Socializing Your Puppy
Puppy owners face a lot of pressure in the first few months. Not only are you sleep deprived, you’re being bombarded with information telling you to expose your puppy to as many things as possible before “the window” closes. The bad news? The critical window for socialization is real. The good news? You do not need to be exposing them to 100 different experiences every week. 10 positive interactions will always be more beneficial than 100 mixed interactions.
The Critical Window
The Canine Socialization Period lasts roughly from 3 – 12 weeks of age. This is the stage where your puppy is learning the most. Early experiences during this stage will impact how they interact with the world for the rest of their lives. This is a period of rapid development, and rapid learning. While your dog will always have the capacity to learn later in life, once this period is closed, it will require more time and effort to imprint. A common adage is that it may take a puppy in this stage 5 repetitions to learn the stairs, whereas an adult dog will require 50 repetitions if they haven’t been exposed to them before.
What Does This Mean for Me?
Most people do not get their puppies until the dog is 8 weeks or older. This is one important reason why you need to do your research and ensure you are getting your dog from an ethical breeder or shelter. Before you buy your puppy, ask the breeder or shelter what they do to socialize the puppies. Are the puppies housed together? Do they have regular access to their mother? Have they been exposed to different surface types? Have the puppies been exposed to women, children, and men? Puppies learn a lot from their litter mates and their mother prior to 7 weeks of age. If they are removed sooner than this, they can have difficulty getting along with other dogs, or learning bite inhibition.
Once you have your puppy, make a plan and prioritize what you need your dog to be exposed to. Think about the future life you want to have with your dog, and what things they will be regularly exposed to. This is where you need to start in terms of planning your socialization checklist. Do you, or will you ever live in a dense city where your dog will need to get used to sirens? Heavy traffic? Population density? Will you instead be visiting farmlands where your dog will need to interact with cows, horses, pigs?
No matter your future plans for you and your dog, there are a few basics every dog should have.
Other dogs. No matter your lifestyle, it is likely that your dog will need to learn to be content around other dogs. Whether that’s wanting to enjoy a hiking trail, a brewery, visiting friends or family with pets, or even being able to board your dog while you’re away, your dog needs to be properly socialized with other dogs. Enroll your dog in a puppy preschool class as soon as possible. Here they will have the opportunity to play with puppies outside of their litter, and be exposed to different breeds. If possible, find an appropriate adult dog to interact with your puppy. It is critical that the adult dog does not overwhelm the puppy, or risk providing a negative experience.
Diverse groups of people. It is important your puppy be exposed to different looking people to help prevent future fear. This includes people in all different kinds of gear. If you get a puppy in the summer, don’t be surprised if they are suddenly scared of everyone in their big winter jackets and toques come wintertime. This does not need to be an overwhelming process! One simple way to accomplish is to go sit on a bench and just let your puppy watch people go by, while you praise and reward them. You’ll likely have lots of people asking if they can say “hi”. As long as your puppy is not fearful and is eagerly greeting them, let them! Ask them to feed your puppy a couple treats to ensure they leave a positive impression.
Kids. I used to be in the camp of thinking that my dogs didn’t need to socialize with kids because I don’t have children in my life. I have turned around my opinion on this in recent years because the reality is, children are everywhere! When introducing children to your puppy, it is critical that the child follows instruction well, and that you are clear on expectations. Start with having the kid toss treats for your puppy. Show them how to appropriately pet the puppy. Keep the session short and positive! If you don’t have children you can introduce your puppy to, you can still expose them in a positive way. Walk your dog near schools in the morning or afternoon when the children are outside. Start with lots of distance, and feed lots of treats.
Keeping it Positive
This is where I remind you that 10 positive experiences are better than 100 mixed. Your first priority is to keep an eye on your puppy in every situation and ensure they are enjoying themselves. If you notice that your dog is trepidatious or nervous, do not force them into an interaction. Allow them to make distance, and approach at their own pace. If you force your puppy into a situation they are uncomfortable with, they will only become more fearful.
Going Forward
While it is critical to socialize your puppy at an early age, socialization is an ongoing process. Don’t let all your hard work go out the window after 12 weeks! Help your dog maintain those positive associations by regularly exposing them to all the important things from your socialization list. Have fun exploring the world with your dog!