<TITLE>TOPMAC COCKAPOOS-English/American Cockapoo Puppies</TITLE> <META NAME="KEYWORDS" CONTENT="COCKAPOO,COCKAPOOS,ENGLISH MINIATURE COCKAPOOS,TOY COCKAPOOS,AMERICAN COCKAPOOS,COCKAPOO PUPPIES FOR SALE, UK BREEDER OF COCKAPOOS, COCKER SPANIEL CROSS POODLE,FIND PUPPIES FOR SALE, MINIATURE AND TOY COCKAPOOS FOR SALE,CROSS BREED PUPPIES FOR SALE, TOPMAC COCKAPOOS,QUALITY PUPPIES FOR SALE"> <META NAME="DESCRIPTION" CONTENT="Cockapoo puppies, F1 English Cockapoos and F1 American Cockapoos available from established home breeder, we breed both Miniature and Toy Cockapoos they make wonderful pets, we have quality cockapoo puppies for sale that are bred in our home, Topmac Cockapoos where health and breeding integrity come first"> <META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="INDEX,FOLLOW">
PUPPY SOCIALIZATION
Here is some useful information with regard to the socialization of puppies and how new owners should continue once they take their puppy home
FROM BIRTH: A puppy should experience human scent – both male and female and experience gentle
handling.
3 WEEKS: A puppy should be exposed to household noises e.g. washing machine, vacuum, TV etc.
A puppy should start to get accustomed to a normal domestic environment.
It should experience plenty of handling, start grooming, do mock vet examinations.
8 WEEKS: (A common age of transfer to new owner)
A puppy should meet all the family.
Experience car journeys
Meet the postman and milkman
Should have visitors of all shapes and sizes!
Should start to get accustomed to being left unattended.
You should add and remove food from your puppy’s bowl while it eats.
Start exposure to other fully vaccinated dogs whilst indoors.
9 WEEKS: Start to introduce stronger stimuli e.g. street noises, crowds, children’s play areas.
Begin lead training.
Ideal time to start considering puppy socialisation classes.
12 WEEKS: Ensure a broadening range of experiences.
Avoid dogs that are aggressive or badly behaved in parks, as these may encourage fear
and teach bad bahviour.
15 WEEKS: Lessons learnt can be forgotten unless you reinforce them. This should continue right
up until social maturity – typically upto 12 months of age.
More young adult dogs are euthanased because of behavioural problems, than die from the diseases we vaccinate against.
The vast majority of these behavioural problems are brought about by poor socialisation. For example, if a puppy has never met a postman, or a child, and encounters one for the first time later in life, it can become extremely fearful. A natural response of a fearful dog, if it has no other means of escape, is aggression.
Proper habituation helps prevent similar problems. Imagine trying to take a dog who has never encountered a car, on a journey- the poor animal will be sick with fear and may become aggressive. If a puppy has not been accustomed to separation from its owner during the ‘sensitive developmental period’, in later life it may bark, whine, lose toilet control or be destructive whenever it is left alone.
Both socialisation and habituation are relatively easy to achieve, but the process does require a little thought and effort from the new owner.
Over-stimulation of the very young dog can be counter-productive, and could teach a puppy to be frightened of something for the rest of its life. A phased programme of socialization and habituation is needed, with the stimuli gradually increasing in strength.
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