# Socialisation advice



## MrsSeychelles (Oct 26, 2014)

Hello all

Our little Saffy moves in with us in two weeks time and we're extremely excited! I'm reading loads of books and trying to get as prepared as possible. 

I've learnt that socialisation early on is very important and I want to get this right. The problem is that we've moved to a new village where we don't know a lot of people and we don't have any children. I realise Saffy needs to meet lots of new people and I'm wondering how to go about doing this before she's had her vaccinations. I'm planning to carry her around in a bag or something. 

We have nephews and nieces she can meet but they live a couple of hours drive away and can't come over often. Should I literally just go and hang around the school gates at home time??? It seems a little weird considering I have no kids and don't know any of the mums! We thought we could sit outside the local dog friendly pub and hopefully she'll meet people that way. I guess we could take her on the train to places too (we don't have a car). I read in one book that she needs to meet at least 100 new people and I felt a bit daunted at how to make that happen!


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Sometimes you can read too much! Lol.
Firstly don't go hanging around school gates with a puppy but no kids, you will get arrested!!! I would make a point of introducing your pup to people like the post man, vet, old people, young people etc. Just take pup about with you if you can but don't stress about it if you can't, puppies need to learn to be alone too. So try to relax about it all. 
Things that a pup could possibly find scary is a great place to start, walk next to loud roads and traffic, use the Hoover, washing machine etc etc. exposure to things in your usual everyday life and puppy will be fine.


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## MrsSeychelles (Oct 26, 2014)

Thanks Karen. The book we've got has a checklist as long as your arm where you have to tick off all the different types of people she's met, eg men with beards, people in uniform, little kids. I read it and thought OMG! With hindsight, hanging around the school gates is a terrible idea.... Maybe I'll go for a walk in the park and see who we bump into. I'll follow your advice about the other things eg the hoover and washing machine.


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## marycciu (Oct 12, 2014)

Our pup isn't coming to us until end of December, but I suspect your pup won't have ANY problem drawing attention to herself and thus meeting lots of new people! We don't have kids either, but I'm just going to take her everywhere with me (I bought an Alfie sling to carry her around in before final vaccinations) and see how we go! I think I have the same book you do... it IS daunting!


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## MrsSeychelles (Oct 26, 2014)

Is it the Gwen Bailey book Mary? 

I'm so keen to give her the best start possible but yes I'm feeling a little daunted! I might look up the sling you mentioned as I could do with something like that. I'm hoping Saffy will help us to make lots of new friends in the village - I'm sure she'll be quite a talking point


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## marycciu (Oct 12, 2014)

Yes, the Gwen Bailey book! -- I'm just finishing Alexandra Horowitz's 'Inside of a Dog' which is GREAT if you have the time. Real insight and a fun, interesting read. -- I just went to the US to visit family and the Alfie sling was super cheap there ($20) but here in the UK it's stupid expensive. There are other things out there, or there are even tutorials to make your own -- or I'm sure you could even buy a baby sling? That was my next project to look up, but then I found the one I bought. I found this bag on Petplanet.co.uk which looks super cute and seems to have good reviews: -- That website is good too if you haven't seen it. Lots of stuff on offer and lots of customer reviews.


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## MrsSeychelles (Oct 26, 2014)

I will check that book out too! The bag is really cute


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

I made this bag to carry Maggie in when she was small. Worked great. She wore a harness clipped to the inside to prevent her jumping out.


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## emjon123 (Apr 9, 2013)

We took Bailey everywhere we went, even into the bank! The amount of people that stop you when you have a puppy is incredible. I also had the Gwen Bailey book, which I thought was great, but like every other book I read when my kids were babies and growing up, you take on board some of the advice and not all. 

Socialisation is extremely important and the best advice I got from my trainer is to make sure you never stop! He knows loads of dogs who were well socialised as pups but not so good as adult dogs.


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## marycciu (Oct 12, 2014)

barb that's adorable! --- and carol, I will be taking mine anywhere that lets me!


