socializing 101

Socializing your dog from an early age is very important.  A puppy has a very short window to help it view its surroundings as a positive thing.  The time frame in which this window of opportunity closes is at about 4 months of age.  If you adopt a dog at an older age, you can still help it be more comfortable with its surroundings, but it might be more difficult and you may not fully remove that fear. 

Once given the o.k. by the vet, the puppy should be out and about, meeting all different types of people and dogs.  People should be petting and giving your puppy treats to help build a positive association with strangers.  Kids are a very important part of this socialization period as well.  Kids tend to move fast and cause a dog to become nervous around them.  Kids also need to be taught how to behave around the puppy.  Some pet the puppy too rough or pull on the tail or ears of the dog.   Kids and puppies or dogs should not be left alone unsupervised, I don’t care how well behaved your dog or puppy is.  All it takes is one time for your child to accidently hurt the dog or tease the dog, and the dog may retaliate in its own defense and bite.

Group classes and daycares are wonderful; they allow for supervised socialization with other friendly dogs.  You should be very careful as to which dogs you allow them to play with.  The dog needs to be pretty friendly; you don’t want the puppy to have a bad experience while meeting a new dog because this could cause the puppy to fear other dogs.  That being said, many people get very nervous when dogs correct each other and puppies.  It is ok for a dog to correct another dog or a puppy, this is how a puppy learns what is appropriate behavior or not.  If you are unsure of what is o.k. and what is not, the daycares and classes can help you with that.  They are professionals and know what to look for.

With a well socialized puppy, you will help it grow up into a confident adult dog.  Next week we will talk about potty training for puppies and dogs.  "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." - Roger Caras