During the first 2 months with your puppy, share your world with them! Puppies are sponges – learning, exploring, and gathering information that will be the foundation for their future. He or she should meet lots of people (including kids!) and play with other healthy/vaccinated pets you know and trust. Go for lots of rides in the car, visit the beach, eat at outdoor restaurants, and practice walking on a leash in your neighborhood. You should actively use this important time to get your puppy used to all the things you would like to enjoy with them throughout their entire life.  This is also a good time to start getting them desensitized to common triggers that could cause fear and anxiety down the road.  Exposure to fireworks/construction noises, touching toes and in ears, preparing to leave the house, small children, music, thunder, crates and many more are all things your puppy is sure to encounter at some point in their lives and it’s best to expose them to it now and reinforce them as a positive experience with lots of love and treats!

To keep your puppy safe and healthy, do not visit dog parks and avoid allowing them to lick or chew things on the ground. Your veterinarian can answer your questions about safe socialization!