Socializing a New Puppy

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The Well-Tempered Pet, Madison Pet Gazette, October 1997

By Sharon Savage, M.S.

So you have a new puppy! I'm sure you've heard from your dog-owning friends that your puppy needs "socialization." But when? And how?

Puppies are most open to new experiences between 5 and 20 weeks of age, but socialization should continue to be a priority throughout the first year. Before you start, talk to your vet about which vaccinations your puppy should have. Many vets advocate socializing puppies even before they have received the complete vaccination series. Ironically, significantly more dogs lose their lives due to lack of socialization (via euthanasia for biting) than to distemper.

The four socialization areas to work on are people, dogs, environments and unusual objects or noises.

To socialize your puppy to people, arrange for at least twenty strangers a week to give your puppy a treat and petting. Make sure that not all the volunteers are able adults in their thirties! I make sure I'm not forgetting anyone by using a checklist from the book The Perfect Puppy. Their list under the heading "Adults" includes elderly people, disabled people, loud/confident people, shy/timid people, delivery people, joggers, men with beards, and people wearing motorcycle helmets. I take puppies to construction sites, invite the mail carrier in for a visit and hang out near nursing homes to meet people with walkers. A puppy can meet a hundred people an hour outside a busy grocery store entrance.

There are many opportunities for your puppy to meet other dogs at puppy kindergarten classes, dog parks, and doggy daycare. While your puppy is very young, only let him play with similarly-aged puppies, or adult dogs that are not intimidating. I once nearly scared my 8 pound Jack Russell to death when I took him to a dog park as a puppy and set him down amongst a pack of twenty (friendly) Rottweilers and Retrievers. Use better judgment than I did, and wait until your puppy is 4-5 months old before exposing him to lots of strange dogs at a time!

Puppies should also be socialized to different environments, like a friend's house, a playground, a boat, or a boarding kennel. Visit the vet's office in between appointments so your puppy learns that not every visit involves pain. Socialize your puppy to noises by playing recordings of sound effects at low volume, or by "accidentally" banging some pans while your puppy is eating or doing something fun. Teach him to walk on unusual footings, and expose him to scary sights, like umbrellas being opened.

Expect your puppy to be startled occasionally during your socialization efforts. It is important that you neither force your puppy to approach, nor reassure him for being uneasy. If possible, reduce the stress by backing up, reducing the volume, etc. Then let your puppy approach on her own, giving her verbal and food encouragement each time she takes another step closer to the scary thing. Be careful not to praise the puppy while she is staying back, or you will be showing her that you think fear is the proper response! Try not to leave until your puppy has approached successfully.