Читать книгу Collins Good Dog Behaviour: An Owner’s Guide - Gwen Bailey - Страница 14

You will also need to protect your puppy from contagious diseases until such time as he has developed sufficient immunity against them. Consult your veterinary surgeon for information on the disease conditions in your area and how to keep your puppy safe. There is always a balance to be found between keeping your puppy protected from disease and preventing him from growing up shy and unfriendly because of a lack of social contact. With care, it is possible to reach a compromise and keep your puppy healthy while ensuring that he socializes enough to become confident and friendly towards people and other dogs.

Take particular care if your puppy is shy or sensitive, and give him more opportunities to overcome his fears.

It is also unwise to buy a puppy that is older than eight weeks unless he has been kept separately from other dogs and has learned to relate well to people. Obtaining a puppy that has spent a long time playing with other dogs rather than people can result in a dog that is less than ideal as a pet.

Once you have collected your puppy, you will need to continue the important socialization process that has been started (or make up for lost time if it has not). Take your puppy out and about as much as possible, meeting a wide variety of people of different ages and characters. Take care not to overwhelm your puppy with too much at first and allow him to make all the approaches. Socialization will need to be continued until your puppy has become a mature adult to ensure that he remains friendly and interested in people throughout his life.

Take particular care if your puppy is shy or sensitive, and allow him more time to come out of his shell. Make sure that every experience he has with people and other animals is pleasant. Watch his body language to determine whether or not he is enjoying the experience and take action if he is not. Try to think ahead and prevent him from having any unpleasant experiences. If all of his early life is happy and enjoyable, he will grow up with a view of the world as a safe, comfortable place. This will allow him to be friendly and outgoing.

Having plenty of happy times with children and adults helps a puppy grow up into a friendly adult.