How to Support Undersocialized Puppies

Pandemic Puppy Podcast

In this episode of Pandemic Puppy, Kayla discusses undersocialized puppies.

How do you know your puppy may be undersocialized?

• This will vary per dog depending on breed and personality, as some breeders are generally more reserved than others
• Puppy history is important to consider. Hoarding or parvo puppies are usually very undersocialized
• It’s normal for your puppy to startle around new things or to be a little shy, but it’s not normal for extreme reactions such as urinating or trembling, or if the startle starts to escalate. If this is the case, you should seek a professional behavior consultant.

What to do if your puppy is showing signs of being undersocialized?

• Go at your puppy’s pace; work harder, not faster
  • If your puppy is under extreme distress, you are going too fast
  • If you can’t find a comfortable threshold for your puppy, speak to a professional

• Learn dog body language

• “We want to find the level in which your puppy notices the thing they are concerned about and we want to be working at that level”
• If they are under threshold, let them observe the things that are concerning them
• Support and cheerlead them in ways that help them
• Adjust your expectations
• Counter-conditioning throughout their lifetime
• Is it a trend or a blip? If your puppy is continually spooking at something over and over, it might mean you need to make a more structured plan.
• Overall, please seek professional help!

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Find a Behavior Consultant on IAABC

Find a Certified Dog Training and Behavior Consultant

Dog Decoder App

Canine Body Language

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