The ultimate guide to puppy socialisation

Puppy socialisation is a term you’ve likely heard before.

Bandied about by family and friends and used in sentences such as, “you’ll need to take your puppy to class to get them socialised”.

But the truth is, socialisation isn’t just about puppies meeting other puppies.

Chinese whispers have bred fear and mis-education. 

Scientific research and findings prove that socialisation is much more than that.

Your family and friends do have one thing right though; puppy socialisation is important. It shapes the kind of dog they grow up to be. But what’s crucial is that it’s done with the correct knowledge.

In this blog post we’ll share a complete overview of puppy socialisation, including what it means and why it is important, what scientific research tells us, examples of socialisation and exposure, how to socialise your puppy the right way and 7 suggestions if you’re new to puppy socialisation.

What puppy socialisation means and why it’s so important

Socialised, as defined in the dictionary, is the process of learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society. It’s an important life skill for the domestic dog. 

But, what does it actually look like?

It’s very easy to envisage what it‘s not;

• barking, lunging, chasing and biting are all common behaviours people view as anti-social

• a dog who runs up to other dogs on sight can be considered as a pest, even if their intentions are pro-social

It’s harder to envisage what it is;

• during the process of socialisation, puppies learn about the world around them; how to interact with it and how things work

• they learn what is safe and enjoyable and what is scary and should be avoided

• they learn social skills with dogs, people and other animals

Socialisation can be active, where we purposely introduce puppies to new experiences. And it can be passive. These are things puppies come across in their own time.

The goal of socialisation is to ensure our puppies are well-adjusted and feel confident with everything they will likely experience throughout their life.

Meeting and playing with other puppies and dogs is just one small fraction of what makes up the whole puppy socialisation process. I’m not denying it isn’t important, but if we allow our puppies to interact with every dog they see there are 2 common issues that arise;

• our puppy becomes over excited whenever they see another dog. They know seeing dogs is really fun and they become excited and desperate to get to them. This will lead to problems with focus on us and could result in our puppy ignoring calls to come back when off lead

• our puppy becomes overwhelmed. Some puppies are wary of other dogs and if we don’t know what signs to watch for when they are uncomfortable, it’s really easy to create a negative association.

Rather than focusing on the number of interactions, it’s more important to ensure the quality of the interactions our puppies do have.

Other aspects of the socialisation process are;

• focusing on you around other dogs, humans and animals

• building confidence around new sounds, surfaces, sights and objects

• building confidence in novel buildings and environments

• meeting humans (young, supervised, and old)

And if we don’t get it right? The outcome can be challenging.

A puppy who hasn’t been correctly socialised can end up being shy, aggressive and fearful. It impacts their happiness. Their whole life turns out very different to that of a puppy who has been correctly socialised because it’s difficult to repair the damage that has already been done.

According to, Dog Training Central, an “unfortunate but undeniable fact is that the number one reason why dogs end up being euthanized is through a lack of socialization (from the associated problems that arise)”.

Here’s a great supporting blog by Paws In Hand Dog Training and Behaviour – What is Socialisation Anyway?

What scientific research tells us about puppy socialiation

In 1957, J.P. Scott and Fuller were the first to discover 3 well-defined developmental stages in puppies. And what happens during this time shapes the kind of dog they grow up to be.

The neonatal stage (birth to 12 days), the transitional stage (12 days – 3 weeks) and the critical period for socialisation (3 weeks -12 weeks), now more commonly known as the sensitive period for socialisation. This timescale will vary 3-4 days either side because some breeds and some individuals within those breeds will develop at different rates.

Scott and Fuller conducted extensive research over a period of 14 years. What they found was, “during the sensitive period for socialisation, puppies would readily approach novel objects, as well as other animals and humans to which they would become ‘socialised’ with” (School Of Canine Science, 2008).

So, if you’re looking to raise a dog who’s happy and confident in all kinds of situations, getting things right during this stage is of great importance.

As well as taking the time to find a reputable breeder.

“If the breeder is excellent they’ll take advantage of the period between 3-7 weeks. The senses and cerebral cortex are not fully developed, yet still capable of sensitive emotional reactions and the ability to make associations” (School Of Canine Science, 2008)

In 1961, Freedman conducted a study where puppies were isolated from human contact from 2 weeks to 14 weeks of age. They were removed from isolation and played with at different ages.  The puppies withdrew from human beings unless they were socialised with them before the age of 14 weeks. Freedman found a normal relationship couldn’t be formed.

A study by Sato aria et al. in 2011, split 31 dogs in to 3 groups. They concluded, “the dogs that performed the best, meaning they had lower heart rates, were the ones that were exposed to children in the sensitive period to socialisation. They didn’t show any aggressive behaviour to children even when the kids were running circles around the dog calling their name” (School Of Canine Science, 2008).

This doesn’t mean you should stop socialising your puppy after the sensitive period for socialisation. But, it does mean that if you get it right, your puppy has an increased chance of growing up to be a happy and confident dog.

Dog Behaviour: Genetics And The Social Behavior Of The Dog by Scott and Fuller is available online.

Examples of puppy socialisation and exposure

It’s really important to highlight here – none of these examples should put a pre-vaccinated puppy at risk. You must follow your vet’s advice.

If your puppy isn’t fully vaccinated yet, they should be done whilst remaining in your car or on your property. You can also carry your puppy, use a puppy sling, pet stroller or wheeled crate whilst out and about. 

