This is me, aged 8 weeks. I am just getting used to living in my new home with my new brothers and sisters, and the pink two legged thing who thinks she is my mum..... huh. Silly person. I guess I will have to show her otherwise. You see I am a big tough puppy, and I know everything there is to know. Even though I have only lived in this form for 8 weeks, I have always been around in one form or another, since the beginning of time, so there - see. I do know everything there is to know.


Well, that's what I thought until one Chewsday of this week, mum took me to a place called "

"MARKET"





What a strange place it was. There were all these two legged things walking around. There were also some strange things to see and peculiar noises, such as something they called "a supermarket cart" which made me jump. I did find it all a bit worrying at first, but then I decided to sit there to try and work it all out. 'Mum' tells me that many puppy 'parents' would have picked me up and taken me home when I became anxious, but 'mum' and her colleague/friend Glynis from the training school, said that I have to get used to these things, so that I learn not to be phased by such things when I am older. Especially as I will be going to agility shows which are extremely busy and very noisy.

I haven't finished my vaccinations yet, and some people find this very upsetting, but the truth is, I do still have my maternal antibodies, and it is a sad fact that more dogs are destroyed each year through having been poorly socialised, than die from the diseases which we are vaccinated against. In fact, my 'mum' had serious doubts about vaccinating me at all, as 3 others from our home nearly died after their initial vaccinations, so mum was very scared for me. It is only because she has heard about some other dogs, in the area, who have recently been infected by Parvo Virus, that she decided to go ahead and have me vaccinated.

There are a growing number of people who have either lost their dogs, or had their dogs become very ill after vaccinations, and they have formed a group to alert people to the things the drug companies and veterinary profession don't want you to know about. See this link for more information.

http://www.canine-health-concern.org.uk/

Anyway, back to my socialisation. It is a very, very important part of my development, and something which Guide Dogs For Blind People take very seriously, to help their dogs become socially strengthened. They too take their puppies out walking between vaccinations. Likewise my 'mum' takes this very seriously too, as she has seen far too many dogs who have been very poorly socialised, that have gone on to develop serious behaviour problems, many of which often cannot be overcome, due to what happens in the brain during the early development of all animals, including humans.

Socialisation does not mean taking the odd trip out to meet other dogs and having a good time, or running home for cover if puppy is more scared than I was. It evidently means going to noisy places, with lots of people of all ages, on a regular basis - whilst I am still so young, in order that I may build my confidence ready for when I am all grown up. Today on this adventure I saw old people, young people, middle aged people, tall, short, fat thin, even a man in a wheelchair who had no legs. He had medals on his clothing, and 'mum' said he was a war veteran? war? what does she mean? why did he have no legs because he is a "war veteran"? My goodness, perhaps I don't know everything after all.

Here are some more pictures of me "socialising" in the market with 'auntie' Glynis.