Puppies: Socialization Checklist
SET UP FOR SUCCESS
The first three months of your puppy’s life is the most important time for exposing them to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as possible, so they can learn positive associations and how to interact successfully with the world around them. Early socialization and positive reinforcement (R+) training classes can go a long way to creating a lifelong bond between you and your dog. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) position statement also supports and encourages early animal socialization. San Diego Humane Society offers a number of classes for puppies and adolescent dogs both in-person and online including Puppy Playgroups and our free Well-Socialized Pet Chats hosted over Zoom each weekend! These chats cover six topics related to socialization; how animals learn, desensitization to sounds, socializing with animals and people, conditioning body handling, exposure to novel objects and environments, and enrichment each of which are followed up by an email full of related resources. Sessions are appropriate for all pets of all ages; register for six consecutive sessions to hear all the topics. Check out our Well-socialized Pet Resources Playlist on Youtube!
This is where your Puppy Socialization Checklist comes into play. It is divided into two parts of activities for you and your puppy to experience together. The first part contains a priority checklist of activities you should try to expose your puppy to before they are 12 weeks old. The second part offers more ideas for activities that will continue helping their development. Ideally, they should experience all of these items before they are 18 weeks of age. If you're looking for an opportunity to put this theory into practice, check out our Camp Socialization classes for exposing puppies and dogs of all ages to new experiences and novelty.
MAKE IT POSITIVE
When introducing your puppy to all of these new experiences, reward with treats and praise so they create a positive association with the new activity (How do we know what our pet finds rewarding? read this!). Observe your puppy’s behavior to see if they are enjoying the experience; are they eating treats? Do they seem relaxed and comfortable? If not, take a break from the activity. Check out this B&T Lecture: Can You Speak Dog or Cat? to get an in-depth feel for the nuances of body language and then explore this video on reading body language while in the context of a training session.
TAKE IT SLOW
Doing too much too fast can lead to overstimulation, which can result in fear or anxiety. Start with small experiences like the feeling of grass, walking on tile or meeting one new person. Don’t force your puppy to interact with a new environment or a new object; instead back away a bit until the puppy relaxes. Always give them a choice in how they engage with - or don't - new experiences. Then use a silly voice, treats and praise to help them feel more confident in approaching the scary item or sound. As the puppy becomes more relaxed, gradually they will get closer to the stimuli, pairing praise and treats with the experience.
WATCH OUT FOR
Please consult a professional trainer/behaviorist to assist you in your socialization process for fearful puppies who display extreme behavioral responses such as shaking uncontrollably, urinating/defecating, growling, snapping or biting. See the B&T Lecture: How to Pick a Trainer 101 to learn how to find an appropriate trainer.
For more info on early puppy socialization, visit the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s position statement on early socialization.
PEOPLE USING
- Canes
- Crutches
- Metal walkers
- Wheelchairs
- Baby strollers
- Backpacks
- Luggage
PEOPLE IN UNIFORM
- Police officers
- Postal workers
- Vet clinic staff
PEOPLE WITH
- Umbrellas
- Baseball caps
- Helmets
- Mustaches
- Beards
- Glasses
ATHLETIC FOLK
- Joggers
- Skateboarders
- Cyclists
- Rollerbladers
- Roller skaters
- Soccer players
INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE
Check out our Body Handling Playlist
- Holding puppy
- Touching paws
- Touching muzzle
- Touching ears
- Touching collar
- Checking teeth
- Clipping nails
- Brushing teeth
- Checking between pads
- Cleaning ears
- Touching rear legs
- Brushing/grooming
PEOPLE SOUNDS
- Talking loudly
- Laughing
- Crying
- Shouting
- Arguing
- Newborn crying
- Newborn laughing
- Infant crying
- Infant laughing
- Children playing
- Children laughing
- Children crying
