Pages 1-2 support early, positive and safe exposure, gentle handling from birth, people, varied stimuli and environments, and avoiding unknown-status dog parks. AVSAB calls the first three months the primary period, not an exact 3-to-14-week rule. It allows suitable puppy classes before full vaccination when its vaccine, worming and hygiene conditions are met. The five-items-per-week layout is PupCalendar's planning format, not an AVSAB schedule.
Training & behaviour
Puppy Socialisation Checklist by Week
Choose your puppy's birth date to see calm, low-risk socialisation prompts from the current week through week 16.
Puppy age
Enter your puppy's birth date.
PUPPY CHECKLIST
Ready when you arePuppy socialisation checklist by week
Ready when you are.
Enter your puppy's birth date, then create the checklist to see the weeks and calm activity prompts.
For general information only, not professional advice. Check the official sources below. Use your own judgement and speak to a qualified professional before you act.
Based on official guidance
Calculated on your device
A starting point, not advice
HOW TO USE IT
Start with your details
Enter the birth date
The current date comes from this device. Create the checklist to start at your puppy's current completed week.
Choose one week
Use the week selector or arrows to see five prompts at a time. Go at your puppy's pace; these prompts are ideas, not deadlines.
Tick what happened
Tick a prompt only after a calm, positive experience. If the puppy seems worried, stop and try a gentler version later.
Keep your progress
Save on this device to keep a separate copy. Shared links carry the birth date, selected week and ticks in the link. Print includes every remaining week, or your completed history after week 16.
HOW IT WORKS
What shapes your result
Age in whole weeks is the number of completed seven-day periods between birth date and today's local device date. Week N starts on birth date plus N times seven calendar days. The result begins at the current week and stops after week 16.
Each week shows five prompts drawn from official advice on people, sounds, gentle handling, safe sights and clean objects or surfaces. The five-per-week arrangement and varied examples are PupCalendar's planning format. Neither AVSAB nor RSPCA prescribes these exact weekly tasks or deadlines.
Approximate early socialisation marker, weeks 3 to 14. This is the project specification's planning band, not an AVSAB week-by-week deadline. AVSAB calls the first three months the primary period; RSPCA Australia describes about 2.5 to 14 weeks.
Keep each experience calm, brief and positive. Let your puppy move away; stop if they seem worried. Before your vet confirms it is safe to walk on public ground, use carried observations and avoid dog parks or contact with dogs of unknown health status. Ask your vet about classes and contact with other dogs.
Weeks 0 to 2 show caregiver-only gentle-handling prompts. The later weeks use experiences suited to an awake, settled puppy. All prompts remain low risk because the tool does not know the puppy's vaccination status. The printed copy includes every week currently shown. After week 16, only earlier completed activities appear in a read-only history; no later weekly tasks are added.
Ticks are kept only in this browser when you choose Save on this device. A shared link includes the birth date, selected week and ticks in its URL fragment. Changing country keeps the same checklist and selected week on the matching country URL. Date formatting follows the selected country.
Read about our methodologyFAQ
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask most.
When is the socialisation window?
AVSAB calls the first three months the primary socialisation period. The highlighted weeks 3 to 14 are an approximate planning marker from this tool's specification; RSPCA Australia describes a similar period of about 2.5 to 14 weeks. Positive experiences remain useful after that period.
Can you socialise a puppy before all its vaccinations?
Yes, but choose safe experiences. This checklist uses calm visitors at home, low-volume sounds, gentle handling, clean surfaces and carried outdoor observations for older puppies. Avoid dog parks and dogs of unknown health status. AVSAB also discusses suitable classes before full vaccination under vaccine, worming and hygiene conditions; ask your vet what is safe for your puppy.
Which experiences should come first?
Start with one calm, familiar experience and watch how your puppy responds. Let them choose whether to approach or move away. The checklist's five weekly categories are examples, not a required order.
What if your puppy seems scared?
Stop, increase distance or make the experience quieter, then try again gently later. Do not force contact. AVSAB recommends veterinary guidance if a puppy is displaying fear.
Do I need to finish all five items every week?
No. The five prompts are PupCalendar's planning layout, not a medical or behavioural target from the sources. A calm, positive experience matters more than completing a count.
Will the checklist update as your puppy grows?
Yes. The current week is recalculated from the device date when you open or return to the page. Saved and shared ticks stay attached to their original week. Once the puppy is older than 16 completed weeks, no new weekly prompts are shown; completed earlier weeks remain available as read-only history.
Sources and checked dates
Each note explains what its source supports. Open the link to read the guidance yourself.
Describes an approximate 2.5-to-14-week period, calm reward-based experiences, choice, familiar people, sights, low-volume sounds, objects, surfaces and gentle handling. It permits carried observations before full vaccination and cautions about dog contact and public ground. The individual weekly prompts are editorial examples, not prescribed ages.
