Puppy Socialization for Your Christmas Puppy!

If you’re one of those lucky people getting a Christmas puppy, or you’re giving one as a present, then you’re likely already researching puppy socialization!  Puppy socialization is CRITICAL during a short window of time in your new pup’s development. He or she needs to meet different people, animals, and see different things to grow up strong and confident.  The period of time between 4 and 14 weeks is when your pup gets the most value out of meeting new people and seeing new things.  When done in controlled situations that won’t traumatize your puppy, your pup will grow into a dog who believes the world is a safe & happy place.  Otherwise, they can develop fears, such as the fear of new things (neophobia) or fears related to a traumatic event (for instance, you pup gets attacked when in a group of large dogs at a dog park). We strongly recommend getting your puppy their shots as soon as possible and then booking a tour at Dogtopia!  Our puppy socialization is safe and controlled, meaning that your new pup will get to meet new people and dogs in a safe & welcoming atmosphere.  It’s absolutely one of the best ways to socialize your puppy.

If your pup comes to you with little to no socialization, you’ll probably see signs of neophobia right away. Your pup might be scared of new surfaces (for instance, if they were accustomed to carpet on the floor and you have wood floors, they might be scared of the new sensation), or show signs of fear and avoidance when meeting new people or other animals. if you act fast, you can remedy the situation! A rule of thumb you may have heard is to give your pup “100 new (positive) exposures in the first 100 days.” If your pup is already showing signs of timidity or fear, triple that to 300 exposures in 100 days. Again, because Dogtopia is a safe environment, you can rest assured that those new experiences will be POSITIVE.  We temperament and size match our dogs for their play areas, and have room attendants in every play area for maximum attention – and you can check in on your pup via our webcams!  It’s a much better way for your puppy to spend the day and gain socialization at the same time.

Interested in checking us out?  Contact us today for a tour of our Bloomfield Hills location!  We’re right on Telegraph, and easy to spot.  We’ll need to see a copy of your pup’s vaccination records, so make sure you bring those before you head out. We can’t wait to meet you and the new addition to your family!