- Children shouting
DIFFERENT SETTINGS
- Rides in vehicles (other than to vet)
- Socialization classes
- Vet clinics
- Groomers
- Elevators
- Automatic doors
- School grounds
- Car washes
- Walks after dark
- Busy intersections
- Crowds of people
- Your family’s homes
- Sleepover visits
- Department stores
HOME ENVIRONMENT
- Phone ringing
- Doorbell
- Knocking at the door
- Hair dryer
- Vacuum cleaner
- Dishwasher
- Electrical appliances (i.e. blender, can opener, mixer)
- Sweeping
- Mopping
- Guests
- Gatherings in home
- Repair people
- Delivery people
- Gardeners
- Dropping a hair brush
- Washing a load of laundry
OUTDOOR EVENTS
- Parade
- Live music band
- People dancing
CONSTRUCTION SITES/ GARDENING
- Jackhammers
- Cranes
- Front-end loaders
- Bulldozers
- Sledgehammers
- Power tools
- Forklifts
- Carrying shovels
- Wheelbarrows
- Lawn mowers
- Weed whackers
MOTORIZED VEHICLES
- Cars
- Motorcycles
- Screeching brakes
- Cars backfiring
- Street cleaners
- Garbage trucks
- City buses
- Electric wheelchairs
- Firetrucks
- Police cars
- Mail trucks
- UPS/delivery truck
ANIMALS
Check out our Behavior & Training Lecture on Introducing Pets
- Friendly, healthy dogs
- Puppies
- Cats
DIFFERENT SURFACES
- Going up stairs
- Going down stairs
- Ceramic tiles
- Carpet
- Slippery surfaces
- Manholes
- Grates
- Grass
- Gravel
- Children’s playground equipment
STRANGE SIGHTS
- Scooters
- Tricycles
- Hula hoops
- Remote-control toys
- Flags/banners
- Statues of people
- Statues of animals
SOUNDS
Check out our Well-socialized Pet Chat discussion on Desensitizing our Pets to Sounds
- Sirens on police vehicles
- Sirens on ambulances
- Sirens on firetrucks
- Thunder sounds
- Fireworks
- Construction site noises
- People yelling
- Trucks backing up with alarm sound
CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST
ANIMALS
- Small pets (hamster)
- Large birds (geese)
- Horses
- Goats
- Pigs
- Chickens
- Ducks
PEOPLE WITH
- Leg in a cast
- Leg scooter
- Baby carriers
- Wagons
- Shopping carts
- Holding balloons
- Rain coats
- Sunglasses
- Cowboy hats
- Visors
- Costumes
- Masks
- Beanies
- Punk haircuts
- Shaved heads
PEOPLE IN UNIFORM
- Firefighter
- Vet tech
- Veterinarian
- Ambulance attendant
- Crossing guard
- Meter reader
- Telephone worker
- Courier
ATHLETIC FOLK
- Cross-county skiiers
- Sledders
- Snowboarders
- Surfers
- Windsurfers
- Speedwalkers
- Spectators at 10K
- Paddlers (kayaks, canoes)
- Hang gliders
- Swimmers
- Water-skiers
- Martial artists
- Bike couriers
- Dodgeball players
MOTOR VEHICLES
- Water scooters
- Airplanes
- Helicopters
- Snowplows
- Trolleys
- Segways
- Hoverboards
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS
- Boarding kennel
- Bank
- Gas station
- Toll booth
- Friend’s home
- Public transit
- Country vs. city
- Escalator
- Pet supply store
- Downtown
- Boat ride
- Petting zoo
- Tunnel
- Bridge
- Outside day care
- Active railway
- Crowd of people clapping
- Crowd of people cheering
- Drive-thru
- Sporting facility
- Beach
- Hiking trail
- Office
- Park
- Boardwalk
- Public event
- Mall
- Plaza
- Coffee shop
- Brewery
- Restaurant downtown
- Restaurant by the water
- Fast-food restaurant
- Tourist spot
- Movie in a park
- Pool
- Lake
- Inflatable pool
- Home environment
- Phone announces calls
- Loud TV
- Loud music
- Kettle
- Dog in bath/shower
- Home office
- House party
- Maintenance people
- Dropping a plastic container
- Dropping a pot/pan
- Popcorn popping
- Fire alarm
- Drying a load of laundry
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS & NOISE
- Snowblowers
- Snow
- Rain
- Wind
- Airport
- Loud speakers
- Building demolition
- Sand
- Wood
- Tile
- Marble
- Watery or wet
- Cement
- Asphalt
- Swinging bridge
- Wooden dock
- Tarmac (not on a hot day)
- Artificial grass
- Mud
- Ice
OUTDOOR EVENTS
- Hot air balloon
- People singing
- Farmers market
- Beach party
- Bonfire
- Santa Claus
- Easter Bunny
- Mascot
- Rodeo
- Fair
- Sporting event
- Clown
- Mime
- Rush hour
- A rally/protest
- Street vendor
- Food truck
CONSTRUCTION SITES & GARDENERS
- Ride-on mower
- Leaf blower
- Electric hedge shears
- Garden hose
- Sprinkler system
STRANGE SIGHTS & SMELLS
- Drunk people
- Ice cream trucks
- Strong perfumes
- Strong cooking smells
- Hammocks
- Playground swings
- Playground tunnels
- Kites
- Model airplanes
- Low-flying airplanes
- Air-filled decorations
- Pinwheels
- Loud kids’ toys
- Children in high chairs
- Children in walkers
- Children in swings outside
- Children in swinging chair inside