Planning towards a perfect puppy part 2 - Socialisation

Here is the second article adapted from the thesis that I wrote for the Canine Principles Puppy Development, Care & Coaching Accredited Diploma course.

Socialisation is a vital part of preparing a puppy for a long and happy life through adolescence and beyond to an adult dog. Socialisation is the process of introducing a puppy to the things that he will encounter in his life, in a safe and positive way, so that the puppy learns to have a positive outlook on life. The aim of socialisation is habituation – the puppy becomes used to new things in his environment and never has a chance to become sensitised to them or scared of them, and accepts them as a matter of fact part of his environment. A puppy that has been well socialised will grow up to be a resilient dog through their adult life, able to recover quickly if they encounter a tough situation, and with a positive outlook meaning that they expect good things to happen. A good breeder will start the socialisation period very soon after the puppies are born, including gentle handling and introducing the sights, sounds, and smells of everyday life in a human family home.

Planning towards a perfect puppy - before birth

This is the first in a series of articles taken from a thesis I wrote to complete the Puppy Development, Care and Coaching Accredited Diploma from Canine Principles. The thesis asked for a plan to produce a perfect puppy, following the process from the beginning through to the age of six months.

There is a saying in some places that a puppy is a blank canvas and so anyone that gets their dog as a puppy will have a very simple job to produce a happy, sociable dog that they can take into any situation without worry. The truth is rather more complicated, but with care and attention to details from the very beginning of the process, the chances of the dog growing up to enjoy a happy life are greatly increased.

Engage the disengage!

Harnessing the power of choice.

My appreciation for the courses on offer from Canine Principles is well known, and links to the courses I have completed can be found on the 'Courses Completed' page of this blog. The lovely folks at CP have launched a new different style of course for them, that comes in the shape of a 30 day program of video lessons and tasks to think about and complete. The course can be found at Inspiring Resilience In Fearful & Reactive Dogs - 30 Day Program