Raising the puppies 2
Puppy socialization outside the house in the garden / puppy exercise area (4th – 8th week)
In our puppy kindergarten, we've set up a variety of play equipment for the little puppies. This includes a wobble board, a ball pit, a seesaw, tunnels, and tents. We also use wire mesh platforms. The puppies are now consciously experiencing (feeling) different surfaces (sand, grass, stones, wire mesh) and their associated smells.
The puppies playfully learn that a wobble board is fun, while simultaneously training their balance and losing their fear of uneven surfaces. A colorful tunnel in which the puppy can play fetch is also great. The puppies roll around the yard with the tunnel. A ball pit is a wonderful place for the young dog to play with its siblings. A small bath, such as a seashell, can be filled with water for hot days. Various toys, like squeaky toys, balls, or stuffed animals, are happily carried around and thoroughly investigated. In this way, the puppies become familiar with different textures.
Everyday noises, such as lawnmowers, a rattling garbage can, or a passing ambulance with its siren on, are practiced incidentally and are completely normal for the dogs later when they move out.
There are great CDs with all sorts of sounds (airplanes, drills, applause, fireworks, sirens, and more) that we play occasionally in the puppy house when the puppies are out playing. This helps the puppies get used to these sounds.
Even if puppies are allowed outdoors from the age of 5 weeks, it's important to bring them inside regularly. This gives them the opportunity to become familiar with different floor surfaces (laminate, tiles, carpet). They might even encounter some stairs (small stairs with 1-2 steps). They'll also become accustomed to household noises (blender, dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, etc.).
From the beginning of the 7th week of life, short outings are also undertaken. It's a great opportunity, for example, to get used to car rides together with their siblings. Trips to meadows or even to a dog park are no problem at all.
The puppies can, for example, learn at a dog park, alongside suitable dogs, aunts, and uncles, that other breeds (color, size, coat type) also exist. Naturally, the aunts and uncles should all be very puppy-friendly and healthy.
People of all ages are also important for the puppies, especially children, but also other people, or people with disabilities or full beards.
All these experiences will help the puppy remain calm in the future. To go through life without fear and well-socialized!!