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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Puppy hasn't been socialised ? Recipe for disaster ?

17 replies

Sassybeast · 18/07/2012 21:41

Have been planning on getting another dog for a number of months to replace our much loved boy who died a year ago.
On the waiting list for the local rescue centres for a while now but they don't have anything suitable so far.
Visited an open farm today and they have had an unexpected litter of terrier cross pups which are in need of homes. They are currently 10 weeks old and whilst very cute, and potentially really suitable in terms of size/breed etc, they alternated between being really boisterous with each other and then cowering in the corner when the kids tried to approach them and it's obvious they've just been running around a barn with limited human interaction.
Feel the need to give one of them a good home (have already bought the puppy books etc) but wondering if I'd be left with puppy which has some behavioural issues ? Am not a shirker, always had dogs but no experience of behaviour like this in a litter and would appreciate any thoughts.

OP posts:

poachedeggs · 19/07/2012 06:31

Just don't do it. Your reservations are not unfounded - we know that very early experiences can have a profound effect on behaviour and anxiety levels in adult life.

Well done for thinking clearly in the face of cute puppy overload!

TantrumsAndBalloons · 19/07/2012 06:36

I think it depends on how much time you have to give a puppy right now.

Of course it is possible to train and socialise a 10 week old puppy, a lot of puppies are still with their mums at this age and come home and need to go through the training/socializing process.

So it depends if you have the time required to train a puppy, get him/her used to people, other dogs, traffic etc.

TantrumsAndBalloons · 19/07/2012 06:39

FWIW we got our pup at 9 weeks, he had been dumped in an animal shelter after a week with a new owner.
He was very easy to train, we started off crate training, now he has excellent recall, he is well behaved, house trained etc.

We took him to puppy training classes in the park as well which he loved

He doesn't have any behaviour or anxiety problems.

poachedeggs · 19/07/2012 07:45

You really think it's a good idea to take on a puppy that's already cowering when approached by kids? Really? Because there aren't lots of other, better options here?

OP, I'm not saying it's impossible for this to be successful. Of course it's not. But do you want to take on another dog or do you want another dog plus potential anxiety and behaviour difficulties?

On a purely practical level, keeping kids away from the fearful but cute puppy will be a nightmare!

SingingTunelessly · 19/07/2012 07:50

I can't see you have much problem socialising a 10 week old puppy tbh. That is the sort of age you start that with them anyway. I am currently trying to socialise a 18month old...... Now honestly this is a problem.

Lucyellensmum99 · 19/07/2012 07:56

Sassy, don't do it - there will be other dogs/pups and you can't take responsibility for these poorly socialised pups. I think you could be buying a bundle of heartache. You will have read in your books already im sure that you want a dog that will happily approach, even if it is a bit timid, but to cower is a bad sign. Your children will become frustrated if the pup doesn't want to play and it will become a cycle. Also, if the pups are poorly socialised how are they healthwise? are they wormed? vaccinated? or at least the mother vaccinated? Too many red flags here - i understand how you feel but these little dogs will probably be great farm dogs but as a family pet, less so.

TantrumsAndBalloons · 19/07/2012 08:51

I didn't say it was a good idea for everyone but for someone with the time and patience, then why not?

It's only 10 weeks old, a lot of pups have not even left their mum by then, or been outside. It's not that difficult a task to socialise a puppy, a 3 year old dog who is scared of everything and everyone is slightly more difficult :(

I would never advise against getting a pup that's unsocialised at only 10 weeks, I would just advise you have to train them, but IME that's the case for most puppies.

Lizcat · 19/07/2012 09:10

The socialisation phase last in puppies till they are 13 weeks of age. So yes this can be put right, but it needs someone who is able to dedicate the next 3 weeks to getting this puppy out there and experiencing a lot of life in a very short period of time. I would take this puppy on if I could have 3 weeks of work and just do puppy nothing else for 3 weeks.
If you are going to this getting the Sounds Socialable CD to play at home in addition to carrying the pup to every possible imaginable situation would help cover those things that you can get covered. If you are going to do it engaging lots of helpful friends who can wear hats big coats etc to meet your puppy to give it lots of experiences of different looking people. Plus you will need willing child volunteers who are happy to sit and wait quietly for the puppy to come to them - My DD work's in our dog training class as the stooge child and has sat for hours holding out her hand not looking at puppies with a treat in her hand waiting for them to approach it takes time and patience, but does work.
I have to say though a good rescue should be putting all of this in place for the puppies already and should not have allowed children to rush up to puupies like this.

midori1999 · 19/07/2012 10:06

Lizcat, the puppies are at an open farm (children visiting place) not a rescue.

