Socialising puppies and kittens

You can influence the future character of your pet by the experiences you offer them during the first few weeks of life.

Socialisation is the process of accustoming an animal to everything he or she will be expected to come across later in life. This way they are more likely to respond appropriately to any situation. It is important to socialise your pet during the sensitive period.

An experience is most likely to have long term effects on character if it occurs during the sensitive period. This short period lasts from around 2 to 8 weeks of age for cats and from 3 to 12 weeks for dogs. As most pets are acquired after 6 weeks of age, you can see how important it is to start socialisation straight away.

An important part of socialisation is familiarisation with people. Allow the puppy or kitten to be handled by men, women and children. It is important to make all encounters in the sensitive period enjoyable, so use treats and toys if necessary, and give the pet a break to allow them to settle if they become anxious. Make it a routine to gently check your pet’s ears, mouth, feet and tail. This will not only help you to give tablets and clip claws in the future, but if your pet is used to being examined, it will make the vet’s job easier too!

It is also necessary to develop a good relationship with other family pets and other dogs. Supervision is required when introducing pets to other animals. It is also important to remember the risk of infections when introducing puppies to other dogs. Only allow your pup to meet fully vaccinated dogs.

Use the vacuum cleaner and play your musical instruments so that your pet is used to these noises. Take your puppy on some car journeys, and if not yet vaccinated, then carry them around outside so they are used to the sights and sounds.

You are going to have a very busy couple of months, but it’s worth every second!

by Jenny Jones BVM&S MRCVS, vet at Borrajo’s veterinary clinics