Puppy socialisation checklist, week by week

Puppy's date of birth Optional. Add it and each week block below gets real dates.

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8 to 9 weeks: First week home

Keep the world small and win every exposure, because a scared first week costs more than a slow one.

• PeopleMeet three or four calm adults from your own household or close circle, one at a time, sitting on the floor
• Surfaces and placesLet the puppy walk on carpet, hard floor, a rug and a doormat
• SoundsRun the washing machine and the dishwasher while the puppy eats nearby
• Handling and body workHandle each paw for two seconds, pay with food, stop before the puppy pulls away
• Handling and body workTouch and look inside both ears, pay with food
• Alone time and car travelFeed one meal a day inside the crate with the door open
• Alone time and car travelLeave the puppy alone with a stuffed food toy for two or three minutes while you are still in the house
• Objects and trafficIntroduce a soft collar or harness for five minutes with something good happening

9 to 10 weeks: Carried outings

Get the outside world in through the eyes and ears while the puppy is off the ground and safe.

• PeopleSit on a bench near a footpath, puppy in your arms or in a carrier, and watch people go by for ten minutes
• PeopleMeet a person wearing a hat and sunglasses
• Dogs and other animalsMeet one adult dog you know is vaccinated, friendly and unbothered by puppies
• Objects and trafficWatch traffic from a distance where the puppy stays relaxed and takes food
• SoundsHear a doorbell and a knock at the door, paired with a treat
• Surfaces and placesStand on grass and on concrete for a minute each
• Alone time and car travelTake a five minute car trip that ends somewhere pleasant, not only at the vet
• Dogs and other animalsBook a puppy class. AVSAB says puppies can start as early as 7 to 8 weeks with one set of vaccines at least 7 days before the first class and a first deworming

10 to 11 weeks: Surfaces, steps and new faces

Build the body confidence that stops a dog freezing on a slippery vet floor at three years old.

• Surfaces and placesWalk across a wobble board, a folded towel and a sheet of cardboard laid on the floor
• Surfaces and placesClimb two or three steps up and back down, with help if needed
• Surfaces and placesWalk on a metal drain cover or a manhole lid
• PeopleMeet a child who has been briefed to stay calm and let the puppy come to them
• PeopleMeet a person with a beard, and a person using a walking stick
• Dogs and other animalsAttend the first puppy class, on a surface that can be cleaned and disinfected
• Handling and body workPractise a mock vet exam: ears, eyes, mouth open, paws, tail, a hand around the belly
• SoundsHear a vacuum cleaner running in the next room, then in the same room

11 to 12 weeks: Household life at full volume

Normalise the noises and objects that live in your house so none of them become a trigger later.

• SoundsHear a hairdryer, a blender and a smoke alarm test, each at low intensity first
• SoundsPlay a recorded thunderstorm and recorded fireworks quietly during a meal
• Objects and trafficWatch an umbrella open and close a few metres away
• Objects and trafficWatch a bin bag being shaken out and a broom being used
• PeopleMeet a person in a high visibility jacket or a uniform
• PeopleMeet a person moving differently: on crutches, in a wheelchair, or crouching low
• Handling and body workHave nails trimmed or filed, one nail at a time, with food after each
• Handling and body workPractise being brushed and having the coat parted along the back and belly
• Alone time and car travelStay alone behind a closed door for ten minutes with something to chew

12 to 13 weeks: Feet on the ground

Start choosing places rather than collecting them. Quiet and successful beats busy and overwhelming.

• Surfaces and placesWalk on a quiet residential street on lead for ten minutes
• Surfaces and placesVisit a friend's house and explore one room
• Surfaces and placesSit outside a cafe at a quiet hour
• Dogs and other animalsMeet a second calm adult dog, ideally one who ends play early and well
• Dogs and other animalsSee a cat from a distance, on lead, with no chasing allowed
• Dogs and other animalsSee livestock, horses or chickens from behind a fence if you can reach them
• Objects and trafficWatch a bicycle and a person running go past at a distance the puppy can handle
• Handling and body workWeigh the puppy on scales, or stand on a bathroom scale, for practice at being lifted and placed
• PeopleDo a happy visit to the vet clinic: walk in, get a treat at reception, walk out

13 to 14 weeks: Traffic, travel and busier places

Add movement and noise together, still at a distance where the puppy eats and stays loose.

