Pets Corner: Raising Floyd: Nurturing Confidence in a Noisy World

Jacqui Grant
7 days ago
2 min read

Connect & Grow Magazine: Issue20 May 2025

A few months ago, I shared that we were getting ready to welcome a new squishy bundle of pug into our lives.

Well... he’s here!

Meet Floyd: 12 weeks old, 3.5kg of adorable chaos, questionable life choices and a dog's confidence three times his size.

He’s currently fuelled by chicken, chaos, and an unhealthy interest in chewing… well… EVERYTHING! He’s keeping us on our toes, and in a constant state of “what’s in your mouth now?” But in between his zoomies and sock theft, he’s also learning one of the biggest lessons of his little life:

How to be a confident, well-socialised dog.

This part is so important - and it’s where I see a lot of new puppy parents accidentally trip up.

They either:

Toss their pup into a whirlwind of everything in the name of “socialisation”
Or they go full bubble-wrap mode and don’t take them anywhere until they’re fully vaccinated

Neither sets a pup up for long-term success.

Instead, we’ve taken a more intentional approach with Floyd - designed to support his development without overwhelming his tiny nervous system.

Here’s what we’re doing:

✅ Chicken solves everything – Pair new sights and sounds (like the terrifying postie alien) with something delicious. Great way to make something scary - not so much.

✅ One new thing at a time – Socialisation isn’t speed dating. It’s about building trust, not racking up experiences.

✅ Floyd sets the pace – If he hesitates, we stop. Confidence can’t be rushed.

✅ Short and sweet – His attention span? Think goldfish... after a double espresso.

✅ Look before leaping – We let him observe before we expect him to engage.

✅ Praise curiosity – We celebrate brave sniffing and gentle approaches, never forced interaction.

✅ Socialising safely – While he’s still finishing his vaccinations, we’re choosing where and who he meets carefully. And we often carry him, so he’s still getting out and about while getting lots of cuddly carry time.

Because here’s the truth:

A well-socialised dog isn’t one who’s seen the world - it’s one who feels safe in it.

With love (and a suspicious silence I should probably investigate),