5 Socializing games for puppies

FIVE SOCIALIZATION GAMES FOR PUPPIES

Puppies are like sponges...In first five months of their life puppies absorb everything what's new for them, form habits and also their own personality. It is therefore good to devote as much time as possible to them during this period and teach them everything what is necessary for growing into a confident, socialized life partner with a decent behavior.

Try these five socialization games, thanks to which your puppy will fit seamlessly into any dog or human company.

1. MEETING PEOPLE

Since no one can resist the cuteness of a puppy, this training lesson will be super easy. It is basically about letting your dog to meet as many people as possible. The more people he meets at his puppy age, the less likely he is going to be afraid of them in his adulthood. Try to meet different age categories, people in uniforms, small children, people in costumes etc.. Almost no doggie can resist a treat, so you can use this for our game as well. You can ask a few people every day to give your dog a treat (the one you give them), to call the puppy with its name, talk to him calmly, and/or for example ask those people to get down on their knees and let the puppy explore their smells. If the dog reacts negatively and is reluctant to contact them, do not force him into anything! Never give the treats to someone your puppy is clearly afraid of, as you will probably multiply their fear then. Instead, let this person sit and throw the puppy's favorite toys or treats towards him from a greater distance and let the puppy proceed at his own pace. Once the puppy is more confident, shorten the distance etc., etc.

2. SOCIALIZATION CIRCLE

Ask two or more friends to join the game with you. Create a circle together and place the dog in the middle. The first person begins to call your puppy with a cheerful voice: "Bella, come to me!", if the puppy obeys, she gets a treat and a good praise. Then it's another friend's turn and it should proceed in the same way as the first one. Once this game gets familiar for the puppy, you can enlarge the circle so the dog has to cover a greater distance to you. Again, if the puppy does not feel comfortable and does not want to go to strangers, do not force him and proceed more slowly.

3. A PLAY WITH SOUNDS

Many puppies are afraid of unknown noises. There is nothing easier than to acquaint your pup with them. How to do it? Start with a hair dryer, for example. At the beginning, be far from the dog, turn on the device only for a few seconds and then immediately turn it off. Watch your dog's reaction carefully and proceed accordingly. Is the dog curious where the sound comes from, or is he afraid? If he is afraid, reduce the intensity of the noise or move it even further away from him. Once he gets used to the sound/noise, start approaching him. At the end, he won't pay attention to the sound anymore. You can play this game with whatever tools or devices you have at home. You can do the same on your walks. Start in a quiet neighborhood and continue to loud, busy streets etc.

There will definitely be times when an unknown noise comes unexpectedly and the dog is startled. It can be, for example, a thunderstorm or a huge applause. In these cases, try to bring him to other thoughts and drive away the fright as quickly as possible.

4. WHAT IS YOURS, IS MINE

Take a toy suitable for tugging, for example a rope toy or some light-weight puppy toy. Put one end into a dog's mouth, hold the other one and start the tug-o-war. During this game, encourage and praise him, pet his head and body and touch his mouth too. The puppy has to learn there is nothing wrong with you touching his toys. This way you will prevent possessive behavior, when the dog could aggressively protect his toys.

5. A COLLAR? NO PROBLEM!

We're sure even your dog will sometimes try to eat something from the ground or would like to go somewhere where he's not allowed and you will have to grab his collar quickly. This game will help you to ensure the puppy has no problem with this unexpected move, does not avoid catching his collar from you or does not react aggressively. Start to play with your puppy and once in a while carefully grab him by the collar for a few seconds. Cheerfully tell him "Gotcha!". If this does not upset the dog, reward him with a treat and continue playing. You can repeat this step several times and train the "collar game" regularly.

Are you looking for a high-quality collar that will suit your pet perfectly? Choose from HUNTER's offer of petite collars - collar Canadian Elk from leather range, or collar Vario Basic from nylon collection.

Enjoy every second with your new member of your family!