Socializing Your Puppy

When you have a new puppy it is important to socialize them not only with other dogs and people, but also with things in their environment that might seem intimidating at first.  You should do so in a way that is not frightening to the puppy, and ensure that it is enjoyable with the use of treats and praise.

Steps to socializing your puppy:

When you’re on walks with your puppy bring treats so that when strangers approach him they are able to reward him for being calm.  At the same time, you should also reward the puppy when they calmly react towards cars, bicycles, etc.

On your walks, try to vary the surface as often as possible.  Stairs, metal grates and gravel will definitely invoke a reaction from your puppy.  Reward positive behaviour, and ignore negative behaviour.  It is important not to pet your puppy or give him treats when he is scared in order to comfort him as it is only rewarding him for being scared.

Be sure to bring your puppy with you when you go to the pet store as it will allow you to bring him around people who are also dog lovers and will ensure positive reactions upon seeing him.

Make sure you reward positive behaviour such as staying calm when others approach, walking at your pace, or waiting patiently.

It is also a good idea to enroll your new puppy in obedience classes, as it allows them to socialize with the same dogs regularly and make friends.

Take a look at this cute video of a large older dog playing nicely with a small puppy.

Making Grooming a Positive Experience

It is definitely necessary to begin grooming your puppy as soon as possible. The best time to start being groom professionally is at about 16 weeks of age, after the puppy has had all their shots.

The sooner you familiarize your puppy with being groomed, the happier they will be. Patience is key to years of successful grooming.

You’re going to want to tire your puppy out by playing with them for a few minutes. Next, select a location for grooming. This should be a table with a rubber type (bath mat) for traction. You should use the same place so that your puppy will remember this place is for not play time but "grooming time".  If introduced correctly and consistently, your pet will associate this experience with pleasure and will look forward to this special time between you and him.
At first, puppy grooming is also a behaviour lesson. Conduct frequent short sessions with patience, LOTS of verbal praise and treats.

Be sure to touch and play with your puppy's feet and rub your fingers between its toes daily. This will make nail clipping easier. I promise that your groomer and your vet will love you for this.  Dogs will naturally pull their feet back when being touched. You will notice that many pets are perfect for grooming but freak out when the nail trimming begins.  This can be avoided by your taking the time to help train them to realize it is not a painful process.
Begin by showing your puppy his brush and comb. Let them sniff and play with it a few seconds. Brush/ comb their coat a few times, then reward your puppy with a small treat and praise. Slowly increase the number of brush and comb strokes. After the first week, you should be able to do the brushing AND combing quite easily.

In order to avoid matting, it is important to brush your puppy as often as possible. If your puppy is prone to matting due to its breed, please check out the video below on how to de-mattify your puppy.

This process should help you to communicate to your puppy that grooming is a positive experience.

Best of luck!