialization and desensitization for your puppy. Here’s what some of our clients are recommending.
- take your puppies to work with you
- go for a walk along a busy street
- visit the airport terminal
- walk by a schoolyard with
children playing
- expose the puppies to elevators
and escalators
- approach them with your
fuzzy slippers
- witness someone stealing
an old lady’s purse
- see a drunken sailor stumbling
along the road
- catch a toupee blowing off
a bald man’s head
- see a tall man with a hat
whose beard is on fire
- watch someone step in a big
pile of poop...
...ok, just want to see if you’re
paying attention.
Remember, it’s the simple things that you may not even be aware of, like rolling your luggage out of storage for the first time, keeping your puppy at a safe distance the first time you open your garage door. Be sure to expose your puppy to new situations, sights and sounds carefully, one step at a time. Take along some yummy treats to help make this a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Don’t force them to accept something sooner than they are able. The goal is to desensitize, not traumatize.
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