Puppy Socialisation Post Covid

Socialisation is the most crucial element of raising a happy, healthy, well-balanced dog. A lack of socialisation can result in a multitude of behavioural issues and can create anxiety within a dog, if a dog has ongoing high levels of cortisol as a result of chronic stress, this can lead to a weakened immune system resulting in the dog being more likely to have health-related issues. As well as the increased risk of behavioural issues this can then lead to dogs being given up for rescue which is quite commonly seen when they hit that 1-year birthday. Unfortunately, as a result of covid, there has been an influx of clients reporting their lockdown puppies with reactivity and bite history. Because of lockdown, puppies born at this time were not able to encounter people and other dogs as they normally would. Many owners worked from home and due to risks, many puppy playgroups were stopped with some still not running to this date. As a result, there has been an increase in dogs not only being reactive but also now suffering from separation anxiety now life is going back to normal.

Despite this, there is still hope and your clients can still socialise their lockdown puppies as they have grown into adulthood it may just be a slightly slower process. By encouraging clients to socialise their dogs born in lockdown, clients could reduce the chances of their dogs having serious behavioural issues, reduce the risk of future health complaints and reduce the chances of them giving the dog up to a rescue. Of course, it is always recommended that socialisation should begin the second the dog enters a person’s care, but the pandemic made this impossible, however, there is no reason why clients cannot start this process now.

Prior to Vaccination - Startling as young as 0-8 weeks

• Puppies should be allowed to smell adults, children and meet new people. At this stage, the puppies should be allowed to approach a variety of people making sure to keep the experience positive.
• Puppies should get used to touch, having their ears, teeth, eyes gently examined, and paws checked by the breeder and get used to being groomed gently.
• Breeders should start desensitising puppies to a variety of sounds and textures to help build confidence.

Prior to Vaccination - 8 weeks leading up to full vaccination

• Puppies should be desensitised to normal household sounds such as washing machines, TVs etc.
• Owners should make use of this time and desensitise the puppy to sounds such as fireworks and thunderstorms by using desensitisation soundtracks that are readily available.
• Owners should then get their puppy used to wearing their collar or harness and desensitise them to the lead so that it is a positive experience
• The Puppy should go outdoors and observe the world from their owners’ arms or in a puppy carrier. It is important that their owner takes the puppy home if they become overwhelmed and offer calm reassurance when the puppy is unsure. This will help with getting the puppy used to the sounds, smells and sights of normal life.
• Owners should continue to touch desensitisation with their puppy so that if they need to be examined in future, they will be happier to allow the owner to do so.
• The owner should acclimatise their puppy to a variety of people disabled, able-bodied, tall, short, elderly, young (under supervision), people playing football, veterinary staff, people in uniforms etc. even if it is just observation.
• The owner should also allow the puppy to observe dogs (whilst being carried), other domestic animals and livestock from a safe distance and ensure the experience is positive or neutral.

After Vaccination - From Puppy to adults who have not previously been socialised

• Introductions with other dogs- To begin with, allow the puppy/dog to observe from a distance where they feel comfortable and will on occasion scatter feed to help them relax or give them a treat and allow them to watch. You can increase the distance if their dog shows any sign of distress and will say for food-motivated dogs, the refusal of food is usually a good indicator. As the dog relaxes, you can decrease the distance. At this point, if the client has a friend with a calm dog that is known to be friendly to go for a walk with them and then if the dogs are getting on well then let them say hello. This should never be a rushed process.
• Socialisation with people- Again, allow the dog to observe people from a distance they feel comfortable with. If people are visiting the house, allow the dog to have a safe space where they can choose to retrieve to, if the owner brings the dog to see the visitors, it is important that guests do not directly look at the dog and allow the dog to sniff. It can be helpful if they throw a high-value reward a distance away from themselves to help reinforce positive emotions with people. If people want to say hello, then tell clients to let the dog approach the person if they wish to, tell them not to directly look at the dog and allow them to sniff, if the dog is uncomfortable increase distance and repeat the above steps.