PUPPY PLAYTIME!

Playing is a pivotal part of the developmental process of a child. The same goes for dogs. If your puppy spends most of his or her early weeks confined to the inside of a crate, there is little to no development. The best way to raise a puppy is with plenty of socialization. Socialization is introducing your puppy to anything they will encounter in their adult life in a positive way. This should include different environments, sounds, textures, other dogs and most importantly people. Read on for tips to help with the socialization process of your puppy.

ACQUAINT

Once your puppy has their age-appropriate vaccinations, it is crucial to introduce your furbaby to other puppies, dogs and even cats. The more you familiarize your pooch with other furry creatures, different breeds and sizes of dogs, the more natural and less threatening they will become for your pup. As your puppy grows into an adult dog, they will be well prepared for the vast array of animals they may encounter in life, making them less likely to become frightened or aggressive. It is important to also introduce your puppy to different people, familiarizing them with the sights and smells and with the varying pressure of their touch. Puppies should be introduced to at least 100 people (of all shapes and sizes) by the time they are 16-18 weeks old. After that age, the socialization window closes and it becomes increasingly difficult to introduce your puppy to new things.

STIMULI

Just as critical to acquainting your dog with other creatures is the necessity of introducing your pup to various stimuli. This can include things as miscellaneous as an umbrella, balloons or a chair. Those these objects may seem benign and non-threatening to us, from your puppy's lower vantage point and limited knowledge, they can appear very frightening. By introducing these objects early on and in a positive way, your puppy learns not to be afraid of these things and will grow up with less fear and anxiety about the world around them.

FREE PUPPY PLAYTIME!

To help with the socialization process, Morris K9 Campus is offering Puppy Playtime sessions for puppies ages 8-16 weeks old with age appropriate vaccinations. Our socialization sessions will include letting the dogs play off-leash to help puppies learn the appropriate way to play, proper bite inhibition and develop good puppy skills. Special emphasis will be on meeting strangers and introducting them into new environments. Our FREE Puppy Playtimes are an hour long and will be scheduled for the following Saturdays:
3/31/2012, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
4/7/2012, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
4/14/2012, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Click here to sign-up.