• Objects and trafficStand near a bus stop or a moderately busy road for five minutes
• Objects and trafficWatch a motorbike, a lorry and a delivery van from the pavement
• Objects and trafficWatch a skateboard or a scooter roll past at a distance
• Alone time and car travelTake a twenty minute car journey and settle in the crate or harness for it
• PeopleWalk past a school gate or a playground at pick up time, from the far side of the street
• PeopleMeet a person carrying something bulky: a box, a rucksack, a rolled up rug
• Surfaces and placesWalk on gravel, wet grass and a metal or wooden bridge
• SoundsHear a lawnmower, a leaf blower or building site noise from a comfortable distance
• Alone time and car travelStay alone for thirty minutes while you leave the house

14 to 16 weeks: Keep going past the window

The sensitive period is fading, not finished. AVSAB says to keep going, and to get help early if fear shows up.

• PeopleMeet five new people this fortnight, each different from the last in height, age, voice or clothing
• Dogs and other animalsMeet two more well matched dogs, and end each session before either gets tired
• Surfaces and placesVisit two places you have never been, one quiet and one moderately busy
• Dogs and other animalsPractise walking past another dog without greeting, which matters more than meeting every dog
• Handling and body workRepeat the mock vet exam, and add a muzzle introduction as a fun game
• Handling and body workGet the puppy used to a grooming table, a bath or a hose, whichever your breed will need
• Alone time and car travelRide in the car to three different destinations in one week
• Alone time and car travelBuild alone time to an hour, and note whether the puppy settles or paces
• SoundsRepeat any sound, surface or person type that got a wobble the first time, at a lower intensity

The rules that make it work

Ticking a box is not the point. A puppy dragged up to a stranger and held there has been exposed to people and taught that people are frightening. How you do it matters more than how much you do.

• Quality beats quantity. AVSAB warns against overstimulation shown as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behaviour, so a calm five minutes is worth more than a chaotic hour
• Let the puppy choose to approach. Do not carry a puppy into a group of strangers and hand it round
• Pair every new thing with food, play or praise while the new thing is happening, not afterwards
• End before the puppy is overwhelmed. Leave while it is still going well
• Watch the response, not the checklist. AAHA warns that exposure without evaluation of the puppy's response may increase problem behaviours through sensitisation instead of producing socialisation
• Distance is the dial. If the puppy will not take food, you are too close to the thing
• Reward based methods only. AVSAB states there is no evidence that aversive training is necessary for dog training or behaviour modification
• Handle the whole body from the start. AVSAB says puppies should be handled from birth, learning to accept manipulation of all body parts
• Schedule alone time on purpose. AVSAB recommends time for puppies to play alone with stuffed food toys or nap in a crate or pen, which teaches self amusement and may prevent over attachment
• Car trips count. AVSAB says puppies should accompany their owners on as many car trips as possible
• Puppies do not outgrow problems. AAHA says so directly, so get help early if fear shows up
• Keep going after 14 weeks. AVSAB strongly encourages owners of puppies past the milestone to continue socialising to as many people, pets and locations as is practical

The window

Sources agree the window opens at about 3 weeks and disagree on when it closes. AVSAB says the primary and most important time for puppy socialisation is the first three months of life, which puts the end at about 12 weeks. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives the socialisation period as 19 days to 12 weeks and warns that failure to expose puppies to social and environmental stimuli at 3 to 12 weeks of age increases the risk of fearful adult behaviour. Dogs Trust is inconsistent with itself, giving three to 12 weeks on one page, 3 to 14 weeks on another and three to 16 weeks on a third. Puplr uses 3 to 14 weeks as the working window because it sits inside that spread, and says clearly that the window fades rather than slams shut. AVSAB is explicit that owners of puppies past the milestone are strongly encouraged to keep going.

Common questions

When is the puppy socialisation window?

It opens at about 3 weeks and fades somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks depending on who you ask. AVSAB calls the first three months the primary and most important time. Merck gives 3 to 12 weeks. Dogs Trust has published three to 12, 3 to 14 and three to 16 weeks on different pages. Puplr works to 3 to 14 weeks and treats the edge as a fade, not a cliff.

Can I socialise my puppy before the vaccinations are finished?

