Because Scout was a singleton puppy, we have been making regular visits up to Top Notch kennel and Equestrian Center to play with some of the puppies up there. We felt it was important for her to begin proper socialization from a very young age and research has shown that these lessons are best taught by litter mates. Since Scout doesn’t actually have any litter mates, we went and found her some. It was truly amazing to watch her discover how to play like a puppy!
On our first visit, Scout didn’t actually play. She was very lazy and a bit overwhelmed by the other pups and was not really interested in playing with them. I didn’t think the visit was a success. However, once we got home we saw an instant change in her behavior. Scout actually pounced and barked! Something she had never done before! At first she tried to play with inanimate objects….. slippers, the stuffed animal we had given her, the fridge (I know, weird!) Then she actually tried to play with one of our bigger dogs. She didnt quite know what to do when he played back, but she was trying. By the time she came home from her second visit, she had this play stuff down. Within the next few days she became a much happier and more playful puppy. by her 3rd visit, she was getting right in there with the rest of the group.
Below are a few pictures of our most recent visit. Thank you, Dani and Mike at Top Notch for providing us with some great playmates!!
Pondside Retrievers 