At a recent puppy party two owners told me that their puppies didn’t like traffic. They commented that their 4-5 month old puppies cowered to the side of the road when out walking.
This is a very common problem in young puppies. They can’t go out until they are vaccinated but then we expect them to cope with the myriad of things in our complex we are used to but that they have never met before, including noisy cars, lorries, motorbikes, tractors, trailers and other machinery.
So much of a puppy’s behavioural development happens BEFORE they reach their new home. The best raised puppies bred from carefully chosen parents are more likely to cope well with everything they’ll meet better than puppies from less than ideal breeding conditions.
Puppies raised in poor conditions, such as puppy farms, will usually suffer permanent adverse effects, becoming fearful and reactive. This is why puppies from puppy mills or raised in garages or barns are more likely to display problem behaviours later in their lives.
A puppy who is properly socialised in this critical early period will be far more likely to grow up to be happy, confident and calm.
Good socialisation is all about the puppy having a pleasurable experience. It is NOT just throwing a puppy into different situations and hoping he copes.
It is vital that every puppy has as many different, positive experiences as possible during the first 3-16 weeks of life and continues to have a wide range of different, positive experiences for at least the first year of life. The quality and quantity of what each puppy experiences during this period will have a huge impact on their future personalities and determine the formation of many of their “good” or “bad” behaviour tendencies.
So what can you do if your pup is scared by traffic?
First work out where you can go so your puppy can see, hear and smell traffic but not be so close that they get worried or scared. We’re lucky to have various places around here where you can go and be near but not too near traffic, such as beaches and council parks and quieter roads and lanes.
Then spend some time just mooching around the area, letting your puppy relax and sniff. Every time any traffic appears, praise your puppy and give them a yummy treat or several while talking to them in a relaxed and happy voice.
Repeat this every day, gradually getting closer to the traffic as long as your puppy remains happy and copes well. Do not rush this stage! It may take a few weeks.
With daily practice, eventually your puppy will learn to tolerate and even quite like traffic and you’ll be able to walk anywhere and everywhere.
Keep training
Carol