How to Properly Socialize a Puppy, Even During a Pandemic with Irith Bloom
Follow Los Angeles-based Certified Dog Trainer Susan Light as she seeks to learn from the industry’s best and become worthy of the title: Sensei of the Doggy Dojo!!
Susan interviews experts from all over the world about their specialties in the Dog world and shares the conversations with you, the dog lover!
Lisa Radosta DVM, DACVB
Dr. Radosta graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. She completed a residency in Behavioral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. During her residency, she was awarded the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists Resident research award two years in a row.
Dr. Radosta is the owner of Florida Veterinary Behavior Service, a specialty behavior practice in southeast Florida and co-owns Dog Nerds, an online educational resource for owners whose pets have behavior disorders.
She is a sought after speaker nationally and internationally. She is a coauthor of several books including: Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat, 4th edition and From Fearful to Fear Free. She is a contributing author for Blackwell’s Five Minute Veterinary Consult, Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Canine and Feline Behavior, Decoding your Cat, Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses and Feline and Small Animal Pediatrics.
She has published research articles in the Journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science, Journal of Veterinary Behavior and The Veterinary Journal and written review articles for Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Compendium, NAVC, Veterinary Team Brief, Clinician’s Brief and AAHA Newstat. She has served on the Fear Free Executive Council and the AAHA Behavior Management Task Force.
She has been interviewed for many publications including Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, Palm Beach Post, NAVC Clinician’s Brief, Sun Sentinel, WebMD, AAHA trends, Real Simple, Good News for Pets, Catster, DVM 360 and AAHA News Stat. She has appeared on Lifetime television, Laurie Live, local news in southeast Florida, Mitch Wilder's Amazing Pet Discoveries, Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, Steve Dale's Pet Talk and Dogs, CNBC and Cats and Scapegoats.
Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute advice or professional services by either the host nor any of the guests.
Website: https://drlisaradosta.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlisaradosta/
Recommends: Dr. Evan Maclean, Director of the Arizona Canine Cognition Center https://dogs.arizona.edu/people/dr-evan-maclean
If you want to work with me, Susan Light, you can find me at:
The music was written by Mac Light, you can find him at:
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The amazing Irith Trietsch Bloom joins the podcast today to talk about How to Properly Socialize a Puppy (Even During a Pandemic).
Irith Trietsch Bloom has been training animals since the 1980s and has worked with everything from chickens and rabbits to dogs and horses—not to mention humans. She is regularly invited to give presentations and loves the learning that comes from taking part in conferences, seminars, and webinars.
Irith is faculty at Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior and DogBiz’s Dog Walking Academy. She is also a CPDT-KSA, a CBCC-KA, a CDBC, a CSAT, a VSPDT, a KPA CTP, and a CBATI, as well as being certified in TAGteach, a positive-reinforcement method for teaching humans.
Irith’s writing has been published both online and in print. She is on the Board of Directors of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), Chair Emeritus of the Education Committee of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and a former member of the APDT Legislative Task Force.
Irith has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Los Angeles, California. In addition to running her company, The Sophisticated Dog, LLC, Irith volunteers with National English Shepherd Rescue and is a member of the Advisory Board for Daily Paws.
Irith has two major ONLINE events coming up:
The 2021 Dog Behavior Conference hosted by Victoria Stilwell Academy (April 16-18)
The Power of Choice and How It Can Decrease Stress in Dogs (April 24/25)
https://thelooseleashacademy.com/seminars-list/power-of-choice
You can also join her Facebook group for puppy (and other dog) owners, which is called Puppy Help Hotline:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1096139067450795
Irith wants to help you Socialize a Puppy by giving you a FREE Socialization Checklist
If you want more from Irith, check out her website, www.TheSophisticatedDog.com, and follow her page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/TheSophisticatedDog.
In the podcast, Irith talks about how experiences in the following times of a dog’s life affect their socialization
Prenatal Period: Important factors include the genetics and personalities of both parent dogs, and conditions the dam (mother dog) experiences during pregnancy. Stress hormones during the pregnancy can affect the puppies.
Neonatal Period (birth-2 weeks old): Puppies can’t see or hear.
Transitional Period (2-3 weeks old): The puppies’ senses begin to activate.
Socialization Period (3-12 weeks old): All senses are active. This is the period we’re mostly focused on. Puppies mostly engage with their littermates and mother until they are 5-6 weeks old, and begin to focus more on humans at about 7 weeks old. Early separation from the litter can have profound negative effects on the puppy for life, and puppies should ideally stay with the litter until they are at least 8 weeks old.
Fear Period (around 8-10 weeks old): A short window where the puppy may be unusually fearful. Watch your puppy, and if they seem afraid, press the pause button on introducing new things. Try again a few days later and watch your puppy carefully. If they still seem afraid, wait a few more days. This period should pass in about a week and you can continue the puppy’s socialization.
Check with your veterinarian about what is safe for your puppy to at each stage of their vaccination journey. It’s worth taking your puppy out in your arms or a stroller if they’re not cleared to touch dirt (Parvo), water (Giardia), or other dogs.
Irith reached out to me after we recorded with a few more ideas of ways to expose your puppy (or young dog) to more things:
– Dress up in costumes to help your puppy get used to people looking different.
– Use decorations, etc., to set up a socialization adventure in the yard.
– Put different things around your home as socialization adventures indoors (e.g., let the vacuum cleaner sit out, set an automated toy to walk across the floor, etc.).
Basically, be creative! Try to introduce them to as much as you can, little by little, and let their reaction be your guide!
If you want to work with me, I offer video sessions to clients all over the world. You can find me at www.doggydojopodcast.com/digital-resources
The music was written by Mac Light, you can find him at www.maclightsongwriter.com
Please Subscribe, Rate, and Review to help others find the show, and I’ll see you next week for a brand new episode of the Doggy Dojo!