Just because they can’t walk on the ground, it doesn’t mean they can’t experience new sights, smells and sounds.

Get creative and find ways to safely expose your pre-vaccinated puppy to new experiences.

Examples include;

• allow your puppy to watch neighbours passing by, dogs going on their walks or traffic driving past. If you live in a quiet rural area be sure to drive your puppy to busier locations to watch the world go by

• take them to the supermarket car park and sit in the boot of the car together watching people, trolleys and cars passing slowly

• take in the different sounds and smells in the environment. Even without leaving your car, your puppy will be learning so much about the world around them

• start to teach your puppy that it’s OK to spend a short amount of time alone. A micro absence is a good place to start. Have a pot of food handy next to the bathroom and drop a few pieces on the floor before you go inside.

• create a confidence course with unfamiliar objects for your puppy to investigate. Praise them and drop treats as they investigate. Stay close for support and remember never to lure your puppy into a situation where they’re scared. Allow them time to explore at their own pace.

• introduce unfamiliar sounds to your puppy. For example, crowd noise, the sound of a hoover, children playing, busy traffic or building site noise. You can find sounds on YouTube or Spotify. Play these noises whilst your puppy enjoys a stuffed Kong. Start with a low volume and increase gradually. Make sure your puppy is relaxed throughout.

• play dress up – yourself not your puppy! Include sunglasses, hats, walking sticks, wigs, hi-viz jackets, gloves, bulky clothes, masks and PPE. Let your puppy sniff the items before putting them on slowly. Praise and treat your puppy throughout.

• prepare your puppy for routine vet visits. Practice lifting your puppy onto a table with a piece of non-slip matting on. Feel over their back, legs, tail, ears, neck, muzzle, eyes. Go slow and reward your puppy a lot.

• introduce grooming and different types of equipment. Start with the object on the ground and allow your puppy to investigate. Take it slow, always working at their pace and build a positive association by pairing the experience with tasty treats. Give them a choice to take part or not. If they move away, go back a step.

You can read a great supporting article, including veterinary advice here – Puppy Socialisation – PDSA

How to socialise your puppy the right way

Your puppy is going to build one of 3 associations with whatever it is you are exposing them to – a positive, neutral or negative response.

So, what do you want to aim for? What is your goal?

It all depends.

One size doesn’t fit all, when it comes to socialisation.

For example, if you have a really outgoing puppy who loves people and other dogs. You don’t need to make people and other dogs more exciting because your puppy already thinks that.

So, you’d be working a lot more on building a neutral response. When you are out and about with your puppy, there might be dogs and people in the distance, but you are doing some fun games together. Their focus is on you.

If you have a puppy who is worried about people and other dogs, we need to build those positive associations more, rather than have the neutral, because neutral isn’t going to be good enough.

It’s totally different depending on the puppy you have in front of you.

Tie it in with your vision for life with your individual puppy. Maybe you have a service dog in training. You need to expose them to so many more experiences than if you want a companion dog. Your companion dog may not need to be pretty cool and robust about travelling on a train for example.

We need to ensure that we are careful with how we introduce our puppies to new experiences in order to help them develop into confident, resilient adult dogs.

We are looking for them to be calm and relaxed, not easily startled by things and certainly not obsessive or over excited by the world around them.

Here’s a supporting blog post – Puppy socialisation schedule – PDSA

This link will take you to a post on The Puppy Culture Discussion Facebook group. Where Jane Messineo Lindquist explains the answer to the question, what to do in the last seven days of the critical socialisation period? “And there is only one answer to that, and the answer is, “it depends.”

7 tips if you’re new to puppy socialisation

1. Prevent people and dogs from forcing your puppy to engage as this will build up their trust and confidence far more than overwhelming them will. If your puppy holds back or moves away, allow them the choice not to interact.

2. Allow your puppy the chance to approach a dog or person in their own time. Have the stranger crouch and offer their hand out to the side of their body, away from your puppy. If your puppy chooses to approach, make sure the person doesn’t grab them.

3. If your puppy seeks contact, keep interactions short and enjoyable before encouraging your puppy to move away with you again.

4. Be your puppy’s advocate and prevent bad experiences by standing up for what’s in their best interest.

5. Build up your puppy’s experiences of the world around them in a careful manner, this ensures they develop a relaxed and confident outlook on life and the world around them.

6. Set your puppy up for success from the very beginning. Early experiences shape your puppy’s emotional blueprint.

7. Be understanding and be sensitive to your puppy’s early needs and development. This will enable you to enjoy your puppy and give them the best start.

Resources for puppy socialisation

Please note: There are affiliate links in this post. If you click a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only give recommendations for items I feel will truly benefit my audience. Thanks for supporting our blog!

• Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy book by Steve Mann

• Puppy Culture Discussion Group

• The School of Canine Science

• Socialising Your Puppy | Blue Cross

• What is puppy socialisation? | Getting a dog | Kennel Club (thekennelclub.org.uk)

This blog post has given you a complete overview of puppy socialisation. You can takeaway with you the correct knowledge needed to socialise your puppy in the right way and raise a happy, confident and well-behaved dog.

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And if you’d like to receive a Socialisation Checklist with training tutorials, you can find it inside my Puppy Wise Academy membership.

You’ll have everything you’ll ever need to sail through puppyhood and beyond!

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Happy training!

Lindsay xx