Exploring the Big Wide World
The world is a big and potentially frightening place for a puppy. But if you take him out and about now and introduce him to a variety of places, people, and experiences, as he grows older he will not develop the fears — and aggressive tendencies — that can occur when a dog is suddenly confronted with the unknown.
While your dog is still a puppy, it is essential that you take him to as many different places as he is allowed to go. At this stage in his life, he is highly receptive to new experiences and will enjoy the varied sights, sounds, and smells of everything the world has to offer. More importantly, if your puppy is introduced to a variety of new situations now, he is not so likely to be terrified of them later on. This is the approach that seeing-eye dog trainers use with their puppies, since it’s essential that these dogs remain calm under any circumstance.
You could start by going out to explore your neighborhood. It may appear all too familiar to you, but to your puppy, it will be a fascinating place. Perhaps you could take him into your local stores (if they allow it) or encourage some of the storeowners to come outside and say hello to him. Before you take him for long journeys in your car you will need to acclimate him to riding in it (see below).
Take your puppy to both urbanized areas and to rural settings. It is important for him to meet different animals and different sorts of people (see Puppies and People) and that he gets used to having his paws on different surfaces, such as rough stones, grass, sand, and asphalt. Let him travel in trucks and vans and on boats, take him to the train station to watch the trains roar by. Some owners spend long periods standing with their puppy by the side of the road just watching the different vehicles go by.
Introducing your puppy to new sights and sounds will help build his confidence, so that he will be calm and confident in any situation with which he is familiar.
You could walk him through revolving doors and let him ride in elevators. It’s a good idea to take him to watch a sporting event, such as a tennis match—to see the players waving rackets around, or to a football game or youth-association soccer game, where there will be lots of children shouting at the top of their lungs. Dogs have sensitive hearing, so your pup needs to hear and get used to lots of different sounds while he is still receptive to new experiences, before he starts to develop a fear of them. Even the sound of people clapping in a large stadium or playing field, which we humans are used to, can come as a shock to a dog that has never heard it before.
All puppy owners need to be aware of the experiences that the puppies are having and to realize that everything that is done with them is a teaching situation. It is part of their education. When you are traveling with your dog, bear in mind the fear imprint period (see Choosing a Breed.) If your puppy has a frightening experience during this period, the fear may stay with him and he will react badly every time he, for example, hears a particular sound or sees that sight, so it is really important that you handle it in the right way. Simply tell your dog in a calm voice that there is nothing to be afraid of, and then just walk away. Don’t make a big fuss over your puppy—a mistake that many people tend to make—because this actually reinforces the fear.
Placing a car crate in the rear of the vehicle not only keeps the puppy safe but also gives him a sense of security when he’s in unfamiliar locations.
On the road
Puppies are quite sensitive, and the unusual movement of the car can cause an upset tummy. To avoid these problems, try to introduce your pup to the vehicle slowly, in a way that makes it a fun experience.
Start off by sitting with your puppy in the car while it is parked in your driveway with the motor switched off. Have a toy with you and play with him. You could give him treats, or even feed him in the car, so that he associates your vehicle only with having a nice time. Now do the same thing with the car still stationary, but this time with the engine running.
Do this for only a few minutes to start off with, and then gradually build up the time. Now you could try driving your puppy to the end of your driveway, if the drive is long enough, or to the end of the road. Then take him around the block, and on very short trips. When you are ready to take your puppy on a long trip in the car, don’t feed him too soon before you go. If possible, feed the puppy after but not before the journey. If you are unable to do this, try feeding your puppy at least two hours before your journey commences, but make sure that you stop regularly to give him enough opportunities to relieve himself comfortably. Always try to use some form of restraint to keep your puppy safe in the car. You could try a special harness, which fits into the seat belt, or you could use a dog guard or a crate to confine the puppy to the rear of the vehicle. Dogs should never sit on the front seat, since they cannot be easily restrained there. If the dog is likely to be a nuisance in the car, don’t take him with you unless there is another adult sitting along with you. You can’t drive your vehicle and control your puppy at the same time.
If barking is a problem, stop the car, if it is safe to do so, or pull over onto the curb and try to calm him down. But don’t let the puppy out of the car for a run when he is barking. Otherwise, he will learn that when he barks and makes a noise he will be let out. You have to be aware of what the reward is for everything that your dog is doing. Alternatively, you could keep his crate in the vehicle and cover it with a blanket, since this can help comfort a puppy.
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