Puppy socialisation

blackcob

blackcob

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What would you expect or like to get from a puppy socialisation evening/puppy party run by your local veterinary practice?

I had my third one this evening since starting my new job and I think it's now running really well - I've made lots of changes from the previous format and the feedback has been good. I just wondered if there's anything else I should consider including in future sessions to make them as useful as they can be. Appraisals are coming up and whatnot. :p

Bear in mind that it's not supposed to be a training class (which has confused a few attendees despite the wording of the invitations!) and needs to cater for both experienced dog owners and first timers.

At present:

Attendees get a written invitation in the post at least 10 days before and it happens on a weekday evening. It's for anyone having had the 'puppy package' of vaccs etc. and is free of charge.

Once everyone's seated we have a quick welcome and introduction, with me and a nurse, and explain the purpose of the evening, making reference to the 'socialisation window' up to 16 weeks and how we might use this time best to produce a well-rounded puppy that is a pleasure to own and to handle.

We quickly talk over the following, with opportunity to stop us and ask questions:

Vaccination (why, how often, extras like kennel cough and lyme)
Flea, worm and tick prevention (recommended protocol and products)
Neutering (routinely for bitches, not so much for dogs, what it prevents, behavioural issues, health issues)
Microchipping, collars and tags (why, law, straying, updating details)
Insurance (why, what to look for)
Transport (car safety)
Choosing puppy training classes (why, what to look for, what to avoid)

We then split the group into two by size and/or tenacity of puppies (!). One group stays, has off-lead time with toys available and the opportunity to ask questions - this is where I usually get to touch on feeding, exercise and things like separation anxiety or crate training.

The other group goes with a nurse for a tour of the operating theatres, x-ray etc. and is talked through what happens when a dog comes in for a routine op like neutering. They are then shown how to do a little health check and the sort of things we'd like them to check and practice at home, i.e handling feet for nail clips, checking teeth, skin, eyes, ears, dogs are checked for descended testicles.

Then we swap groups, repeat. At the end of the session everyone has a stapled handout tackling some common issues (play biting, resource guarding, toilet training, recall etc. - wording taken from places like the APDT guides and good modern puppy books) and an A3 socialisation poster checklist thing to take home. We also make available leaflets from local dog trainers (no pack-theorist types) and some decent product ones - Kong, Adaptil etc.

The most recent suggestion for improvement was to include refreshments but I can't help but think it would be chaos, even fruit juice and biscuits sounds a recipe for disaster with ten mad puppies never mind hot coffee. :eek: A water cooler is available for hoomans and a big box of suitably horrendous colourful puppy biscuits is there for people to help themselves to.

Any ideas gratefully received, I want a new generation of super socialised puppies (and to look good for the bosses :p)
 
That sounds great - really thorough and well thought through. The only thing I have observed is that sometimes when you chuck a load of puppies together to play, It make the nervous/timid ones even more so and for the boisterous ones, It can reinforce their behaviour. I have always felt it would be good to have older auntie/uncle type dogs present at these things to teach the pups some manners and allow them to socialise with a well balanced sensible older dog so they can learn how to be polite rather than all just mob each other lol!
 
Wow it sounds really great, they are lucky owners & puppies, as regards vaxing I take it you mean Lepto not Lyme or is there now vaccinations for that.

The only thing I can think of to add and you might have covered it is how much or really how little exercise puppies need, also running upstairs and jumping off sofas is a no no, I know Im being a bit picky but Im really impressed with what you have covered.
 
Personally I do not like puppies off lead together. As previously stated it teaches thugs to thug and timid to be nervous. Have you considered on lead introductions with titbits to get pups focus back to owners. This is JMHO
 
Sounds great, and very similar to what I am used from either running or going to puppy socialisation classes.

Do you repeat the classes with the same puppies or is it a one off for each group? If you repeat you may want to add some variety, e.g. one week could be hands-on week where (in a supervised and calm manner) people swaped puppies and took turns to stroke them (obviously you would need to make exceptions for the very nervous ones), or you could try exposing the puppies to new things like people wearing hats, or carrying umbrelas, or you could do a little bit of how not to jump up training as that's the sort of thing you need a lot of people for.

I've never had a problem with off lead time. It's not a free for all, like the OP we'd class puppies by size and temperament and only let off a few at a time. If they don't socialise freely with other puppies it can cause a lot of problems later on and it's better to do it in a controlled environment than in the middle of a park with unknown dogs.
 
I hate big offlead free-for-alls so I would not take a puppy to one where that happens so agree it must be controlled. There can be as many problems caused by a bad experience of bullying.

Letting dogs experience different floor surfaces and being elevated/up on a table.

Getting dogs used to being scanned for a chip (much more fun than working on it in an adult dog :p) and used to the noise of clippers etc (mine needed a blood sample taken yesterday and it took three people to pen him in a corner and me to get him in a headlock. Oops.)

