Dog Scholars - Habitualisation Period

The Wild Puppy

Picture a puppy in the wild during his very early days, following mummy around the woods with his brothers and sisters and learning how to be a real dog. Mum is saying to her little ones "this is your world". She shows them "this is good fun", "this is how we survive", "this is safe", "this is dangerous". During the relatively short time that she has her pups trailing her around they may not be lucky enough to see a snake. So mum cannot show the pups that snakes are dangerous things that should be given lots of space. For this reason dogs are programmed to treat anything that they haven't seen during this short time, (otherwise known as the 'habitualisation period'), as dangerous!! This does make good survival sense doesn't it?

The Pet Puppy

Now picture our own puppy. Brought home from the kennels and put through a series of inoculations to protect from illness. The only advice that most owners get is to 'keep puppy in' until after the injections. This can be interpreted as isolated from the rest of the world until the inoculations are effective. Then comes the great day that puppy is allowed out and suddenly there is a whole new, gigantic world for puppy to come to terms with and neither his mother (nor his new family) has taught him, during his critical learning phase, that it was normal to be there.

Your Puppy

We think it is very important that you get your puppy out and about as much as and as soon as possible. Carry him around with you to the market, in the car, into the high street, past the man with the crash hat over his face, the lady with two heads (lollipop lady from the back), push chairs, wheelchairs, noisy traffic, noisy kids, brass bands, flapping awnings and anything else that may appear on your trips. Puppy will be learning from your reaction to all these sights and sounds and when you stay calm puppy will learn that these things are not a problem. Do keep him away from other dogs during this period other than in controlled situations such as puppy classes. Do keep him off of the grass where other dogs may have been. Do keep him away from dog droppings and do keep him safe but do let him see that his world consists of much more than the back garden. Do not comfort and cuddle him if he reacts incorrectly and shows fear. Puppy may think you are praising the reaction and may think that's what you always want him to do.

The Experts

The Guide Dog for the Blind Association put their puppies on the pavement at 6 weeks of age and then subjects them to every situation they can think of. They need 'bomb proof' dogs who will not be spooked by any new sight or experience and this is how they achieve this aim. The Association has been doing this for many years and their records show no increase in transmittable disease since this policy was put into practice.