LYNNE BARBER of Ourway Dog Training, on the importance of introducing your puppy to life's little experiences.

There is a very significant part of a dog's development that owners and some breeders are aware of - but do not take the opportunity of this window'.

This is called socialisation. It is essential to learning, and helps a dog be confident and secure in any surroundings.

This month we are looking at why this is an important part of the dog's development, and what we can do to make full use of this opening.

The puppy grows from being totally reliant on its mother for food and stimulation, and function its bowels and bladder, to being totally independent - and thus making its own decisions, knowing how it can get the owner's attention and being capable of responding to basic commands.

Therefore, an important process of your puppy's development has already commenced before you bring him or her home.

Between the ages of four and 16 weeks, a puppy's brain is like a sponge.

It absorbs such a tremendous amount of information.

At this stage, the emotion of fear is not fully developed, because the dog does not have any experiences of association to draw on.

The more interesting experiences the puppy has - which does not cause any ill effect - during this learning period will give your puppy confidence for the rest of its life.

I feel very privileged that I am aware of this, but it does mean a lot of work.

One of the things I did involved being out with Hattie early on a cold, windy, wet January morning, so she could see not only strange objects put out for the dustbin men, but she also heard the flickering noise of plastic bags.

Your puppy may not have had the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of experiences as not all breeders are fully aware of the extent of socialisation prior to the puppy leaving their premises.

Many new owners are confused as to what and where they can take their puppies before they have had their vaccinations.

In the first two weeks I had Hattie - before she had her vaccinations - I arranged to meet other vaccinated dogs in their homes, took her to work with me, walked round the shops with her tucked up in my coat so she could see and hear lots of different things and also experience plenty of interesting car journeys.

Hattie is small, so I can carry her into different places, but with larger breeds you can take them in the car to parks and suchlike, so they see different people and things.

Their reaction to new experiences never ceases to amaze me, and I adore watching how they react - whether it is seeing something new, hearing a new noise or feeling something different on their paws.

Sometimes, when they see something new, the front part of their body wants to investigate, usually by sniffing, while the back end of their body is ready to run away.

They therefore sometimes run away, only to come back and investigate further.

The important thing is how you respond to your dog's reactions - especially if they are a bit apprehensive of something.

It is natural for owners to want to reassure their puppy by making soothing noises and stroking it.

But such reassurance can be seen by the puppy as rewarding, and will consequently repeat the behaviour, because they start to learn this is what is expected from them and what gains your attention.

If you live in a town, your dog will soon learn to get used to traffic, but it needs to meet things in the countryside, such as sheep, cows and tractors, as you may either visit the countryside or go to live there.

Conversely, if you live in the countryside, you need to take your puppy into town so it gets used to meeting a lot of people, pushchairs, shopping trolleys, and so on. Puppies also need to meet young children, teenagers, older people and those in wheelchairs.

As puppies grow older, they will react to anything unusual, so even a person wearing a hat or glasses can cause them to bark.

It is a good idea to set up a plan of the things your puppy needs to meet and you can tick them off when they have done this.

Why not involve the rest of the family in this task?

If you would like one of my own socialisation plans, then contact me on 01285 651014 or e-mail me at dogsdoit@ourwaybehaviour.co.uk