Introduction to Stimulation, Wiring the Brain at Puppy Play School
So, you’ve got to grips with the basics of new puppy ownership and have successfully imprinted on your new fuzzy family member as our last blog, Puppy Basics 101, described.
Your new pal feels safe, comfortable and balanced in normal puppy behaviour; rambunctious, playful, easy to please and eager to please. The puppy is eating and drinking well and is settling down to life alongside their adopted humans.
Your puppy should have accomplished the above, with your help, by age 2.5 to 3 months. As soon as you see that your puppy has settled down, retaining balance, Pedigree Canine recommends that you begin to introduce them to the life which awaits them, one of great fun, interesting stimulation and cognitive learning. It’s true to say that the earlier you begin play school the more accomplished your dog will become.
So, what is puppy play school exactly? It’s a means by which dogs can be introduced to a range of disciplines. Among them:
- Confidence
- Curiosity
- Cognitive plasticity
- Reward centre development
- Bravery
- Self-dependence
Fill an inflatable paddling pool sized enclosure with empty plastic bottles, plastic garden balls, small footballs, small cardboard boxes (shoebox) and tennis balls. Literally fill the enclosed space with any or all of these items. Build a ramp into and also out of the enclosure. Place a treat at the top of the entrance ramp and also a few treats just out of reach in front of the ramp and inside the enclosure. Position your puppy at the foot of the ramp and encourage to climb the ramp and get the treat. Once there, encourage to enter the enclosure by throwing treats in ahead of your puppy. Don’t force your puppy to enter, curiosity will eventually win the day. If your puppy seems uncomfortable at first due to the strange noises of all the objects in the enclosure, well this is quite normal. Gently and calmly extract your puppy from the enclosure and give him a treat and a stroke. When calm, lift back into the enclosure, placing in the centre. To as great extent as possible, do not interfere with how your puppy deals with this new environment. Allow the puppy to understand over time that the environment holds no threat and is actually a fun den where great adventures may be had. Vocally encourage playful behaviour in the enclosure like pouncing and discovering textures by biting and mouthing items.
Once your puppy understands that the environment you’ve constructed for them is one of safe interaction with fun sounding and odd shaped items and once they have discovered how to enter and exit the environment, they’ll never look back, enjoying every second. All the while, their brains will be growing and developing. New neural pathways will be established linking bravery and confidence to reward and curiosity with essential development of the senses.
Play school lasts until 4.5 to 5 months after which time Basic Obedience Training begins with your puppy already well equipped to deal with what’s to be expected of them thanks to their cognitive development gleaned from their first few months at play school.
Authored by Leander Clifton, Managing Director, Pedigree Canine
Pedigree Canine aims to become your dog’s most trusted canine service provider. We provide premium canine services throughout the UK and across the world, including Dog Training in all trained disciplines: Basic, Advanced and Elite Off-leash Obedience, Agility, Socialisation, Behaviour Modification and Working Dog Programmes such as Certified Civilian VIP Close Protection Dogs.
