Socialization is the process of introducing a puppy to the world in a way that will help her be confident and unafraid of people, places and things that she will encounter throughout her life. The most critical socialization window occurs before the age of 12 weeks, and that window is considered to be closing by 5 months. Generally, the younger the puppy is when she is socialized, the more quickly and easily she gains confidence. Waiting too long can result in a need for the more difficult process of rehabilitation instead of socialization. Most aggression issues are simply a result of inefficient socialization. 
 
Sometimes people overlook this fact but clearly one of the most important things that you can do for your puppy is to socialize her.  Exposing her appropriately to as much as you can during this critical period will help to discover the world and help her cope with life as your companion and family member.

Socialization means to give your puppy careful, planned, positive exposure to everything that she may encounter as an adult dog.  If she is exposed to a variety of people, dogs, places, smells, textures, etc., as a young pup, she is more likely to be friendly and confident as an adult!  Please keep in mind that socialization must be done correctly, otherwise you may cause more harm than good.

When do you start? How about now!  It is essential to make wise use of your time during the puppy’s canine and human socialization critical periods, but make sure socialization doesn’t stop there.  It is not enough to have your puppy exposed to the world for the first couple of weeks, and then relegate him to the life of a recluse.  Social interactions continue to be especially important throughout the first year of a dog’s life. After your dog’s first birthday, she should still have the opportunity to socialize.

Take your puppy to a range of new places:  visiting neighbours, petfood shops, car rides, friends’ homes, and walks through the neighbourhood at a quiet time are all a good place to start.  Exposing your puppy to new places can make her more flexible about changes when she is an adult (including being able to cope when you leave her with the pet sitter so that you can go on that dream vacation you have been saving for!).  Keep these trips short and positive.  Try places with minimal noise and activity, as this will help set your dog up for success by eliminating some of the fear factors.

How do you properly socialize?  Keep in mind that you are teaching your puppy to be comfortable and enjoy new places, textures, dogs and people.  This means that it is your responsibility to ensure that she is not overwhelmed by the situation.
Limit new people (adults or children) to 1-2 at a time, and make sure they are calm.  Avoid letting people loom over the puppy or pick her up (both of which can be pretty scary to a puppy).  Children sound, act, and move differently than adults.  Be selective in choosing the first children your puppy meets. If your puppy is showing stress signs at any time, have the person stop where they are and let the puppy approach.

When socializing with dogs, avoid throwing your puppy into the lion’s den.  These interactions should be well controlled because being mobbed by one or more dogs is not socialization.  It is potentially traumatic.  Begin by socializing your puppy with one or two other dogs at a time.  Gradually increase the number when you are confident in the dogs’ social skills.  Avoid busy dog parks where groups of dogs of varying ages and sizes are just thrown together.  Also note that even if your puppy is growing up in a home with other dogs, she still needs to be socialized with unfamiliar dogs.  She needs to learn how to greet and interact with dogs that she does not know so she can learn all of the canine rules of meeting a new dog.  She should meet varying breeds and sizes.  These experiences should always be with dogs that are friendly so that you set your puppy up for positive experiences.

As a good start you might take your pup for Puppy Parties. Puppy parties should only be run for puppies the same age, that is from approx. 8 weeks to 12 weeks and where they can play off leash. We offer Puppy play sessions with a reward-based trainer.  To help out busy owners during this crucial stage we offer Train-n-play Extensive Socialization Sessions (TESS). Socialization sessions last up to 3 hours  and including pick up and drop off. 
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General tips:
Each socialization unit should be fun for your puppy. You should not force your pup to confront her fears. She should definitely be allowed to retreat if she doesn’t feel safe. Try not to be excited yourself and radiate calmness. Your puppy will learn that she can count on you to be its safe haven.

Give treats freely to create positive associations. Treats can help your puppy to refocus (and not be fixated on her fear). If your pup is too nervous to take any treats it’s a sign for you to back off a little and slow down.

Help your puppy to generalize: Exposing your puppy to children only at home is not a guarantee that she's not afraid of children on a playground, or in the streets. Dogs are bad at generalization, so try to provide her with the most diverse experiences. Be sure to keep it positive and rather don’t risk a negative experience!
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Go slowly: If your puppy goes nuts when seeing a brush, don’t try to brush her with it just yet. Let her get accustomed to the brush being in her vicinity and take it a step further when she’s relaxed around it.

​Getting a new puppy is very exciting and quite a whirlwind. Puppies are adorable tiny creatures. Those cute little teddy bear pups for example it's hard to believe some are even real. However once the excitement is over, reality kicks in. Those cute little furry babies are real chewers and messy and also some are destructive.
In order to fully enjoy your puppy and in the meantime protect your home you'll have to start training them. Plenty of schools can be found but one thing all trainers agree on is that puppies need treats and toys. 
Here are 6 puppy friendly items I would recommend. 

1. Peanut Butter/ Almond Butter to stuff a KONG Toy
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When fed in moderation, both almond and peanut butter can be healthful, nutrient-rich foods that your pup will love. They're both decadent, once-in-a-while treats. Peanut butter is easy to find at almost any grocery store and is reasonably cheap. Almond butter is more of a specialty food and is made from a more expensive nut, so it tends to cost more per pound than peanut butter. If you're comparing organic peanut butter to organic almond butter, the price is closer but peanut butter is still less expensive. When choosing a nut butter, natural ones with no added sugar or salt are ideal for your doggy. The separating kind is also preferable because it contains no hydrogenated oils, which are the solidified form of plant fats.

