Socializing Your Puppy

Your goal may be to have your puppy grow up and mature to be friendly, happy and very well-adjusted for their lifelong emotional well-being. Socialization is so essential for your puppy. You will want them to feel comfortable in their new world.

It is useful for puppies to learn how to cope with their environment, (which includes people, animals, places and things), in a healthy and positive way throughout their lifetime. You will want your puppy's socialization experiences to be positive.

A puppy is usually very eager to explore their new environment. Puppyhood is an important period for your dog's development. Positive influence in the early weeks of the puppy's life can be very beneficial. I read that the time before the puppy is 16 weeks old is an important developmental time period when he may be very receptive and influenced by his experiences. Praise and positive reinforcement are so important with socialization and training. Socialization begins on the day your puppy is born and continues for the remainder of his life.

Until your puppy has had all of his proper vaccinations, you may want to be guided by your veterinarian about socialization. I read that you should consult your veterinarian about when, as well as, how to introduce your puppy to other animals in a safe manner. 

Once you know that it is fine to socialize your puppy, you may want to gradually introduce your new puppy to some of your close friends or relatives in a pleasant, supervised manner. Your puppy can learn to get accustomed to people who are quiet or talkative, young (active), or old (possibly more inactive). You may wish to introduce your puppy to people wearing glasses or wearing hats or bike helmets, or to people carrying an umbrella, or wearing coats and gloves.

If your puppy seems scared about a certain object or specific person it may be a good idea to introduce that object or person more slowly, and you can try to associate the object or person with something positive, like a favorite treat. If your puppy is fearful of your grandfather who happens to be tall and speaks in a very loud voice, have your grandfather offer treats to the puppy.

You may want to get your puppy comfortable with handling, especially if they may need routine grooming in the future. You can safely and comfortably hold your cute puppy on your lap and help him practice being calm and relaxed with you. Your friends and family can help by gently handling the puppy the proper way. Positive reinforcement for your puppy may include lots of friendly praise and maybe also their favorite treats.

It may be lots of fun to safely take the puppy on short car rides, so he becomes familiar with riding in the car. This positive experience may make it easier for the both of you when you need to go for any future veterinarian office visits.

When the puppy is the appropriate age, you may decide to invite people that you already know that own pets who are friendly, healthy and vaccinated who can come over to your home for a little visit, and with your knowledge and supervision you can work on socializing your puppy.

If you happen to already have another pet in the home, you may want to make sure that you provide enough individual attention to your new puppy to help them develop their own personality.

You can even gradually introduce your puppy to a variety of items and sounds that are routinely around the house so they become a little familiar to them. Some sounds which may be new to your puppy are the following:

Doorbell ringing

Telephone ringing

TV and radio

Any music playing

Computer noises

Video games

Vacuum cleaner

Sound from a hair dryer, blender, or fan

Noise from a washing machine or dish washer

Any noise from your childrens toys

Thunderstorms

Any noise from electric grooming tools, if your dog may need grooming in the future

After your veterinarian says it is safe for you to take the puppy out into the real world, you can safely introduce the puppy to walks in your the neighborhood. Your walks together can be so enjoyable for you and your puppy.

In summary, if you are patient and consistent with socializing and training your puppy, he will likely be happier and feel comfortable throughout his life. Always keep in mind that praise and positive reinforcement are so important with socialization and training.

Choosing a Healthy Poodle Puppy

When you are choosing a new puppy you may be thinking about very important things that you might want to check for in your new Poodle puppy, such as the following few examples that I have listed for you below:

A puppy that has a normal active energy level, not a lethargic appearance.

A puppy that shows a happy expression and appropriate actions (not shy, fearful or nasty).

A Poodle puppy that might be pleasantly plump, but not fat (not one that looks sick or in poor condition or undernourished).

A puppy that has bright, clear eyes (not running eyes or running, crusted nose).

A Poodle puppy that has a shiny, healthy looking coat (clean and soft) as compared to a dull coat.

The inside of the puppy's ears may be pink and clean, with no discharge or strong odor.

A puppy that has pink, healthy looking gums and clean white teeth.

Schnauzers available, www.MaximilianSchnauzers.com

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Dog Trainer Career Ideas

You may wish to check out the information below regarding the Dog Trainer Handbook if you are thinking about pursuing a career in which you would be training dogs.

The Poodle Puppy's Stages of Development

Poodle puppies have various stages of development during their puppyhood. I will discuss three different stages below.

The Poodle Puppy's Stage of Development at Eight to Twelve Weeks (2 – 3 months) of Age

Poodles, like most puppies have different needs during certain stages of development in their lives. During the first eight to twelve weeks of their lives, Poodle puppies have a great need for their mom and litter family. It is such an important time in the puppy's development because the mom will teach the puppy a great deal during these first weeks. The puppies are usually with their mom for a minimum of eight to ten weeks to ensure proper nourishment and socialization with the family litter.

