COLUMN: How to ensure your dog is socialised

• Nadine Whittal, dog trainer writes:

Most people believe that taking a puppy to puppy class is all about getting that obedience training in early so that they do not have to worry about it later. They are right, the obedience is important but puppy classes fulfil a far more important function. They ensure that your dog is socialised.

So, what is socialisation?

This is where a puppy is introduced to the world. It learns about its environment and how to interact with it. For example, it may learn that the man that comes to cut your grass is not pure evil and does not need to die on the spot. It might also learn that the tyres on a car are dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. All of these are important survival techniques that the puppy incorporates at a young age.

So, what should we socialise our puppies to?

This is an interesting question that requires a bit of examination. Logically, one should socialise puppies to what they will be experiencing in their daily lives. An example would be a hairdryer. If you use the hairdryer every day, then you don’t want your puppy having a meltdown every time you pick up the hairdryer.

You should also consider socialising puppies to all the weird and wonderful varieties of people that exist. People come in all shapes, sizes and colours. Further, we like to confuse the situation by wearing weird clothes like hats, sunglasses or dresses.

Each of these would change the appearance of an individual and, if not properly socialised, could influence your dog’s behaviour negatively.

Lastly, you should socialise your puppy to other dogs.

Dogs have their own form of communication, and they teach it to each other. If your dog is not exposed to other dogs, then they do not learn this communication technique. The result could be “inappropriate doggy behaviour” when they do come into contact with other dogs, and this may result in aggression or fear.

Dogs have a very particular critical period in which socialisation occurs. Ideally, you want your puppy socialised to as much as possible within their first few months of life. What is the best way to do this?

Get your puppy to puppy class! Any decent puppy class will consider all of the above during classes so that your puppy gets as much exposure as possible.