Congratulations on your new puppy!

Now that you have your new little fluff ball, what should you do with it? Besides providing them with abundant love, exercise, food and water, the most important thing your puppy needs is socialization.

The ideal socialization period is between 8 and 16 weeks. Once the puppy has had its second set of immunizations, it is generally safe to get them out in public. It needs positive experiences with as many people as possible. Let family members, friends, and strangers greet your puppy and offer small treats.

Your puppy also needs to continue socializing with other dogs; so it can build on the doggie skills it learned while part of its birth pack. Enrolling in a well-run puppy kindergarten class with a qualified trainer is the best way to ensure your puppy acquires doggie socialization in a safe and supervised environment. Not only will your puppy have a chance to play with other puppies; but will start to learn some basic obedience commands as well.

Time spent training and socializing your puppy is the best investment you can make in its future.