puppy&dog SOCIALIZATION


By Stanley Coren

Socialization dos
THE GOAL of socialization is to let your puppy encounter as many new and different people, places and things as possible so that he can get along well in the world. each experience should be pleasant and non-threatening. If your puppy's first experience with something is painful and frightening, you can create a life-long phobia or strong, irrational fear of that thing, instead of helping your puppy to be comfortable with it.

Start right away
• Fill your pockets with treats and step outside with your puppy so he can meet new people and encounter new sights, sounds and environments, every day. This means letting your puppy see and hear cars driving by (while he is safely on leash), airplanes flying, and the movement and sounds of crowds of people and children playing.
• Invite people you meet to greet your puppy, touch him and give him a treat. Try to let your puppy encounter a mix of people: old, young, men, women, light- and dark- skinned, with and without hats, coats and scarves, as well as people doing different actions, such as smoking, carrying things, pushing strollers or riding bicycles.
• Take your puppy to pet shops (most allow pets) so that he can meet other dog-loving people.
• Praise and reward desirable behaviours, such as walking calmly, sitting politely or letting people approach without showing fear.
• Invite friendly, healthy, vaccinated puppies, adult dogs and even cats to your home with their owners to meet and play with your new puppy, or take him to the homes of other dogs.
• If you have a small puppy, carry him to shopping centers, parks or other places where there are crowds of people and lots of activity.
• Introduce your puppy to stairs, different floor types, metal gratings, car rides, vacuum cleaners, noisy washing machines, elevators, etc.
• Touch your puppy a lot, brush him and handle his feet, ears and mouth. Offer treats so these experiences are natural, enjoyable.
• Go slowly and reward your puppy for being brave and well-controlled.
• Consider enrolling your puppy in a puppy class or play group where he can play, learn and make friends with a variety of puppies and their owners. Many of these classes add to the socialization experience by exposing puppies to different toys, surfaces, sights and noises.

Socialization don'ts
You need to avoid certain situations during the socialization process:
• Don't expose your puppy to experiences he'll find painful or frightening.
• Don't reward fearful behaviour. If you try to soothe, encourage or calm your puppy when he's frightened, you may inadvertently reward behaviour you don’t want. You don’t want him to learn that if he acts frightened, he gets pats or treats. It's common for a puppy to show some uneasiness when encountering anything new and different. Simply ignore this. Your puppy will take his cue from you.
• Ignore all undesirable reactions such as jumping, leash pulling, barking and showing fear. When these behaviours happen, direct your puppy’s attention to you or have him focus on something different. Praise and reward him when he calms down and shows behaviour you want, such as sitting quietly, sniffing and exploring.
• Don't wait is the most important ‘don’t’ for socialization. This is a critical window of time. Early experiences shape
your dog’s behaviour for the rest of his life. If socialization doesn't occur in the first few months of your puppy’s life, it never will.
• Don’t stop socializing your puppy after he has become an adult. Continuing lifelong socialization will help your puppy gain confidence and keep a calm, steady demeanour, wherever he is.
• Don’t expose your puppy to situations in which he could get sick, injured or pick up bad habits. Until your puppy is fully vaccinated, avoid stray dogs that might be unruly, unhealthy or unvaccinated. Avoid placing your puppy on the ground where other dogs have eliminated. Until your veterinarian says it’s safe to spend time in public parks, you might need to stay on sidewalks or have your puppy play with other dogs in your own yard, in a puppy class or at the homes of friends, relatives or neighbours with healthy, vaccinated pets.

Is socialization worth it?
Look at socialization as a process of bonding with and enjoying your puppy. It’s hard work at first, but it pays off. a well-socialized dog makes a good companion and can be taken anywhere dogs are allowed. he won't become frightened or aggressive. an unsocialized or undersocialized dog is unpredictable and can be dangerous to himself or others in new situations. he may bite, run away, get injured or cause injuries to others. You have a responsibility to the general community. a poorly-socialized dog reflects badly on all dog owners. The image problem created by unsocialized dogs is responsible for restrictive laws and limits on dog ownership and activities many communities have introduced. one bad owner and unsocialized dog can spoil the social climate for everyone else. Socialize your puppy for yourself, for the rest of us and for your own dog’s well-being.