The Dog Socialization Process

Socializing is probably the most important thing for your puppy at this stage. The process should already have started at the breeder’s place. It is imperative that you continue the teaching.

Puppies, like babies, are like sponges, ready to absorb all kinds of information about their world. In the first months of their lives, they learn where to sleep, eat, sounds that mean fun, danger and dinnertime. You should teach him how to bond. With other members of your family, friends and distant relatives.

He should learn to be with people and with other dogs and to be comfortable in unfamiliar situations. This is one of the most important things you can do for your fuzzy family member. The less afraid your puppy is of strange people and animals, the less likely she is to act defensively and attack another dog or even a child.

The socialization of puppies begins between three and four weeks of age, before most people bring their new pets home. This means that some of the work is out of your control. If your puppy has been raised by a careless owner or breeder, you may have an tough fight when you get him home. However, he needs to continue the socialization process until he is about 12 weeks old, so you have plenty of time to give him good experiences. First of all, make sure he bonds with you and your family. Pet him, groom him, play with him, talk to him, and just generally give him lots of love. Show him that he can depend on you for affection, food, and gentle leadership.

Gradually he will start feeling safe with you. You can then take him out (make sure he’s had all his vaccinations) and introduce him to the big, wide world. Take him to lots of new and exciting places. The park, a friend’s house, or dog-friendly stores. Make sure he has plenty of chances to meet nice people and play with well-socialized dogs. Try to make trips to the vet a lot of fun, with plenty of petting from you and the friendly veterinarian. Introduce him to children, too, in a well-supervised environment. Show the kids how to speak calmly to him and pet him gently.

Sometimes your puppy may act nervous in a new situation or bristle at a strange dog. Do not scold him. Raising your voice will only make him tenser. Trying to comfort him will backfire too. But don’t overdo the petting, cooing, and attention either. Every time he’s scared or aggressive, he’ll learn that reacting this way is a good thing. Instead, distract him as best you can. Toss a ball or a chew toy to him, or start playing him favorite game. When he gets absorbed in the game and starts ignoring the people or the dog that scared him, praise him.

Soon he’ll associate the scary situation with fun and playtime, and react well. Do not yell or scold your puppy if you don’t want him to do certain things: piddling on your carpet, chewing the furniture or jumping on guests. They want their puppy not to chew the furniture, not to piddle on the carpet, and not to jump up on guests. This can get a little confusing from the puppy’s point of view, however. Imagine you were a puppy home alone, and you spent most of your day chewing on some loafers and spreading garbage around the kitchen. Then you nap for an hour and meet your family at the door when they come home.

Suddenly they greet you with lots of yelling and shouts of “No!” What did you do wrong? Was it the chewing or meeting the family at the door? What were you supposed to do instead?

Give your puppy an alternative. If you catch your puppy chewing on something you don’t want her to chew on, distract her with one of her “good” chew toys. Whenever you catch her chewing on one of her toys, reward her. That’s the key to effective training: try to catch your puppy doing something good, like sitting still instead of jumping up or sleeping on the floor instead of the bed. Make a point of noticing these behaviors and rewarding them with attention, praise, or treats.