What to expose them to
People of different ages, sizes, hats, beards, mobility aids. Children specifically — but only calm ones, briefly.
Surfaces: grass, tile, metal grates, wobble boards. Sounds: traffic, vacuum, doorbells (recorded at low volume first).
Calm, vaccinated dogs you know. Skip dog parks, daycare, and pet store aisles — too risky physically and emotionally.
How to do it
Watch your puppy, not the environment. Tail tucked, frozen, lip-licking, looking away = too much. Move farther away or end the outing.
Pair new things with food. See a skateboard → treat rains. The skateboard predicts good stuff.
End every outing while they're still relaxed. Five great minutes beats thirty overwhelming ones.