Shallowford Puppies are born and raised in our home with children and other dogs. They are well socialised and handled. We spend time grooming them and ensuring they have as many new experiences as possible. They are familiarised with noisy household electrical equipment such as the washing machine and vacuum cleaner, introduced to our other dogs, and if possible horses or ponies. They have access to a large enclosed puppy play pen, either outside in warm weather or else in a heated stone outhouse in colder weather, where they are left alone for short periods of time to play with their siblings and develop essential skills.
But please bear in mind that when they leave us, puppy’s vaccinations are not in force and their experiences of new places are limited by that.
It is essential that in order for your puppy to develop into a well adjusted dog, he/she follows a broad socialisation program. This includes meeting a range of people of both sexes, young and old, with hats and sunglasses, using walking sticks and so on. In addition your puppy needs to experience the beach, busy roads, the countryside, car parks, shopping centres etc
All animals, including dogs and humans have, at the start of their lives, a uniquely ‘sensitive developmental period’. During this time as they encounter the world, they learn to accept what they find.
In puppies this development period lasts until about 14 weeks. Any experiences a puppy has up until that time will become ‘natural’ to it. After that age, unfamiliar objects can arouse a fearful response and can if not dealt with lead to aggression.
It is important that owners introduce their puppy to as much of the world as possible, as early as possible.
Socialisation - is learning to interact with adults, children, other dogs and pets.
Habituation – is the experience of household noises, appliances, the car, the countryside, the city, becoming customised to a wide range of habitats and environments.
More young dogs are euthanased because of behavioural problems than die from the diseases we vaccinate against.
The majority of these behavioural problems are brought about by poor socialisation. If a puppy has never met a post man, or a child, and encounters one of these for the first time later in life, it may become fearful. A natural response of a fearful dog, if it has no means of escape, is aggression.
Proper habituation helps prevent this type of problem. If a puppy has not been accustomed to separation from its owner during the ‘sensitive development period’ in later life, when left, it may bark, whine or be destructive when left alone.
Both socialisation and habituation are relatively easy to achieve but the process takes time and effort from you, the new owner. Be careful not to over-stimulate your puppy, this may teach him/her to be afraid of something rather than accepting it.
The threat of disease until vaccinations ‘take’ means it is not wise to expose your puppy to areas where other dogs have been. Until recently, vaccination regimes could prevent owners taking their puppies out until after the end of the ‘sensitive development period’. Nowadays, puppies are vaccinated at 8 and 10 weeks and are considered protected by the age of 12 weeks.
Puppy Socialisation and Training Classes are highly recommended.
Here is a brief guide to some of the essentials that your puppy ought to experience, but please note this list is neither exhaustive nor complete. It is used merely as a starting point. We have indicated some of the experiences our puppies encounter whilst with us, however, during that time he/she had the security and comfort of being with his/her siblings and mother. It is advisable to work through an entire program with your puppy once he has settled in his/her new home.
• Socialisation
Introduced to women
Introduced to men
Introduced to teenage girls
Introduced to teenage boys
Introduced to babies
Introduced to elderly people
Visitors to the home
Experienced hat wearer
Experienced walking stick
Experienced spectacles
Left alone for short period
Introduced to other dogs (own)
Introduced to cats
Introduced to horses/ponies
Introduced to sheep/cows
Met the postman
• Habituation
Home
Garden
Traffic
Veterinary Surgery
Pets At Home
Car Park
Beach
Forest
Fell
Wind Farm
Puppy Crate
Visited friends
Holiday
Grooming and Health Checks
Garden Hose
External play pen
TV and Radio
Vacuum Cleaner
Washing Machine
Telephone
Mobile ring tone
Range of play toys soft and hard