Pup Scouts Puppy Socialization Program
Socialization while puppies are young is extremely important for raising a confident, well-adjusted dog.
The critical socialization window lasts from 3 weeks of age to 16 weeks of age. It plays a huge role in the emotional, mental and social development of your puppy and is most ideal when they encounter a large variety of different stimuli including people, animals, novel sounds, surfaces and places. This sets them up for how they view the world throughout the rest of their life and can have a detrimental impact on their quality of life and behavioral health if these opportunities are missed. As a new puppy owner, it can feel overwhelming trying to make sure you prep them for living in your home. Here at Homeward Bound Animal Behavior & Training, we understand that it is not always easy to find the proper time or energy during the hustle and bustle of life to dedicate to this task. We’re here to help!
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In the Pup Scouts Program, we make it our objective to help your puppy experience the world in a way that helps you reach these goals and set your puppy up for success, while also having fun, mentally enriching, and energy-burning adventures!
Pup Scouts Alumni, Adventurer
Pup Scouts Alumni, Voyager
Pup Scouts Alumni, Adventurer
Pup Scouts Alumni, Adventurer
Pup Scout Puppy Socialization Packages
The minimum package is three sessions, but additional add-on sessions and package options are available for optimal success! During a session, our pet professionals will come to pick your puppy up, and each session will take them to a different location with certain goals in mind. These goals will expose your puppy to new locations with various novel stimuli including different people, species of animal (including appropriate dog-friendly dogs), sounds, smells, surfaces, and items they will be exposed to in their life that we want them to have positive experiences with.
Traveler Rank
Three Socialization Outings
$150
Adventurer Rank
Six Socialization Outings
$300
Explorer Rank
Ten Socialization Outings
$500
Voyager Rank
Twelve Socialization Outings
$600
Individual socialization outings can be added after three outings have been completed and cost $40 each. All in-home services are offered within a 40-mile radius of Wyocena, WI or Des Moines, IA. If a client is outside of the service area, there is a $0.625 charge per additional mile. A payment plan is available!
What does a Pup Scout Puppy Socialization Package include?
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Each session will earn your puppy a button for completing a socialization outing. Each button represents a different stimuli.
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You will receive pictures and video of your puppy during these outings so you can see how much fun they had and what they did. Dog guardians are more than welcome to join us on our adventures as well!
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Each package includes a “puppy passport” that holds a socialization tracking chart with lots of tips on socialization. We will mark in your passport each time so you know where they found success and where they may need improvement.
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Socialization is not just about quantity, but also quality. Our pet professionals are qualified to not only know what to expose your puppy to, but also how to do it. You can trust that they are trained in even the subtlest of canine body language, and they are equipped to know how to navigate any new experiences that your puppy may be apprehensive about to give the best possible outcome.
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Your puppy, upon obtaining any of our Pup Scouts ranks, will become a member of the Pup Scouts Alumni. Their picture will go up on our site (with your permission).
Age Requirements
While we strongly recommend that you get your puppy enrolled as soon as possible, to take advantage of that prime socialization window (approximately 3-16 weeks of age), any dog under six months of age (but no younger than eight weeks) can join! We must see adoption/breeder/vet clinic papers so we can be sure of where they are in their development. Puppies must also be up to date on any age appropriate core vaccines.
We can’t wait to go on these expeditions with your puppy and help shape them into the most well-adjusted dog they can be! Call or email for further questions or to get started!
