The Early Dog Catches The Bone

It's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks, but the earlier we start, the better.

The critical socialisation age for a puppy is between 4 and 16 weeks.

Learning starts well before and lasts long after this, but this 12 week window is when puppies are at their most impressionable. They can learn more during this period than they may do their entire lives, so it's an opportune time for us to help them with this learning.

Gently guiding them through as many experiences as possible builds their confidence, helps prevent the onset of behavioural problems, and facilitates their general development into well rounded dogs.

Remember to;

- start slowly, gradually increasing exposure

- never rush, force, or 'flood'

- keep it fun and positive. It's a big scary world out there!

Image courtesy of Mighty Dog Graphics.