I stared at the pieces, totally bemused and befuddled.
I had used some old dies to cut pieces to make a gift box, but try as I might I couldn’t work out how to fit them together. There were no instructions. But thankfully a quick search on Uncle Google told me what to do.
One side-effect of coronavirus has been a puppy boom – lots of people have bought puppies this year. Puppies don’t come with a set of instructions, either. New owners are often left to muddle through the best they can.
And the socialisation clock is ticking.
Puppies that don’t see, hear and smell much of the world before they are 16 weeks old can suffer from a myriad different behaviour problems – fear of people, fear of noises and places, difficulty in dealing with other dogs, and unable to cope when left alone, among others.
These problems are all preventable for most puppies if they have good socialisation experiences.
Which need to start from the moment you bring the puppy home.
The clock is ticking.
If you wait for your puppy to be fully vaccinated you are losing previous time – there is so much you can do without taking your puppy out in public for walks.
Good breeders will have already started the process, but unfortunately there are many not so good breeders out there – an explosion of puppy farming has arisen from the hugely increased demand for puppies, for example.
Which makes the need for a good socialisation programme for your new puppy even more important.
You can learn how at our Socialisation at a Distance course, where I’ll tell you exactly how you can provide your puppy with a wonderful and comprehensive socialisation experience. Keep an eye on the training pages of the website for the next set of dates.
You’ll get a free copy of my book, ”Help! How to Socialise Your Puppy During Lockdown” and you can ask me about anything you’re struggling with.
Here’s what one previous client said:
“We gained an awareness of the importance of socialisation and concerns over doing this during the current pandemic and as we are waiting for puppy’s vaccinations. We know now of what socialisation means (not just people) and the importance of introducing Cooper to many new important experiences. We also feel more confident in caring for him. We have successfully tackled his fear of lawnmowers and some noises outside and the ‘be a tree’ advice has been a godsend with our young children! It feels like Cooper is in safe hands if we follow Carol’s advice. There were really great tips on feeding, biting and walking. Having support at the end of an email is so valuable and we are very grateful! Really looking forward to puppy training next month!”
Keep training and stay safe,
Carol
PS “Please May I Have A Puppy?” my new book aimed at children 7-14, is packed with information about preparing for, finding and choosing a puppy, as well as how to help them settle in and what socialisation and training you need to do to teach them to become a great family pet. You can buy it for Kindle or in paperback here.