Socializing Your Puppy

Socializing Your Puppy

Socialization means learning to be part of society. When we talk about socializing puppies, it means helping them learn to be comfortable as a pet within human society, that includes many different types of people, environments, noises, smells, animals and other dogs.

Most young animals, including dogs, are naturally made to be able to get used to the everyday things they encounter in their environment-until they reach a certain age. When they reach that age, they are naturally made to become much more suspicious of things they haven’t yet experienced. Socialising your puppy early will go a long way to ensuring that you have a happy, well-adjusted dog that interacts well with people and other animals. Socialisation is the most misunderstood part of puppy raising and has a huge impact on the happiness of your family later on.

WHEN TO SOCIALISE YOUR DOG?

Puppies are most accepting of new experiences between 3 and 12 weeks old. so, if your puppy was 8 weeks old when you took him, you only have a four month to expose your puppy to the variety of people, places, noises, activities and things that he will need to know about in order to be happy and well behaved. After that age, they become much more cautious of anything they haven’t yet encountered. From about 12 to 18 weeks old the opportunity to easily socialize the puppy ends-and with each passing week it becomes harder to get the pup to accept. After 18 weeks old, it’s extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible, to teach a dog to like something new, or help him become comfortable with something he finds frightening.

WHY SOCIALISE IS IMPORTANT?

Well-socialized puppies usually develop into safer, more relaxed and enjoyable pet dogs. This is because they’re more comfortable in a wider variety of situations than poorly socialized dogs, so they’re less likely to behave fearfully or aggressively when faced with something new. Well-socialized dogs also live much more relaxed, peaceful and happy lives than dogs who are constantly stressed out by their environment.

EFFECTS OF POORLY SOCIALISED DOG

We all know those dogs that are aggressive towards men, other dogs or are simply nervous little highly-strung things that are absolutely fixated on just one person in their life. These dogs are often terrible in crowds or noisy environments but also don’t like to be left alone. Dogs with phobias, fears and anxieties are usually dogs that were properly socialised. Many people assume that the dog that is anxious was abused at some stage in its life, but the reality is that poor socialisation has exactly the same effect on temperament. The sad reality is that dogs that do not receive proper socialisation are often very unhappy and difficult to live with. No amount of training later on will compensate for missing out on this critical part of their development. So now that we know how important socialisation is, let’s start socialising them.

How to Socialize Your Puppy

Now that you know the importance of socialising, lets develop some strategy to make them well-social.

1. Introduce Your Puppy to Many Kinds of People

Introduce the pet to different people around, let him know the neighbors, kids and other in the neighborhood. This could help him be calm and polite with the different people that he might come across.

2. Familiarize Your Puppy with Other Animals

Your puppy should meet dogs and puppies who you know for a fact if friendly and health. Let him explore the domestic species and animals that he/she could find. A puppy who grows up knowing cats is less likely to treat them as prey when he grows up. You can even take him to a dog park, so that he gets friendly with other dogs (NOTE: AVOID TAKING HIM TO THE DOG PARK UNTIL THE VACCINATIONS ARE DONE).

3. Get Your Puppy Used to All Kinds of Sounds

Many dogs are afraid of unfamiliar sounds. Make sure your pup hears police sirens, fire trucks. As unfamiliar sounds could frighten him make sure you explore him to different sounds as this could help him be calm at the festive season as well.

4. Other Safe Ways to Safely Socialize a Puppy Who Is Not Fully Vaccinated

Take him near a busy park and strangers will flock to you because they want to pet your puppy and they’ll willingly feed him the treats that you’ve brought with you.

Host a puppy party! Invite friends and family over, play some music, toss some streamers, and pass your pup around.

Bring your puppy to indoor. Supervise the children interacting with him to make sure he’s not frightened by them and they’re being gentle.

Take your pup on car rides through different neighborhoods, drive-thru, car washes, and out into the out skirts of the city where he’ll see and smell a variety of farm animals.

Arrange play sessions with other puppies and adult dogs who you know are healthy and friendly.

If your puppy is small enough, carry him around town and let strangers pet him and give him treats.

Tips on socializing your puppy when out and about

All encounters should be pleasant, so keep your puppy happy by giving strangers small titbits to feed, or a favorite toy to pass to your dog to play with.

Observe your puppy constantly for signs of anxiety or being overwhelmed and, if things get too much, remove your dog from the situation or give your dog more space and freedom to approach.

During all encounters, protect your puppy from bad experiences. Young puppies are inexperienced and get themselves into trouble easily. Think ahead and try to prevent any unpleasant events from occurring.

Never pick up your puppy and pass them to someone or drag your puppy towards them. Dogs should always be able to make an approach in their own time and retreat if they want to.

A friendly, happy dog with few behavior problems is likely to have a longer, more successful life than a fearful and aggressive.