Places to take puppies for socialisation (post vaccinations)

Hi there - it's been a while since I posted on here but I was hoping for some advice.

We have a new member of our family, a little collie puppy called Magpie. She is ten weeks old.

She has been with us for nearly two weeks now and everything is going well! She gets along with our other dog Riley, is a bundle of trouble, cuddles, and joy - less chewing would be nice but oh well!

Magpie had her second vaccination today and we are pretty excited about getting her out and about from next week.

She is signed up for puppy classes but I wondered where are good/recommended places to take puppies for socialization/trips out?
I want her to see and do EVERYTHING so she is a happy, well-rounded, dog

Hi Niccie - sorry your thread got missed, it's nice to see you!

Some common suggestions for socialising are outside school playgrounds (start with younger kids first and if you can, let a member of staff know you are socialising your pup). If the children are in speaking distance, get them involved and ask them to be gentle and quiet because your dog might get scared (it's funny, sometimes they tell each other of for being too loud )

After that progress to busier places - such as outside supermarkets, pubs etc - but take it slow, over the course of a year or something and remove your dog from any situation that is making her worried. (You can always try again later.)

Let us know how you get on and I look forward to seeing pics of Magpie

Hi Azz, sorry to say you will be Persona Non Grata where schools are concerned. For many years I have walked my girls along the back of the school playground on the way up the banking to the canal towpath. Kids always used to stroke the girls and ask questions, then all of a sudden the dinner lady started coming over and shooing the kids away giving me dirty looks, then they upped the ante and whistle were blown and kids were told off, this last week the dinner lady is actually patrolling the fence boundary as I walk alongside it, all different people, all doing the same thing, making the kids scared of coming near the girls. I know some of the kids as they are mainly from the village and they come over to me and stroke the girls, after asking if they can. Now I have to say to them please don't come near as you will get told off and I don't want that to happen.
Very very sad, bound to be Elf and Safety, my girls, nor any of my dogs have ever done anything to warrent this treatment by the way The noise is still there from the playground, which is one of the things I use for socialisation, but we are now treated as some sort of threat

That's awful it's socialisation for the kids just as much the dogs.

When I used to go with Rocky the teachers always welcomed us - but then the school had one of those mesh fences so the kids and dogs were protected at all times - does your school have anything like that?

Yes there are railings, but kids put their hands through to stroke the girls and cluster around them, if I thought the girls were going to do anything bar stand there and enjoy the moment then I would keep them on one side, just a total shame, another sign of England no longer being for the English

With collie pups, it's important to habituate them to traffic. They have a habit of trying to herd anything that moves so getting them used to moving vehicles is a must

Congratulations on your new puppy, Magpie.

I would be very careful about the dogs she meets on walks , be alert and ready to block any dog comes bombing up to her in case they are not friendly. Pups go through various fear periods and if a dog scares her or attacks her now , she may become reactive and fearful with other dogs in future.

I wouldn't risk railings either tbh - in case they do something silly like pull the dogs hair Any schools in the area with mesh fences?

Great point Chris! And cycles

Another great point. I always made sure introductions were done with other dogs on lead - by stopping as soon as we saw another person with their dog, putting Rocky on lead, then waiting, staring at the other person to put their dog on lead too. If they carried on as if they weren't going to, I'd politely shout out to them to do so. 99% of the time they will

Local pet shops are good for socialisation. Our shop dog loves meeting puppys