OP, I wouldn't. Although it's true there is a period of time before the puppies are past their main socialisation period (12-14 weeks) they are already showing signs of problems which may or may not be correctable int hat timeframe, especially if you have children who may be keen and family commitments.

Aside from that socialisation issue, there is also the fact that if you get one of these puppies you are encouraging irresponsible breeding. Yes, the puppies are here now, but if this farm cannot home them then they may think more carefully about allowing 'accidental' litters to happen in the future.

CharlieMaroc · 19/07/2012 12:12

I got my pup from a litter of strays. Just picked her up off some waste land. Yes you will have to work hard to socialise him or her, but every pup needs lots of hard work. My pup is now 6 months and loves people.

EasyToEatTiger · 19/07/2012 19:31

One of our dogs wasn't at all socialised. He went from puppy farm to pet shop to new home to rescue and finally, aged about one, to us. He was all over the place, both physically and emotionally. Completely unbalanced and with zero concentration. It took a lot of hard work, determination, patience and training to help him get used to the world. He is a gorgeous dog, and I am very pleased he came to live with us in spite of the awful problems he presented at first.

Original poster

Sassybeast · 19/07/2012 22:18

Thank you all. Head has won - heart will get over it! Much as I would love to give one of them a great home, I don't want to risk it. Our perfect dog is out there waiting for us to find him!

OP posts:

charlearose · 20/07/2012 21:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Signet2012 · 20/07/2012 22:24

I got my dog at 8 weeks (was actually 6 I later learnt) from a pet shop.

OP - if you do decide to get one do not under estimate the issues socialising can bring. I wish I had known more and not just gone on my heart strings.

I love my dog but I have had a right time with him as he just does not understand other dogs or people and its taken til the last year for him to stop being a bloody nightmare with people and he stil is with other dogs.

If you do decide to go ahead get all the advise you can and a proper trainer.

Scuttlebutter · 20/07/2012 23:46

Signet, by buying your dog from a pet shop you will almost certainly have bought from a puppy farm. Apart from the cruelty to the bitches, the large number of dogs kept means that socialisation of pups is impossible, hence the problems you have had. Just to give you some idea, it's perfectly acceptable and legal at the moment for a licensed breeder to have over ninety adult dogs and two members of staff, and such farms (and bigger) are flourishing.

It's too late for you, but I'd implore others if thinking about a pup to NEVER buy one from a pet shop.

And six weeks is too young to leave mum.

For anyone who is interested you can find out more about puppy farming here

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 21/07/2012 08:54

Glad your head won out sassy Socialising is very important and I think forms the basis for everything else for your dog.

When we had pupstar she went everywhere with me and the kids. Even when she couldnt walk pre vaccination. I carried her (bloody heavy GSD puppy) to school, took her out for coffee in the local town, let her watch the traffic, people, kids, bikes. I did this every day with her for weeks.

When she could walk we did the same thing with other dogs, people and took her to puppy class too.

Now at 20 months old she has gone on to train as a police dog and she is brilliant at her job. I am so proud of her and of us for the hard work put in at the beginning and throughout her time with us.

Signet2012 · 21/07/2012 12:06

I know Scuttle. It was 8 years ago, I was 21. I knew nothing of such things back then. Walked past a grotty pet shop, saw him in the window, fell in love, couldn't leave him there..... heart ruled head!

Having never owned a dog, I was unaware of the complications hence my warning to others.

Luckily on the whole he is not a bad dog, but he is not as healthy as he should be, and the socialisation has been a problem, thats why I was advising OP not to ignore it or think it will get better, I did not have the knowledge or experience to socialise a dog so my inexperience made a bad situation so much worse!

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