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 It may seem too obvious to mention, but early socialization of puppies is one of the cornerstones of raising a happy, socially acceptable and responsible adult dog. Lack of early socialization is also one of the main reasons why happy, playful, delightful little puppies grow up to become problem dogs!
Socialization essentially means introducing your puppy to as many people and as many situations as possible as early as possible in its young life. Meeting different people (both adults and children), being introduced to other animals and being taken to a wide variety of environments all help to socialize a young puppy. The more varied its encounters with different people, situations and environments, and the earlier those encounters take place, the better prepared your puppy will be for adult life. Young puppies, like babies, have no fear. But puppies grow more quickly than do babies, and by the time a puppy is about 12 weeks old it will already begin to be fearful and suspicious of new things so there is no time to lose. Where, What, When - Where - anywhere where your puppy can have a 'positive' experience.
- What - anything that does not endanger the life of your puppy, and that will give he or she a positive experience without being overwhelmed. Other people (adults, children, friends, family members, strangers). Other pets and animals, traffic, shopping centres, car travel, the countryside. The greater the variety of sights, sounds and smells, the better equipped will be your puppy for its adult life.
- When - we've already established the when - as soon as possible, the earlier the better!
Importantly here, you should not rush your puppy in any of these things. You should give it time to make its own mind up, don't force it. Fear is okay - it's how animals and human beings learn risk assessment, an essential skill in successfully negotiating our way through life. But let your puppy overcome that fear in its own time. Allow it to be cautious or nervous, but encourage it to overcome those emotions with treats or verbal and physical encouragement. (A few kind words - good boy/good girl - and a reassuring pat goes a long way with a young and sensitive puppy). Of course the socialization process does not end when your puppy reaches 12 weeks old. It is an ongoing process that must be maintained. It is also a process that should not be rushed for fear of overwhelming your puppy. Little and often would be a good motto to follow. You can always increase the number of new experiences over time when your puppy grows in confidence and is better prepared to cope. Importantly
When your introduce your puppy to other people, encourage them to get down to the puppy's level as far as possible. Think of the size differential. You don't want your young puppy to be intimidated unnecessarily. Making themselves seem smaller will make them seem less threatening to a small puppy. Ensure that they move slowly and get down to the puppy's level then let it approach them in its own time. And don't let other people pick him up or pass him around. A puppy is not a toy. Puppies are afraid of falling just as we all are. One bad experience at an early age can scar a puppy for life. In Summary - Introduce your puppy to as many positive experiences as possible, as soon as possible, without forcing it to do things it does not want to do.
- Introduce it to new people, sights, sounds, environments and other animals on an ongoing basis without rushing it.
- Remember, puppies tire easily. Make new experiences brief but positive.
- Keep your puppy safe.
- Avoid stressful situations for your puppy.
- When introducing your puppy to new people, let puppy make the first move. Encourage people to bring themselves down to the puppy's level, to make themselves seem smaller and less intimidating. Ensure they move slowly and never corner the puppy. Encourage them to stroke the puppy and make a fuss of it, but let it decide if it wants more.
- Further puppy's socialization and education by enroling in dog training classes.
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