Here are some suggestions for giving your puppy much needed opportunities to grow during the socialization period that ends around 14-16 weeks:
1. Gently handle your puppy daily
2. Help puppy safely meet lots of different people & animals, situations, and go to different places.
3. Encourage your puppy to explore, investigate, and manipulate her environment. Interactive toys and games, a variety of surfaces, tunnels, steps, chutes, and other stimuli can enrich your puppy’s environment.
4. Take car trips that are fun! (Not just to the vet)
5. Training should be FUN! and based on positive reinforcement with frequent rewards — praise, petting, play and/or treats.
6. Schedule puppy play-alone time in a comfy crate or puppy pen with his favorite toys. This helps prevent separation anxiety. Plus being crated will be less stressed if they must visit the vet or be confined for travel.
7. Continuing to offer your puppy a wide variety of experiences during his first year of life.
Do you need help teaching your puppy? I still have some openings in my Good Puppy Social Class or we can work together privately.