Socialising your dog is fun for all. So, how about arranging a play date?

Dogs, especially young dogs, should be exposed to, and allowed to play with, other healthy, vaccinated puppies and dogs (as long as everyone plays nicely). Puppy playdates are a great way to let your pup socialise and learn to properly interact with its fellow canine buddies. When puppies don't interact with other puppies, they never learn social cues from other dogs, which can lead to fear or dog-aggression as the pup grows into adulthood.

Socialisation experiences for your dog should be positive, controlled and carried out in the right places.

It's best to introduce the dogs while on-lead or on opposite sides of a fence or barrier before allowing them to interact, especially if you don't know the other dog well. Many adult dogs are good with young dogs, and can teach them proper doggie manners, but its important to watch out for aggressive adults. When in doubt, just don't let your pup play.

Although new and different experiences are important to a puppy's development, it's also important not to overwhelm the little guy or gal. Let your pup stand back, observe and move at its own pace. Owners of more than one young puppy at a time know that every pup's personality is different, and while one may find a specific new experience exciting, the other may start out with a nervous perception, and may need extra time to adjust.

The most important thing to keep in mind when setting up puppy playdates is that the experiences are best kept positive when all dogs are matched by age, size and personality type. The key aspect of a playdate is that you have plenty of supervision and make certain you allow for rest or nap time. So, see if you can find other dog lovers who'd be interested in meeting up for fun for all.