As soon as your puppy is safely vaccinated and able to explore the outside world, it’s time to get him socialised. This means not only introducing him to new dogs and people regularly, but also encouraging him to have a range of different experiences in a positive way; from being on public transport, to walking on sand or paddling in the sea. The more textures, sounds and sights your puppy experiences, and begins to associate in a positive way between the age of 10 and 20 weeks, the better. Here’s a list why it can help:

• A socialised dog is a confident, happy dog:
  Socialising your puppy prepares them for the world, so that they won’t be scared of new things later on.
• A socialised dog will have fewer behavioural problems:
  Because they won’t be fearful of new things or certain experiences, they are less likely to develop fear aggression or bad behavioural habits.
• A socialised dog can be left at day care or boarding:
  Happy and confident dogs are much easier when you go on holiday; you can take them to a doggy day care centre or dog boarding facility without worrying about them not getting on with other dogs.
• A socialised dog is a sleepy, well-behaved dog:
  When you are socialising your puppy they will tire quickly due to how hard their brain is working to process the new experiences; a tired puppy is a well behaved puppy!