Yes, and AVSAB says you should. It calls socialisation before full vaccination the standard of care, on the reasoning that behavioural issues rather than infectious diseases are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age. The conditions are real though: one set of vaccines at least 7 days before the first class, a first deworming, cleanable surfaces, and no dog parks or other unsanitised, heavily trafficked areas.

When can my puppy start puppy classes?

As early as 7 to 8 weeks of age, per AVSAB, with a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class and a first deworming. AVSAB also notes that enrolling before three months of age can be an excellent way to improve training, strengthen the bond and socialise in an environment where the risk of illness can be minimised.

How many people should my puppy meet?

There is no sourced number, and any count you see online is somebody's invention. What is sourced is the shape of it: expose the puppy to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation shown as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance. AAHA adds that exposure without watching the puppy's reaction can backfire and sensitise rather than socialise.

What if my puppy is frightened?

Increase the distance, lower the intensity, and let the puppy choose whether to approach. If fear keeps showing up, AVSAB is direct: owners of puppies displaying fear should seek veterinary guidance. AAHA adds that puppies generally do not outgrow their problems, so early is better.

Is it too late at 16 weeks?

No, but the returns get smaller. AVSAB says owners of puppies that have passed this milestone are strongly encouraged to continue socialising to as many people, pets and locations as is practical, and that continuing to offer a wide variety of experiences during the first year of life helps prevent separation related behaviour.

Should I use a training collar or a firm correction?

No. AVSAB's 2021 position is that evidence supports the use of reward based methods for all canine training, that aversive methods relying on force, pain or emotional or physical discomfort should not be used, and that there is no evidence aversive training is necessary. Dogs trained with aversive methods showed stress related behaviours during training and, in survey studies, more aggression and anxiety related behaviour long term.

Where the sources disagree

• The end of the window. AVSAB says the first three months. Merck says 3 to 12 weeks, and separately describes the socialisation period as 19 days to 12 weeks. Dogs Trust says three to 12 weeks on one page, 3 to 14 weeks on another and three to 16 weeks on a third. Puplr uses 3 to 14 weeks and shows the spread rather than hiding it.
• Dogs Trust contradicts itself across its own site, which is worth saying out loud because it is the source most UK owners are pointed at.
• Class start age versus vaccination completion. AVSAB says classes can start at 7 to 8 weeks with one set of vaccines and a deworming. The core vaccination series does not finish until 16 weeks or later under WSAVA, AAHA and AVA guidance. Both positions are current and they are reconciled by controlling the environment, not by waiting.
• AAHA warns about the opposite failure mode to under socialisation. Exposure without evaluation of the puppy's response may result in increased problem behaviours as a result of sensitisation instead of positive socialisation. A checklist run through carelessly can do harm.
• Nobody publishes a target number of people, dogs or places. The often repeated hundred people by twelve weeks figure could not be traced to AVSAB, AAHA, Merck, RSPCA or Dogs Trust in this pass, so Puplr does not use it.
• RSPCA UK and RSPCA Australia socialisation pages could not be reached in this pass, every candidate URL returned 404, so no RSPCA position is quoted here.

Next

• Vaccination schedule, the other half of this decision.
• Teething timeline, running over the same weeks.
• First week checklist.

Sources

• AVSAB Position Statement on Puppy Socialization: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf
• AVSAB Position Statement on Humane Dog Training, 2021: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf
• AVSAB position statements index: https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/
• 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines, behaviour section: https://www.aaha.org/wp-content/uploads/globalassets/02-guidelines/canine-life-stage-2019/2019-aaha-canine-life-stage-guidelines-final.pdf
• MSD Veterinary Manual, Social Behavior of Dogs: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/behavior/normal-social-behavior-and-behavioral-problems-of-domestic-animals/social-behavior-of-dogs
• Dogs Trust, sound therapy and firework training, three to 16 weeks: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/understanding-your-dog/sound-therapy-for-pets
• Dogs Trust, preparing your dog for a new baby, three to 12 weeks: https://dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/preparing-your-dog-for-a-new-baby
• Dogs Trust, aggressive behaviour, 3 to 14 weeks: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/training/unwanted-behaviours/aggressive-behaviour
• WSAVA 2024 dogs vaccination table, on socialising before the series is complete: https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dogs-Vaccination-Table.pdf

Last reviewed 2026-09-06.