Socializing your dog is one of the most important things you can do for them . Socializing is simply the process of teaching your puppy what is normal in the human world . The good news is that this is not hard and will be a fun and positive experience for both of you !
Unfortunately many people wait too long to socialize their dog and set them up for a difficult life . A dog that is not socialized properly has a drastically higher chance of showing fear or aggression later in life .
It is crucial to understand that socialization is more than simply introducing your dog to a bunch of people . You also need to socialize your dog with other animals and acclimate them to a variety of environments . Anything they will see as adults should be introduced to them while they are young !
Socialize Them Early !
Stray Thoughts Winter 2018
Ask the Trainer How to Socialize Your Puppy
Many people with good intentions will tell you not to socialize your puppy until they have all of their shots . If you follow this advice you will be waiting until roughly sixteen weeks of age before socializing your puppy and this is too late ! Puppies go through something called the Critical Socialization Period from six to sixteen weeks of age . This is the time that their little brains are like sponges , soaking up all the information about the world . After sixteen weeks a dog ’ s socialization window has closed and raising a well-adjusted dog becomes far more difficult .
The reason many puppy owners are told to wait until the dog has all of his shots is due to a perceived risk of Parvovirus and Distemper . Your young puppy will receive a three-in-one shot for Distemper , Adenovirus and Parvo ( DAP ) and this shot will be given three times before sixteen weeks of age . Until receiving the third shot , there is a chance that your puppy is not fully protected .
Don ’ t worry , if you socialize your puppy properly and take adequate protective measures , the risk of him contracting Parvo or Distemper is extremely slim . Let ’ s start with some don ’ ts . Don ’ t take a puppy who is not fully vaccinated to the dog park ; don ’ t take them to pet stores ; don ’ t let them wander around sniffing in areas where many dogs or animals have been ; and don ’ t let them meet adult dogs unless you are 100 % sure the adult dogs are vaccinated and healthy .
What should you do to socialize your puppy before they are fully vaccinated ? There are a lot of fun and safe ways to socialize a puppy ! Many people have puppy parties where they invite friends and family over to meet the new addition . Make sure to invite men , women , children , people with beards , small people , large people , and people with different skin colors , to name a few . Basically you are trying to expose the puppy to as many unique people as you can . We recommend introducing your puppy to at least one hundred people by the time they are fourteen weeks old .
Socialization with Other Animals
Most young puppies love other dogs , but this doesn ’ t mean your job is finished ! If you do not introduce your puppy to a large number of other dogs he stands a very real chance of developing dog aggression later in life . Take the time to introduce your puppy to as many other dogs as you can . You need to limit the number of dogs they meet before they are fully vaccinated , but after their third round of DAP it is off to the races !
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