PUPPY SOCIALIZATION PACKAGE FOR PET CARE CENTERS · for the puppy as well. The socialization plan is designed to take approximately 30 minutes and can be done during the puppy’s

PUPPY SOCIALIZATION PACKAGE FOR PET CARE CENTERS

By The Dog Gurus

Copyright © 2019 • TheDogGurus.com 2

This is a 5-session package you can offer to puppies under 4 months of age. The purpose of the puppy socialization package is to provide you with the best process for helping puppies during the critical period of socialization. If a puppy if under 4 months of age, attending daycare is not enough to help that puppy become better adjusted to the world. This program allows you to accept puppies in a way that helps the puppy, provides socialization avenues for the pet parent, and generates more revenue for your business.

Socialization is more than just introducing puppies to other dogs. That is certainly one aspect of socialization and it’s the one aspect that you can easily provide in a dog daycare. But a puppy needs to get socialized to everything else in the world too: cars, bikes, other people, children, men with hats, people carrying bags, pushing carts, household sounds, different flooring textures, busses, etc…the list can go on and on. The critical socialization period for puppies ends at about 4 months of age. During this time, you can shape the puppy’s view of his world at a stage in the puppy’s life when he is receptive to learning. Positive experiences help him learn that new things are fun, and hopefully he’ll remember the good association when he encounters them again later. It’s important for pet parents to take advantage of the socialization period and provide their puppy with positive experiences in the world.Having a young puppy attend daycare is great socialization the first time the puppy shows up (assuming he has a good time)! After that, the puppy knows your staff, he knows the environment, and he has met some dogs. Things are no longer novel to him and this really no longer counts as socialization. After that first visit, you can provide him with a safe and healthy outlet for his energy, but he is missing out on his socialization. Even worse, if the puppy comes to daycare every day, he’s also going to be too tired for any socialization at home or in his own neighborhood. So what should you do? If you have clients who want to bring their young puppy to your center, then you can help them. Create a program like the one outlined in this handout that benefits the puppy and helps the family get a well-adjusted adult dog!

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How It Works

The puppy package is based on 5 days at your facility. The days are completely flexible. The puppy can come 5 days in a row, twice a week, or whatever schedule best suits the owner. However, the program is designed to be completed by the time the puppy is 4 months old.

Who Can Run it

It’s critical that your most experienced dog handlers be the staff doing the socialization exercises of this Package. Mistakes made with a puppy can last a lifetime so puppies need to be handled by those who understand canine body language, the development stages of puppies, and know how to keep things upbeat and fun for the puppy. They also need to know when a puppy is overwhelmed and might need help by a certified dog trainer. (See Information for the Instructor section below)

Pricing

Set the pricing amount at slightly higher than the cost for 5 days spent at your facility. The pricing should be based on the value you are providing to the owner which includes (as a minimum):

• Safe energy outlet for the puppy during it’s critical period of socialization• Providing fun and engaging environment to help socialize the puppy• Partnering with the pet parent to provide recommendations based on the

puppy’s unique temperament• Providing follow on resources specifically geared toward the puppy to

continue to help the puppy start out on the right paw




Optional Program Variations to Generate More Revenue

• The Puppy Package can be used to prepare a puppy for the AKC STAR Puppy class. If you have an AKC Star Puppy evaluator on staff, you may want to consider charging a small fee for the owner to take the test with their puppy.

• You can schedule more than one Puppy Package for any puppy. Increasing the program to 10 days or 15 days will only help the owner and pet parent. Depending on the age of the puppy when they start coming to your facility, consider longer packages (but remember that the program should be completed by the time the puppy is 4 months of age).

• If you have a dog trainer on staff, you can extend the time spent each day on socialization and increase the rate for more intensive socialization with the puppy. The value provided increases even more if the trainer has the ability to take the dog off-site to socialize the dog in town.

Prerequisites

Puppies for the Puppy Package should comply with your center’s vaccination requirements. They should have been in their new home for at least 2 weeks. They should be under 4 months of age.

What Owners Should Bring (or purchase from you) for Their Puppy

Owners should bring their puppy on a 5-6 foot leash attached to a flat collar, head collar or front clip harness. They should also bring dog treats cut up in bite size pieces. (Alternatively, you can just provide these for the puppy yourself. Be sure to price accordingly if you use your own treats so you can cover the cost of material you use).