Getting dogs used to being handled by another person and groomed with different brushes.
 
Be a lot more use having "so you are thinking of getting a puppy " classes. That way they can be steered towards good breeders or reputable rescues who will give them the other info.
 
I agree entirely with those pointing out potential off-lead time problems. The previous format was to have a max of six puppies per session (meaning that lots who wanted to come couldn't, it was first come first served every month) and they all spent the whole session loose with the nurse trying to talk over all the barking and scrapping. Total chaos and a rough deal for the smaller or younger dogs.

Splitting the group in two for this bit means we can have 8-10 puppies total so nearly everyone gets to come but only 4-5 are off at any one time. I did have my doubts but people are very, very keen to have them loose - a large number of people unclip them as soon as they walk through the door and we have to prompt them to keep them on the lead for the talk!

Obviously we get it wrong occasionally but mostly we've done alright in splitting the group well I think. Last night it divided itself neatly into springer spaniels and small randoms. :p I do sit in the middle as referee but rather than grabbing anyone the owners are encouraged to distract and redirect the puppy when play becomes unacceptably rough (along the lines of 'if this isn't something you'd want your adult dog to do, time to call him off and show him something else to do instead'). We provide treats and toys to use for this.

We don't have a balanced, well socialised adult dog between us (vets included!) to use as an example. :eek:

Lyme vaccs are available now DG and we're meant to be pushing them but I can't see it taking off - three separate jabs, costs a fortune and we're not even in a known area for it. I do usually touch on exercise during the off lead session but it may need to be included in the main talk as it's not always brought up. Same with feeding, I can get all evangelical but only if someone asks, have to tread carefully with that one as we have a massive display of a certain food and they all get samples with their puppy packs, unfortunately.

It is just a one-off session, all pups between 10 and 16 weeks, a new batch the following month.

All the pups get a turn on the table in the consulting room - nurse does teeth/ears/eyes etc and a quick grope for boys! While we're talking about microchipping we do pass around a scanner and let everyone have a go at finding the chip, or a spare one in a pot if anyone hasn't been done yet. I have a little rant about the chip being only as good as the details associated with it. :p

Hadn't thought about grooming at all, that's definitely something to consider - we had a poodle cross wotsit last night that will need some coat maintenance going forwards. Possibly something for the nurse to do while they're on the table, check armpits and so on, show a few different brushes. We do have a good squeeze of feet and show how to clip nails.

Clippers is a biggie I hadn't thought of, thank you - again would be easy to do while they're on the table.
 
s4sugar said:
Be a lot more use having "so you are thinking of getting a puppy " classes. That way they can be steered towards good breeders or reputable rescues who will give them the other info.
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Couldn't agree more but when I raised the idea of a pre-puppy class it was pooh-poohed, unfortunately. I keep a stash of printed stuff under my desk to give to people instead - Dogs Trust and PDSA do some good handouts about buying puppies and I've got a list of common breed rescues and local rescue centres. Not ideal but better than nothing I hope.
 
It's something I hadn't thought of either!!!! Gunshots, planes, motorbikes, shouting, clapping are all fine but having a tiny square of fur taken off his leg prompted some quite amazing amateur dramatics :o
 
Sounds good and very thorough! We do puppy classes of 5-6 puppies and let 2 or 3 off at a time (we carefully choose who can go off together). Sometimes the very nervous ones may get let off by themselves to walk around and have a sniff, or they will stay with their owners and just watch....but most of them become braver throughout the evening.

A lot of our owners are more interested in hearing about behaviour and training, so we have enlisted the help of a good local dog trainer/behavourist to come in and answer questions. Is this something that might work?
 
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Umbongo said:
A lot of our owners are more interested in hearing about behaviour and training, so we have enlisted the help of a good local dog trainer/behavourist to come in and answer questions. Is this something that might work?
Click to expand...

It's what used to happen previously but firstly the trainer they were using was of the 'eat before your dog and go through doorways first' school of dog training - not the sort of thing I want to be promoting so I declined to invite them. :o

Secondly it was because she went on and on and on - as I've listed it there it lasts exactly one hour and 10 minutes, with the trainer there as well people would keep her talking and it would be getting on for 9pm.

It's definitely something to consider as I know a much more modern and effective trainer and I'm sure I could get her to shave it right down to the basics. As it is we talk about how to choose a puppy class and I have her leaflets available to hand out (I should take a comission, she's always oversubscribed!)

It's a bit of a fine line to tread as we don't want to be a training class, we've neither the space nor the resources to hold a sort of sit/stay/recall type session and I think that's more fitting for a qualified behaviourist or trainer and a course of regular classes, not just a one-off. I will consider asking the other trainer though if I can think of a way of doing it without offending the other one as she is also a client. :eek:
 
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