Socialisation during lockdown

[Tandoorimixedgrill]

We have a delightful 9 week old puppy who had been planned to join our family for ages. She settled into our family like a dream but now that we are in lockdown I’m scratching my head as to how we are going to adequately socialise her.

Obviously we can’t take her out out till her immunisations are complete but any tips on what we can do both now at home and after 12 weeks while in lockdown would be massively appreciated.

We had just got a pup in November lockdown. I took her to the park and sat there and watched the world go by. Or watched buses and cars and trains. I took her to a pet shop etc (all being held). I know some people use you tube videos. Doesn't really help meeting people but people in the park always say hi to a puppy from a distance. Not sure where the legalities of that are now but animal welfare is on the list.

Actually physically meeting people or dogs is a tiny part of socialising. The rest is learning that people and dogs (and the world!) are a good thing which can all be done socially distanced. In fact allowing the dog to see new things from a distance and work them out is often better for the dog than just throwing them in there and risking them potentially getting a fright.

I would carry the puppy on normal walks, let her see and smell everything as normal. Sit on the grass and give her lots of treats when dogs or people pass etc.
Do lots of training in a public area so she can see people and dogs going about their daily business.
Take her out in the car, even if it’s just around the street and back.
Once she’s on lead I would carry on walking as normal around your area, along busy roads etc if you can treating the whole time.
I would also be doing lots of general confidence building and obedience work in the mean time getting the puppy to look to you for reassurance so if in the future the puppy comes across something she’s never seen before it’s okay because you can reassure her.

There’s no reason a puppy that hasn’t played with another dog can’t be a well adjusted dog. In many ways it’s actually better to train them not to go running up jumping on any dog they may see!

Thanks @Leonberger that’s reassuring and follows what we have so far been doing and had planned. We live quite close to town so I can head in that direction when we start walking to maximise what she experiences.

Loads of socialisation can still be done.
Get her used to different surfaces eg
dirt
sand
wood
slippery floors
puddles
walking over wooden planks
walking on wobbly services

Sounds
cars
buses
trains
horses
any animals possible cows sheep
children in parks
water
river noises
washing machines
hoovers
garden equipment lawn mowers, hedge cutter, leaf blowers (you dont have to be using them just let them hear the sound of them.

Smell
cooking smells
frying smells
at a distance smell of petrl stations
smell of cars in the open roads and in busy streets
smell of other animals so cows in fields small furries in cages _ pet shops are still open a great place to socialise in

wheels
Bikes - there will be a lot of these about
skateboards
buggies
cars
dustmen - these are great for the truck, the flourescent coats and the noise of the bins being moved

The list is endless the more new experiences they have now will help to balance out any things they have less off.

Do NOT worry about dog interaction. Let your puppy see dogs in the distance and then reward for focus on you. Your puppy will be the best behaved dog in the park when lock is over

It's all about exposure. Great starter list from Polly.

I'd add queues of people, comings and goings outside takeaways, being under or on or near a bridge when a train goes through, any sport on public playing fields once allowed, joggers passing close, walking over cellar gratings and gravel.

We have a workshop near us so all our puppies have had to get used to the racket of the bandsaw. Which reminds me - DIY sounds are good too, clattering pan lids....

You’d really do the same as before and what people have suggested above carry her etc my retriever was quite heavy so didn’t meet many dogs but then once jags were done he met loads and is quite happy with other dogs. The only problem would be puppy classes if you’d wanted those not sure how it will work. we’d been booked for January so need to find out when they’ll be pushed back until. Meanwhile doing games and training and keeping him occupied when not asleep. A 9 week old pup should spend a lot of time sleeping too.

Linger at your local train station is a great one. Usually see folk going back and forth. Also exposure to noise of the engine, lights etc.

Thanks everyone, all these examples are very helpful.

Oh another one go out in the dark - the world is very different to a puppy in the dark, with car lights street lights etc.

Yes I completely agree with PPs I do not let my dogs play with other dogs, except a couple I know extremely well, and I train all of my dogs and fosters to ignore other dogs unless told otherwise. It is law for all dogs to be on leads here unless at an off lead dog park, so that makes it a bit easier. Well, when people actually follow the laws.

Those dogs I do let mine play with belong to very close friends who have trained their dogs well, whose dogs have lovely temperaments, have vaccinated them (and not just the core vaccines, Leptospirosis etc too) and who have a proper flea and worm schedule, and who are sensible and vigilant at monitoring play, and only in an enclosed area where it would be easy to intervene quickly if necessary.

Socialisation is about sitting quietly and seeing\ stuff too. So if you are driving to the shops could one of you sit on the car boot with puppy and watch the world go by.

If she’s not a huge breed carry her in a sling or bag on your walk.

Thanks everyone, took her out today in my arms (she’s a lab). She was quite nervous at first but by the time she had been out for a while she settled right down. Definitely hit home how important it is.

Have a few friends with beautifully behaved dogs so will try and walk with them when aloud.