Levi’s list of Places to Visit whilst a puppy is quite long.
We’re working hard to get to every place before he’s 16 weeks old, which is when puppy socialization comes to a close. It’s been bitterly cold this winter, making getting out and about not only inconvenient but also painful.
A puppy’s socialization window waits for no man!
So, we bundle up and we go places with the puppy. Today’s escapade involved an unchecked box on our “Places to Visit” list: a coffee shop.
The idea of puppy socialization is to expose the pup in a fun, easy way to new places, sounds, experiences, sights and sounds.
I met a couple of friends for lunch, went prepared with goodies and Levi’s settle blanket and checked “coffee shop” off our list! Levi used the opportunity to catch up on some zzzz’s and spent most of the lunch dreaming (of chasing squirrels?) next to our table. He’d occasionally wake up, take a look around, but generally fell right back into into a lazy slumber.
It’s experiences like this that help shape his world view, that help him learn to settle and relax in any location no matter what else is going on.
Still ahead on Levi’s List of Places to visit:
- gym
- pool
- kid’s sporting event
- exercise path
- indoor mall
- outdoor mall
We’ll be able to get out and about a lot more if winter ever transitions into spring and the temperatures get back above freezing. Until then, we’ll keep bundling up and taking short and sweet trips.
Caro says
Oh, no! My dog hasn’t been to all those places, He’s 4.5 months old now. Should I still try to take him to new places?
He LOVES people, but no baby cries or pools. I mean he’s not a service dog but I want him to act like a service dog, which I might just not be skilled enough to accomplish.
Laurie Luck says
The socialization window begins to close between 14 – 18 weeks of age. You should still take your dog to as many places and ensure that he has a positive experience, though, even after that age. We’re continually improving all our dogs’ skills — including work in public.