Puppy Socialization Checklist

Hi friends,

A well-socialized puppy creates a behaved, relaxed, safer dog. If your puppy is comfortable in a wider variety of situations, they're less likely to use aggression in moments of fear.

Try to avoid doing too much too fast. For instance, if you want your puppy to get accustomed to being handled by multiple people he doesn’t know, start with a few family members and slowly integrate one stranger, then two, and so on.

Most importantly, when introducing all of these new experiences to your puppy, make sure he’s getting an appropriate amount of treats and praise, so that he associates what he’s being exposed to and the feeling of seeing something new as a fun experience.

Handling:

• touching nails, paws, ears, mouth

• wipe eyes

• wipe face

• rub teeth

• wear clothing

Household:

• blow dryer

• vacuum

• broom/mop

• doorbell/knocking

• music

People:

• Different ethnicities

• people in hats and sunglasses

• children

• elderly

• people in uniform

Animals:

• Other puppies

• larger dogs

• smaller dogs

• cats

• any other animals or pets they may encounter

Experiences:

• baths and grooming

• elevator

• car rides

• vet

• outdoor malls and new areas

Textures:

• stairs

• metal and manhole covers

• slippery floor

• wobbly surfaces

• wet floor

Sounds:

• thunder

• dogs barking

• babies crying

• rain

• fireworks

Vehicles:

• traffic

• sirens

• garbage trucks

• motorcycles

• skateboards and bikes