When is it safe to let my puppy outside?

Puppies need to start experiencing new things from the day you get it home at 6, 7 or 8 weeks. To isolate your puppy in a home environment until it has completed its full course of vaccinations could cause major behaviour problems later in life. A high percentage of adult dogs that are referred to me have varying degrees of fear behaviour, from shying away or freezing when someone puts their hand down to touch them, to full on aggression, barking, growling, lunging, bitting if they can.

Bad behaviour in adult dogs can be caused by bad experiences or by a lack of socialisation at an early age. Socialisation is an extremely important phase in the puppies development and there are things that you should be doing until your puppy has finished the vaccination course.

Safe activities to do with a puppy

Use your imagination and get your puppy out and about!

• Take your puppy out in the car to the shopping mall
• Carry your puppy around with a pocket full of treats
• When someone comes up (people can’t resist puppies) to say hello, ask them to give your puppy a treat whilst they are smoothing it
• Carry your puppy in a sling
• Ask people you know with well socialised dogs to visit with their dogs

Puppy classes

Join a well run puppy class, one that not only included puppy play times but also lots of hands on with treats, teaching the puppy to actually LIKE people touching it

So take your slippers off and get out there!