The Puppy Socialisation and Habituation Programme is designed to ensure puppies develop into well-adjusted adults, familiar with various environments, sounds, and experiences. This guide outlines our routine for rearing puppies, including exposure to household noises and other critical socialisation elements.
Procedures and Considerations
Post-Birth Care
- Gently handle puppies shortly after birth to begin their socialisation with humans.
- Regularly check puppies for signs of health issues, ensuring any concerns are promptly addressed.
- Provide continuous care and monitoring to the mother, ensuring she is healthy, stress-free, and well-nourished to care for her puppies.
Routine Checks
- Frequency: Check on the puppies several times a day to monitor their health and development.
- Activities During Checks: Each check should include assessing their comfort, cleanliness, and behavior, adjusting care as needed.
Introduction to New Experiences
- Begin introducing puppies to new environments, sounds, surfaces, and friendly animals and humans within a few weeks of birth.
- Introduce new stimuli gradually to avoid overwhelming the puppies. Start with less invasive stimuli and gradually increase complexity.
Illness Prevention During Socialisation:
- Implement strict hygiene practices during socialisation to prevent the spread of illness, including sanitising hands and using clean toys and equipment.
Interactive Sessions
- Content: Include toys, grooming sessions, and play in the interactions to encourage diverse experiences.
- Control of Other Animals: Supervise interactions with other animals to ensure safety and positive experiences.
- Duration and Frequency: Engage puppies in socialisation activities at least 4 to 5 times per day, with each session lasting about 20 minutes.
Toilet Training
- Start Time: Begin toilet training as soon as puppies start moving independently.
- Method: Use consistent locations and times to facilitate learning.
- Goal of the Programme: The aim is to equip puppies with the skills and experiences needed to grow into well-adjusted, confident dogs. This comprehensive socialisation plan helps ensure that puppies can cope with a variety of situations and environments as they develop.