Coco and I made a trip to town the other day. Running errands with a puppy is a bit more time consuming, but it’s a great excuse to socialize her.

She rode in a smaller crate up front with me. I’ll show you why in a minute

I try to give my puppy families some ideas on how to socialize their puppies while keeping them safe. Puppies need to go through a serious of puppy vaccinations before they are fully protected by diseases like parvovirus and distemper. We don’t know when mom’s immunity wears off and puppies immune system kicks in. And that is why they go through a series of vaccinations. The last Parvo shot is usually given at sixteen weeks. (After that final vaccination they should be good to go anywhere.) Parvo can live in the ground for months or even longer in ideal conditions. We’ve got to keep our puppies safe.

But a puppy’s socialization period starts about three weeks of age and ends between twelve and fourteen weeks of age. That doesn’t mean you can’t socialize your puppy after that, but it is considered more of a desensitizing to new things over actually socializing. The socializing period is key to your puppies learning and experiencing new and novel things. They’re brains are little sponges at this time and they learn so fast. We want to give them as many new things to experience, smell, touch, hear and learn during this period. But as I said, in a safe manner since they are not fully protected from Parvo and distemper yet.

What we don’t want to do is take them for walks around the neighborhood (unless you live in a gaited community or something and know all the dogs in your area are healthy or you use a back pack, sling or stroller so they’re not down on the ground), or to the park or the dog park or any public place that a sick dog could have gone through and left behind germs and disease.

So how do you socialize them then before they’re fully vaccinated and protected? Well, include them in all your activities but use common sense and safe measures.

For instance, I took Coco in the crate in the front seat and went through the drive-thru in town. Once we were in line and not on the road, I got her out of the crate so she could see and hear what was going on at the drive-up window. You might get your puppy a treat too to make it an extra special experience.

Once through the drive-thru, I’d put my puppy back in the crate before getting on the road again.

And instead of taking my puppy to the park or somewhere to potty while I’m in town (remember that wouldn’t be a safe option for a young puppy), I carry a litter box in the back of my truck so she has a safe option to relieve herself.

We also visited the two feed/farm stores in town to do some shopping. You could carry your puppy in your arms, get a front pack or a back pack or I just got this handy little sling that my friend Dorothy at Puppy Perfectionist shared with me.

It’s big and roomy and I thought Coco would get lost in it, but she settled right in and peeked her head out so she could see everything going on.

She even got a teeny tiny treat from the cashier when we checked out. And thought that was pretty yummy!

There are lots of pet friendly stores and restaurants  that your can visit with your puppy. Check out the app “Bring Fido” to find some near you. Places like Home Depot, Hobby Lobby, At Home, Lowe’s are some we’ve found in Spokane.

Sometimes in a pet friendly store, I’ll just put a blanket or bed in the bottom of the grocery cart, plop puppy in there and tootle through the store. Everyone will want to stop and visit with your cute puppy. Take small easy-to-eat treats with you so all these new “friends” can give your puppy one. This will make for lots of fun times for your puppy.

Maybe there’s a farmer’s market or concert in the park that you and your family want to go to. Take your litter box in the car and once you arrive, give your puppy the opportunity to go potty, then load them up in your sling or front pack and wander through the concert or farmer’s market. Puppy will get to meet lots of people and see and hear new things in a safe manner.

Here are some other ideas I’ve shared with my puppy families to help them safely socialize their puppy.

• Even if you are not going out for anything in particular, load puppy up and go for little car rides. There are lots of nice booster seats where puppy can be safely harnessed in inside your car. Boost it high enough that he can enjoy the sights as your cruise around.
• Get the “Sound Proof Puppy Training” app for your phone and use it to get puppy used to all kinds of different sounds.
• If you don’t have kids for puppy to get learn about, turn on the TV or your computer and play some silly children’s programs so they can hear the children’s chatter and watch their quick movements.
• Dog TV on YouTube is a fun channel for dogs to view fun dog activities and other animals too!
• Invest in some interactive toys and puzzles for your dog to play with and get his treat or even meals from. There are several great brands you look into. Check Amazon for “interactive dog toys” or “dog food puzzles”. There is a great group on Facebook called “Canine Enrichment” that will give you lots of enrichment ideas and games to keep your puppy busy, learning and having fun.
• If you have a yard for puppy to play try some games outside. Make a trail of kibble through the grass for puppy to use his nose and follow along being rewarded as he goes. Or get a kiddie wadding pool and fill it with sand or dirt for puppy to dig in. Try burying his toys in the dirt for him to dig up and find.
• Introduce puppy to different surfaces if you don’t have a variety in your home; brick pavers, carpet, linoleum, plastic bath mat, crinkly plastic bags, etc.
• If you know someone in an assisted living facility go for a visit. If not see if you can borrow things like grandma’s walker, some crutches, a wheelchair, a scooter, skateboard, bicycle, a standard vacuum cleaner or Roomba, or a rolling suitcase to introduce your puppy to some of these unique items they might not normally see in your home.
• How about playing “dress up” with your dog? No, don’t dress up the dog! Dig through your closet or another family member’s and find some odd clothes that puppy wouldn’t normally see every day. How about a motorcycle helmet, a bike helmet, ski goggles, a floppy hat, a fake beard, a wig, big sunglasses or maybe even an old Halloween costume.

Please remember when you are trying any of these activities that you are aiming for good experiences and offer treats when they experience something new. Don’t ever force your pup towards something that he’s unsure of. If he’s afraid of something you can reassure him but don’t coddle him. Make sure you keep calm also and don’t overreact as your puppy will sense if you’re nervous for him. Use a happy, upbeat voice and demeanor to help your puppy through each new experience. If you have to, remove yourself slowly from whatever is frightening your puppy just don’t run from it. Let puppy observe whatever he’s nervous about from a distance and reward him when you see positive behavior.

Use your imagination, stay safe and have a fun time with your puppy as you train him through this socialization period.