hi, my pups were 4 weeks old last thursday, and i was wondering when i should start taking them out (in my coat or something) to get them used to traffic noises, strangers etc as i'm sure i read somewhere that this was the best way to socialise them at an early age. i was just gonna walk up the road and back with them one at a time, or is this not a good idea yet?

if its too early, when should i think about doing this? they're only tiny (i know i can't mention breed on here)

I live on a main road and when they are about 5 weeks old I stand in the doorway with them in my arms and show them
the outside world.
liz

> I live on a main road and when they are about 5 weeks old I stand in the doorway with them in my arms and show them
> the outside world.

Awwwwwww :)
Its lucky we dont live on the same road as that sounds sooo cute and I would have to stop and see each puppy if I see you doing that on the street lol :)

Personally, I have never taken a pup that I have bred out of the house/garden until it is almost 8 weeks, usually for it's 10 point vet check, a pup has plenty of socialising and confidence building going on in the home/garden with constant visitors and gets used to all household appliance noises, other animals and has plenty to be going on with and IME a pup does not need to be seperated from it's siblings for independant socialising, all pups socialised well in the home/garden will be confident and happy.

From 8 weeks if I still have a pup being kept a little longer it will then be popped in a little baby carrier and carried around for outside stimulation.

I certainly would not be taking out a 4 week old pup or recommend it at all.

I stand in the front doorway with them in my arms at about 5 weeks, then start carrying them into the village at about 6 weeks (the age when Guide Dog puppies begin their public socialisation).

ok thanks for your replies. its just i was sure i read somewhere that a pup should be well socialised outside of its home before it goes to its new home, but i value all your advice and will go by that now :)

I have to agree with Carrington here. It's enough for pups to get used to everything in and around the home up until 7 weeks or so of age. Noises, people, smells, other animals, inside the house and in the garden. I'm not convinced any further socialisation would be of much use even: http://www.dogclub.co.uk/advice/puppygrowth.php

I have only had one litter, but I did take each pup out individually once or twice, uisually to pick my son up from nursery. I allowed people to speak to them, but no touching. I also made sure each pup had some time with human company only int he lviign room each day, away from Mum and siblings. Only for about 10-15 minutes each.

Obviously I am nowhere near as experienced as most on here, but it certainly didn't do my pups an harm and they have all developed into well rounded individuals. Not one of them cried in their first night in their new home either. (although I did get everyone to leave a blanket and toy to take home with them)

Mine have to travel in the car to be BAER tested at about 6 weeks of age, so they need to be used to seeing traffic and being in the car beforehand, to make it as stressfree as possible.

I think taking pups out in the car with mum (assuming mum is good in the car) has to help. It must be very scary for young pups to have their first experience in a car also coincide with their first time away from mum, siblings, home and breeder. Just jump in a man-made box with strangers and 70 MPH down the motorway.

> I allowed people to speak to them, but no touching.

Just curious - why no touching? I have never socialised a litter of puppies but would have thought that touching would be part of it.

munrogirl,

Because they hadn't washed their hands and I was paranoid! Plenty of people DID touch them, when visiting them indorrs, and neighbours etc outside, butt hey all had ot wash their hands first. Not sure if it really offered much protection, but it made me feel better! :-)

Oh right, wondered if that was it. :-)

My friends have a golden where the breeder took that to extremes - NO-ONE was allowed to touch the puppies - including the people that were getting them. And it hasn't done the dog any favours. Obviously what you did was different cos the pups were handled by different people etc - I just wondered if that was it or if there was a different reason I hadn't thought of. :-)

I think taking pups out in the car with mum (assuming mum is good in the car) has to help

I agree -but that's slightly different to carrying 4 week old pups around town. :) I'll be taking my pups all together in the car down to the local vet for a check up before they go. That way they will have had experience of a short car journey without being on their own, and will have been vet checked as well. :)

> I agree -but that's slightly different to carrying 4 week old pups around town. :-)

Oh yes! I was purely thinking of car travel, not a shopping trip. And probably after what, 5 weeks? I wouldn't want to take very young pups anywhere. I looked after 1 week old pups for a day and was nervous enough with that!

Mine started going out after they'd had their first vaccs at 7 weeks - I took them in my arms to training club, where all the dogs have to be vaccinated. I didn't let them down on the floor much until 9 weeks though. I had people coming to visit right from the start though.

> Because they hadn't washed their hands and I was paranoid!

I agree.  No point in making visitors wash their hands in antibacterial soap before handling pups, if outsiders are going to pass something on.