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I would not even think twice about walking a puppy past a school at closing. Talk to the parents and teachers, many would be very happy for the opportunity to introduce their child to a puppy for the very same reasons you need the puppy to meet them. We took Rufus everywhere, even waiting rooms at the doctors and garages, but a really good place I've found for meeting people was the airport. Hundreds of people waiting around, all slightly stressed and wanting a puppy to cuddle.

Rufus was exposed to many special needs kids as a result of my work, that was the best of all, kids can scream and behave wildly and he doesn't even react.


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## MrsSeychelles (Oct 26, 2014)

That's a good idea Fairlie. Maybe we'll go and have a chat with people at the school. I'm going to be doing some voluntary work soon with elderly people and I was thinking that maybe I could take Saffy along to that. I suppose it depends what the charity thinks.

Can anyone recommend a puppy sling that they've used? Barb, the one you made looks adorable! I wish I had the talent to make my own but I'm hopeless at that sort of thing!


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I carried Chance in just a normal rucksac I wore on my front - I had blankets in the bottom and worked fine for us.

We went all over the place for socialising, shopping malls were really good as plenty of people want to say hello to the puppy and as long as pup is confident and enjoying it you can go to busy places like railway stations too.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

So much of what you do depends on what you intend to do with the dog later. The dogs who are used in work with the blind get introduced to everything and then specifically trained to fit into the lifestyle of the person they will go to. My nephew had a guide puppy in training in his highschool classes because that puppy was going guide for a student later. The key is you want them happy, confident and relaxed in whatever situations you will find yourself in. Most of our dogs will not need to be able to fall asleep in a classroom but as cockapoos they are all so cute that they are people magnets, so they should be happy meeting people.


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## MrsSeychelles (Oct 26, 2014)

Well we don't have a car and tend to travel a lot on trains, so I guess Saffy will need to get used to going on the train straight away. We are rather fond of our local pub (which welcomes dogs) so we'll have to take her there too


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Both of these are ideal opportunities for her first visits to be in your arms so she can see and hear all the noise and bustle but be secure with her mum 

Lots of people will then want to come and say hello - just make sure you don't let her get over whelmed and worried by it all.


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Because cockapoos are so cute, socialisation with people happens quite naturally. When you get your puppy it will be like a magnet for talking to people in your new area - a great way to start conversation. We've lived on our street for a few years but it's actually since we've had Gandhi that we've met more neighbours than before!

I don't see a problem with making a walking route near a school's home time. Walking past is quite different from standing outside and waiting! Nothing wrong with this at all


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

While I do think that it is important to take your pup out and about, do also remember that it is equally important that your pup is happy to be left at home alone too. When they are tiny and sleep a lot it is a good thing to get them used to sleeping in their crate or safe place while you are out. If they are used to always coming out with you it can be an unpleasant shock for them to not be taken.
Also when socializing go at your pup's pace - if they find cars zooming past scary, find quieter roads and progress to busier ones as the pup learns cars happen! If your puppy becomes freaked out by something that they have been overfaced with, it may take a very long time for them to recover from the experience.
Go gently, go softly, go confidently and sometimes leave your pup at home.
(Mine loved going up to the school to collect Lizzie. I would take some pieces of kibble with me and if children asked if they could stroke the dogs I would show them how they could ask the dog for a sit and give them a piece of kibble and then gently tickle their chest. The dogs learnt to sit nicely and be gentle and the children learnt how to be calm and kind to the dogs. Win win.


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## MrsSeychelles (Oct 26, 2014)

Seems like you have to try and strike the right balance. I'll do my utmost to keep her safe and secure whilst meeting new people and not overwhelm her. To be honest I'm not the most outgoing person myself so it will be a bit of a challenge for me too! Hopefully we will both meet new people


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## marycciu (Oct 12, 2014)

MrsSeychelles said:


> Can anyone recommend a puppy sling that they've used? Barb, the one you made looks adorable! I wish I had the talent to make my own but I'm hopeless at that sort of thing!


I got an Alfie Pet sling from Pet Couture when I was in the US which looks brilliant. If you can find one here for a good price I'd say go for it, although I haven't actually USED it yet since Noodle is still at the breeder's!


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