Last time we wrote about safely socializing your puppy to the things of our world. Look out for your pup’s body language to make sure he’s feeling comfortable and not fearful or stressed.
The best time to start socializing your puppy to other dogs and people is at 8 weeks of age. While they are still going through their vaccination protocol, we still need to safely socialize your pup to other puppies and adult dogs.
Just like human babies and toddlers have playdates and playgroups with one another so they learn skills like sharing and taking turns, puppies, too, benefit from being in groups with their peers. By playing with other puppies their own age, your pup learns important life skills, such as not biting, reading invitations to play, and body language. Other puppies will instinctively react to unwanted behavior, so your little guy learns that biting too hard = friends running away and not wanting to play.
Play Groups
Puppies should be grouped by experience, play style, and size. This is so that “chasers” can chase each other, “wrestlers” can wrestle each other, and so on. Sometimes, herding dogs will instinctively practice herding their playmates!
Types of Play
This is the peak time for your puppy to explore his canine instincts through different types of play!
- Social play: Happens between two or more dogs and improves motor skills and teaches them cooperation.
- Object play: Exploring different objects helps keep your puppy mentally stimulated.
- Predation play: Includes learning to stalk, chase, pounce, nip, grab, tug, shred, pin, and shake appropriate toys, rather than people or other animals.
- Play fighting: Develops skills your puppy’s ancestors needed for combat, including self-defense. As long as your puppy is still an enthusiastic participant, this is fun for him!
Puppy Socials
A dog park is not the best place for your puppy to learn how to socialize, as there may be big dogs that might hurt or scare your puppy. Especially when your puppy is young and impressionable, you want to create a safe, fun environment for your puppy to learn social skills.
Puppy socials or playgroups should always be supervised and should be held in a safe place. Puppies should be current on their vaccinations and have a clean fecal test to participate.
If you’ve never watched puppies play together, it might be difficult to tell the difference between healthy, happy interactions and real fear.
Normal, happy play includes:
- Enthusiastic participation
- Loose, floppy body movements
- Taking turns being on top/bottom of the pile or chasing
- Hip checking and body slamming
- Nipping or biting the neck, legs, and lower body
- Play bows
- Soft vocalization, high pitch
- Barking
- Pawing/batting at another dog
- Hackles up (it just means that they are excited)
- Pounces
These signs mean your puppy is frightened:
- Tail tucked
- Backing away
- Flat ears
- Looking away
- Licking lips
- Cowering
If you notice any fearful behavior, we recommend removing your puppy from the group, giving her a break, and perhaps moving your pup to a more low-key puppy group. Never force your puppy to socialize, or she will start to associate it with fear.
At Pooch Pawsitive, we’re committed to helping everyone make the most of this exciting but crucial period of your dog’s life so that all humans and dogs can enjoy many happy years to come! Take a look at our puppy training classes and socialization groups, or contact us for more information about how we can help you and your new furry friend.