Puppies: Socialization Checklist
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 to behave and interact successfully with the world around them. Early socialization and programs of positive training can go a long way to creating a lifelong bond between you and your dog.
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.
PEOPLE
- Adults
- Babies
- Toddlers
- Children
- Teenagers
- Seniors
- Different ethnicities
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
- 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 wackers
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
- 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
- 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 & GARDNERS
- 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
MAKE IT POSITIVE
When introducing your puppy to all of these new experiences, reward with treats and praise so he creates a positive association with the new activity. Observe your puppy’s behavior to see if he is enjoying the experience; is he eating treats? Does he seem relaxed and comfortable? If not, take a break from the activity.
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 his new environment or a new object; instead back away a bit until the puppy relaxes. Then use a silly voice, treats and praise to help him feel more confident in approaching the scary item or sound. As the puppy becomes more relaxed, gradually he 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.
For more info on early puppy socialization, visit the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s position statement on early socialization.