What You Need to Have at Your Center

These are suggestions and will depend on the activities you choose. The goal is to have a wide variety of things that can be shown to the puppies. Provide costumes, hats, uniforms, plus different textures for the puppies to walk on. The list below is a sample:

• Chairs• Rope, tape or traffic cones• Variety of hats• Variety of noise makers• Items that roll or move (bike, skateboard, electronic motion toys)• Bags or purses• Tarp to walk on• Costumes or uniforms• Desensitization CD• Canes/wheelchairs

Schedule

Puppies should alternate between play sessions with other puppies of a similar age and rest time in their lodging enclosure or crate. Young puppies need more rest than adult dogs and should be allowed more time to sleep during the day. Recommend at least 45% of the day allowing the puppy to be in a quiet enclosure. For the Puppy Package, you will schedule socialization time for the puppy as well. The socialization plan is designed to take approximately 30 minutes and can be done during the puppy’s normal day at your facility. The 30 minute time can be divided into three 10-minute session or two 15-minitue session if that works better for your staffing. If you have more time available for socialization, you could also consider a higher charge for this Package and more time spent on socialization. This is especially worthwhile if you have a dog trainer on staff who can take the puppy offsite. (See Optional Program Variations to Generate More Revenue section above).




Information for the Instructor

Remember this principle: In order for socialization to be effective and helpful to the dog, it has to be fun! So follow these ground rules:

• Go slowly! Everything has to be done at the dog’s pace. If the dog is nervous, backing away, or hiding, then take things very slowly. Don’t force the dog to do anything he finds extremely scary.

• Use Distance! Don’t approach new things too quickly. If the dog is scared of something from 5 feet away, it’s likely he will be terrified when he’s only 1 foot away. Allow the dog to get comfortable from a safe distance first and then move closer as the dog relaxes.

• Use treats! Mere exposure to things is not socialization. Good socialization involves making positive associations with something new. I do this by giving the dog treats (high value tasty treats like cheese, liver, or chicken) for approaching something novel. I also play fun games with the dog when he is near something new. Using treats and toys helps me know when the dog might be getting overwhelmed. If the dog won’t eat treats or play when he’s doing something new, there is a good chance, he’s getting nervous. This is your clue to slow down, back up, and start over.

• Have fun! This is all about having fun for both you and the puppy. If you aren’t having fun or the dog is worried, then take a break and go tackle another item on the list




Daily Socialization Activities

This is a sample syllabus for a 5-day Puppy Package. Feel free to adjust it based on your own facility.

Day 1 Focus on the basics: Getting to know the puppy• Sociability – how friendly is the puppy, does he follow you easily, does he

like treats?• Work on sit and down with a treat lure• Handling (touching ears and paws using treats)• Work on teaching puppy to come

Day 2 Obstacles and Surfaces• Work on sit and down with a treat lure• Handling (touching ears and paws using treats)• Work on teaching puppy to come • Exposure to obstacles (be creative in finding obstacles)

○ Walking over ladders, ramps, stairs, etc ○ Going over or under things (chairs, tables, tunnels, etc)

Day 3 Experiences• Work on sit and down with a treat lure• Work on teaching puppy to come • Exposure to obstacles (be creative in finding obstacles)

○ Walking on tarps or other odd surfaces on the ground ○ Putting puppy on a table (mimic veterinarian or grooming table)

• Grooming – pretend grooming ○ Clipping nails ○ Bathing ○ Towel Drying ○ Exposure to grooming tub or dryers (if you have a grooming shop)




Day 4 Sounds and People• Work on sit and down with a treat lure• Work on teaching puppy to come • Exposure to people and unusual sounds (be creative)

○ People walking with grocery bags or large purses ○ Canes and wheelchairs ○ People in hats and glasses ○ People in uniforms ○ Sounds (using desensitization CD) ○ Moving objects (bikes, skateboards, motorized toys)

Day 5 Catch all• Work on sit and down with a treat lure• Work on teaching puppy to come • Go back and work on anything the puppy found scary or difficult• Go back and work on anything the puppy found particularly fun!• Graduation ceremony and certificates (good photo op!)

Variation: For a more intensive program, consider taking the puppy off-site to introduce him to different people, places, noises and environments on any or all of the days.




Partnering with the Pet Parent:

The Puppy Package is a great way to partner with the pet parent and help them get involved with the training. Consider spending some time at the end of each day providing a verbal or written report to the pet parent about their dog’s activities. Here are some great ways to get the pet parent involved:

• Provide the family with the “Dog Play Keeping it Safe and Fun” handout. (This is a free resource available to The Dog Gurus members – to find it go to “Member Resources, and click on the link at the “All Your Special Gifts” section). This card provides a brief overview on canine body language which will allow you to help your client know when their dog is happy…not just in dog play, but at any time!

• Use Robin Bennett’s scavenger hunt (attached at the end of this handout) to check off the things you’ve done with the puppy and encourage the client to do the rest at home. This is a great way to help the pet parent see how much their dog has accomplished and hopefully encourage them to do more at home. You can even give out a free day of daycare or other fun prize if the owner brings back the completed scavenger hunt!

• Provide input to the owner on anything that was challenging to the dog and recommend further training once the Puppy Package is completed.



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PUPPY SOCIALIZATION PACKAGE FOR PET CARE CENTERS · for the puppy as well. The socialization plan is designed to take approximately 30 minutes and can be done during the puppy’s