At eight weeks of age, the Poodle puppies may be somewhat well socialized with each other. The Poodle puppies probably will have met some people other than the breeder. They will begin to develop their individual personalities.

One of your goals may be to have your puppy grow up and mature to be friendly, happy and very well-adjusted for their lifelong emotional well-being. Socialization is so important for your puppy. You will want them to feel comfortable in their new world.

It is helpful for puppies to learn how to cope with their environment, (which includes people, animals, places and things), in a healthy and positive way throughout their lifetime. You will want your Poodle puppy's socialization experiences to be positive.

A Poodle puppy is usually very eager to explore their new environment. Puppyhood is an important period for your dog's development. Positive influence in the early weeks of the puppy's life can be very beneficial. The time before the Poodle puppy is 16 weeks old is an important developmental time period when he may be very receptive and influenced by his experiences. Praise and positive reinforcement are so important with socialization and training. Socialization begins on the day your puppy is born and continues for the rest of his life.

The Poodle Puppy's Stage of Development at Twelve to Sixteen Weeks (3 – 4 months) of Age

Your Poodle puppy may be at the developmental stage where he is very curious about his new environment. It is so important to puppy proof your house. You may want to read my recent blog post about puppy proofing your house.

At this age, your Poodle puppy may be very dependent on you and may want to be right with you the majority of the time. You can help build your puppy's confidence and be a good leader by beginning to teach him a few basic commands, such as sit, stay and come. You will want to incorporate housetraining for your puppy.

Your Poodle puppy may be in a very good developmental stage to hopefully learn things quickly. You can establish a nice emotional bond with your Poodle puppy. He will learn to feel safe, secure and confident in his new home.

The Poodle Puppy's Stage of Development at Sixteen to Twenty-Four Weeks (4 – 6 months) of Age

Your Poodle puppy may be more independent and may want to test you or his environment a little more. You may need some patience and be consistent and keep up your training lessons during this developmental stage. Your Poodle puppy may be slightly more brave with his efforts. It is helpful for you to guide and encourage your puppy along.

Video of How to Train a Poodle to Lay Down on Command

Keeping Your Poodle Puppy Safe While Outdoors this Summer

Now that the weather is getting a little warmer and more enjoyable in many locations, your new puppy or adult dog may be more eager to go outside. Puppies are usually very curious and they may have lots of energy. When someone first brings a new puppy home the puppy may want to start checking out many things inside and outside the house. You may be interested in puppy proofing your home to keep your Poodle puppy very safe at all times. You will want to make sure there is nothing within his reach that could harm him indoors or outdoors.

It is very important to make sure the outside of your home is safe. You can consult your veterinarian about all of the specific things that can be done to puppy proof the inside and outside of a house. You may wish to read Puppy Proofing Your Home. There are so many great ideas to help keep a new puppy healthy and safe and protect him from anything that would be potentially harmful. Hopefully, you can puppy proof your backyard before your puppy goes outside. You will want to be with your Poodle puppy when he is outside, so you can supervise him.

If you have any fencing in your yard, you can check to make sure there are no holes through which your puppy could squeeze through and sneak out of the yard. Check to see if all of the gates are securely closed and that your Poodle puppy would not be able to crawl underneath the gate.

It is also important that your dog gets the proper exercise for his well-being. A responsible dog owner will obey leash laws and not let their dog run loose. You will probably need to get a license, and possibly a name tag for identification for your puppy. It is also important for your dog to be up-to-date with his vaccinations. You may be interested in reading 10 Pet Safety Tips You Should KnowDog Information, Dog Behavior, Dog Diseases - I-Love-Dogs.com. It is also very important for a good dog owner to keep their dog safe while riding in a car. Car safety for dogs: "Safety tips for securing your dog for car rides" is a helpful article about this subject.

Some plants and trees outside may be toxic to dogs. Many bulb plants can also be poisonous. Some mulch can be toxic to dogs. Again, you can ask the veterinarian for a complete list of plants and trees that are dangerous or toxic to dogs. You may want to read Plants Which Are Potentially Poisonous. You will want to keep your Poodle puppy off of freshly treated lawns.

Keep all gasoline, auto supplies, insecticides, fertilizers for your lawn, oil, or any paint in securely closed containers out of reach from your puppy. Also, keep antifreeze out of reach from your puppy.

Swimming pools or hot tubs should be properly covered or fenced off.

For a safety measure, keep your Poodle puppy away from any barbecue grills during outdoor cooking.

Garbage should be kept in closed containers that have secure lids.

It is so important to keep your Poodle puppy healthy and safe.