Armed with ideas and information from clicker trainer, Corally Burmaster, who instituted the idea of the Puppy Head Start Program, and Joyce Miller, who gave me the heads up! on this fun and useful program, I have built a puppy playground that will become an integral part of my puppy socialization program.

The pups absolutely love getting in the play yard and exploring. They climb through tubes, use cat walks, go down slides, play on a teeter board, learn to climb stairs - all activities that help to build coordination, confidence, and healthy minds. They are exposed to different surfaces - smooth, rough, cement, wood, plastic, metal. They are exposed to different heights with the cat walk heights varied on a regular basis. The skills they learn give them confidence in their bodies and their ability to cope with new surroundings. They also learn problem solving, as the equipment is changed around daily in order to keep the puppies challenged, or to introduce items that are more age appropriate. Their stimulation is ongoing.

click here to view puppies in action!

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In these photos, this litter of pups is having it's first visit to the play structure area. Within minutes, they are climbing the stairs, tugging the rope on the fence, walking the cat walks - using all the equipment set up for them - and having a ball! The older pup with the litter is 8-month-old Special, who oversees their play activity.