Tips for Building Confidence in Puppies

Start with early socialization.

This article was originally published in the April 2025 OVERview digital magazine.

Every day, puppies are introduced to new (and sometimes scary) sights, sounds and people. With guidance from expert Mike Stewart, president of Wildrose Kennels and Purina ambassador, you can learn how to successfully socialize your puppy so they can confidently face life’s challenges head-on and build a path to the successful introduction to agility.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of socializing your puppy at a young age. Socialization is about people, places and things but, moreover, as a subcategory is building the awareness and the confidence of the dog so that they can master any challenge that they see in the community and around your home. Whether it’s a vacuum cleaner, whether it’s the dishwasher, or merely going through a door or going up and down steps,” said Mike.

The Purina^® Pro Plan^® website offers a broad collection of Mike’s puppy training videos. They promote development of effective, positive behaviors that can last a lifetime. Click below to view Mike’s puppy training video on confidence-building. Click here to view the full collection.