I've put an article on the front page about our puppy parties. I am passionate about socialising puppies as I have seen (as have all vets) the consequences of lack of socialisation.

I can see at a glance when an owner brings in an 8-week old puppy, whether it has been suitably socialised up to that point. A happy, confident puppy will have had people around since it was born, and will have been played with by all sorts of people - old, young, male, female. A quiet, shy or nervous one probably hasn't. The good news is that at 8 weeks this can be rectified. The longer time goes on, the worse the problems become. 14 weeks is often quoted as being critical but I would say that a pup 'remedially socialised' after 14 weeks will probably be ok in the end. Dogs kept in social isolation until 6 months of age, will never be 100% confident, and under-confidence manifests itself as difficulty relating to people and other dogs, often culminating in aggression to one or other due to anxiety.

It is always really sad to see these dogs being scared and aggressive, and a proportion of them do end up in rescue centres becoming a big problem for the charity or the person who rehomes them. In severe cases they are euthanased, which can be the kindest thing for an animal unable to cope with the sensory overload it encounters in the real world.

Our puppy parties at Roundswell are an ideal way to learn about socialisation in a 'controlled' environment. Tracey's classes carry on from these if people want to learn more (and it is advisable) so that pets feel confident and owners secure in the knowledge that their pet will be much less likely to develop behavioural problems.