2. Dried Liver for Training Treats

Remember when choosing training treats is that you want something small and bite sized. Training works best with repetition, so you'll be giving these treats to your pup frequently. My favorites are home made dried liver treats. Here are how to make them: Get some liver. Place baking foil onto a baking tray and lay down liver. Cook for 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes at a low temperature 100°C/210°F. Cut into little squares and freeze for when you need them. 

3. KONG Wild Knots Bears Small

​Wild Knots Bears are sure to be a hit with dogs and their pet parents. They are soft and cuddly on the outside while durable and strong on the inside. This cute plush toy contains only a small amount of stuffing, resulting in less mess if becomes damaged during extra wild play.

4. KONG Classic Puppy Small

KONG Toys are now one of the most popular dog toys in the world. The original Kong is virtually indestructible chew toy. It's made with an exclusive teething rubber formula. This classic hollow chew toy is designed so that the average puppy won't be able to tear off little bits of rubber and swallow them. And because the Kong is hollow you can fill it up with food like peanut or almond butter. This provides the dog with hours of entertainment trying to get the food out of the center. Especially if you freeze it first. 

5. Dental Friendly Treats

Raw Bones (not cooked)
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Never feed cooked bones as it can often splinter in dangerous ways. But did you know that raw, uncooked bones contain enzymes and probiotics that can help your pup’s mouth maintain an optimal balance of bacterial flora? These bones also provide a nice calcium boost, which supports strong bones and teeth. If you want to avoid regular dental cleaning under anesthesia, the right sized bones can save your dog a lot of dental trouble and save you tons of money on the long run. Feeding lamb or goat bones twice a week is recommended. The abrasive action of the hard, but not too thick bones is perfect for keeping your dog's teeth shiny without the risk of dental fractures. My canines are on the medium side, and we prefer to go with medium, humanely sourced bones that provide an extended chewing workout.  To minimize messiness in our case the bones are eaten in the garden!

Safety Advice:

• Never cut or saw raw bones
• For puppies, stick to the softer chicken bones like wing tips
• Never feed bones with small children present
• Never leave a dog unattended with a raw bone
• Never feed cooked bones
• As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure safe practice when feeding raw meaty bones

​Crunchy vegetables and fruits with low sugar content
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An occasional tasty raw carrot is low in calories — yet high in vitamin A and beta-carotene. Sliced crunchy apples, floret of broccoli or cauliflower are all well liked along young puppies. Easy, inexpensive yet cooling and soothing for those puppy teeth. 
Berries as it turns out are actually “berry” good for your dog’s dental health. Cranberries, raspberries, and blueberries contains Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron. 

6. Rope Toys

The ones I like most is with a fairly simple and straightforward design, with a knot on each end. The color is 100% white for a nice clean crisp finish that doesn't use any dyes or you can choose colored ones. It's gentle on those puppy teeth and ideally suited for games of tug.

This is a pet first aid list complied by Dr. Becker that I want to share. As a professional pet sitter I have had pet first aid training and I carry a well-stocked pet first aid kit in my car. During every visits I tend to check the pets health and if any emergencies should arises I'm prepared to take the necessary actions. ​

By Dr. Becker

Keeping It All Together. It's best to put all your first aid supplies in a container labeled something like "Pet Emergency Kit".
On the inside lid of the container add a label listing your vet's phone number and the number of the closest emergency animal clinic. This is also a good place to record any other pertinent information you might need in a hurry, like your dog's microchip registration number, date of last vaccination, etc.
Keep your kit in an easily accessible location and let everyone in the family know where it is. If you're traveling with your dog it's a good idea to either bring the kit along or prepare a second first aid kit for the car.

Items for Your Pet Emergency Kit

• Gauze to wrap wounds or for use as a muzzle if necessary
• Nonstick bandages or strips of clean cloth to cover a wound or control bleeding
• Adhesive tape to secure gauze, bandages or strips of cloth
• Clean towels (paper and cloth)
• Povidone iodine for wound disinfecting
• Activated charcoal to absorb an ingested poison (contact vet or poison control center before treating an animal for suspected poisoning)
• Hydrogen peroxide 3% to induce vomiting (after consulting with vet)
• Digital rectal thermometer
• Eye dropper or large syringe without needle to give medicine or liquids or to flush wounds
• Muzzle (injured dogs can become aggressive out of fear or pain however, if your dog is vomiting do not muzzle him)
• Extra leash or harness
• Stretcher for large dogs (a blanket, throw rug, floor mat, board or other object can be used in a pinch)

Other items you might want to include:
Tick removal tool, tweezersEar cleanser
ScissorsAntiseptic wipes
Nail clipperAntibiotic ointment
Styptic powder/stickBenadryl
Cotton ballsBottled water
Eye washDisposable gloves
Bach Rescue RemedyHomeopathic Aconitum for shock 
You can also buy ready-made pet first aid kits.