Did you just get a new puppy? One of the first things that you will want to do is start to socialize your new puppy.
Puppies will most likely have already started this process before you got them, but you should continue to introduce them to new sounds and environments.
It’s important that you introduce your puppy to new people, dogs, and other pets so that they’re a friendly and well-adjusted member of the house. Keep reading to learn how to socialize a puppy.
Why You Should Socialize Your Puppy
The reason behind socializing your puppy is that you want your puppy to be accustomed to many different types of sights, sounds, and smells in a positive way. By providing proper socialization, you can prevent your dog from being afraid of things like children or of riding in your car that your dog may otherwise develop a fear of.
This will help them develop into a very well-mannered and happy companion.
Once your veterinarian tells you that it is safe, take your dog to a public place. They will quickly learn to behave in many different situations and learn to enjoy interacting with other people.
A well-socialized puppy will usually develop into a much more safe, relaxed, and enjoyable dog. This is because they are more comfortable in many different situations than dogs who are poorly socialized. These dogs are less likely to be fearfully or aggressively when they encounter something new.
Dogs who are not properly socialized are more likely to act with fear and even aggression to unknown people, places, and other animals. This can cause your dog to have unwanted behavioral problems that you will have to deal with later in life.
Your puppy needs to encounter many new situations so they can be relaxed around car horns honking, cats, cyclists, vet exams, crowds, and stairwells. When your dog is introduced to these situations, it will make it easier and safer to live with them than a dog who finds these situations scary.
A well-socialized dog can live a much more relaxed, happy, and peaceful life than a dog who is always stressed out because of their environment.
The more experience and situations that you let your puppy encounter the more socialized your dog will be as an adult.
When to Socialize a Puppy
During your puppy’s first 12 weeks of life, they will experience a period of time that your puppy is open to new experiences. These experience will permanently shape your dog’s future personality and how they will react to their environment when they are an adult. By gently exposing your puppy to a variety of different people, places, and situations at a young age will make a big difference in their temperament.
The socialization process will usually start before you even bring your new puppy home.
Some puppies can start learning about new people and environments as early as three weeks of age. They will start to approach the people who are caring for them.
Most breeders will start to encourage positive interaction with people and kids. By gently handling them during these times will help your puppy develop into a friendly and confident dog.
Even as your puppy starts to develop, the breeder should let them experience safe inside and outside places. They can start going for a car ride, introducing them to a crate, and teach them about different sounds and smells.
After about 12 weeks of age, your puppy will become more cautious of anything that they have not encountered. Between 12 and 18 weeks old, the ability to easily socialize your puppy will decrease with each passing week.
It will eventually become very hard to get your puppy to accept and enjoy things that he is is wary of. After your puppy is 18 weeks old, it is very difficult, and sometimes it may be impossible, to teach your puppy to like something new, or to help them become comfortable with something that they find scary.
How to Socialize a Puppy
Many breeders will start socializing their puppies as soon as they are born. They will start to handle them and let them get familiar with their surroundings. When you first get your puppy, it is very important that you continue this socialization.
These are some basic steps that you can follow to help your dog become a fully socialized member of the family.
Introduce Your Puppy to Many New Environments
A young puppy sees the world as a strange place. Everything that they encounter, you will want them to have a new and positive experience. Try to find many different types of places, people, noises, and surfaces for them to explore.
It’s best for them to have the experience of walking on different surfaces such as carpet, hardwood, and tile.
Let them experience grass, sand, and rocky surfaces.
Let them encounter people in a wheelchair or using a cane.
Let them be around kids and older people.
Introduce them to people with beards, sunglasses, and using an umbrella.
Use Praise and Treats to Make it Positive
When you’re introducing your puppy to new places, people, and animals, it’s important to make sure that they’re getting treats and praise.
You want your puppy to associate the things that they’re being exposed to and the new experiences that they’re having as something fun. But also make sure that your puppy is not getting too many treats, as these can add on extra calories. You can even break some of these treats into smaller pieces.
Get the Whole Family Involved in Socialization
Make sure that everyone is involved in socializing your puppy. When many different people take part in the socialization process, you are constantly taking your puppy out of their comfort zone.
This will be letting them know that they might be experiencing something new no matter who they are with. You can even make it a fun game for your kids to introduce your puppy to something new each day that they share with the family before bed.
Take It Slow
Some puppies do not like to be introduced to a lot of new things each day. This is not a process that can be done all in one weekend. Try to avoid doing too many things all at once.
If you want your puppy to get used to being handled by many people they do not know, it is best to start with just a few family members. You can then slowly start to introduce them to one stranger at a time.
If you start by just taking your puppy to a party or a very busy dog park, you can really overwhelm your puppy, and they may even become afraid of these situations in the future.
Introduce Your Puppy to New Pets
After your puppy is used to a very small amount of stimuli, you can then move on to other things outside of their comfort zone. This will expand the new experiences that they will have.
You can start by taking him or her to the pet store or over to your friend’s house for a puppy playdate.
You can even take them for a walk in the neighborhood.
Your puppy can start to go to the dog park after they have been vaccinated.
You want to limit your puppy’s exposure to places with many other dogs until your vet says that it is okay.
Take Your Puppy to Classes and Doggie Daycare
Once your puppy is fully vaccinated, they can start attending puppy classes. These classes not only help your puppy to understand basic commands but also allows them to be exposed to other dogs and people.
Most dog trainers are great at working with all levels of dogs and will help your dog become a well-mannered and socialized dog.
Keeping a Puppy Safe and Healthy While Teaching them to Socialize
You will need to protect your young puppy from coming into contact with dogs who are not vaccinated. Most young puppies are not fully protected from many diseases until your puppy has had all their puppy shots.
Your puppy will get some antibodies from their mother but will need their puppy vaccines to be fully protected.
Your puppy’s immune system is still developing in their early months.
It’s best to wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated before taking them to places where there are a lot of dogs.
If you wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated before starting to socialize them, you will miss many critical months where they are most susceptible to new things. You can take some basic precautions when socializing your puppy, and the risk of them getting sick is very small.
At first, make sure that you are taking your puppy to places you know that there will not be a lot of other dogs. Once your puppy has had a few sets of vaccines, it will be safe for them to interact with more people and pets. Always follow your vet’s advice on when it is safe to take your dog to a dog park or an area where the vaccine status of other dogs is unknown.
Other Safe Ways to Socialize a Puppy Who Is Not Fully Vaccinated
If your puppy is not fully vaccinated, it’s not a good idea to let them play with other puppies. During this time, you can still work on socializing your dog.
These are some great things that you can do work on socialization while keeping your puppy healthy:
- Take your dog to a busy parking lot. You can drive around with the window rolled down. They can interact with people coming by as well as different cars moving around them.
- Have a party. This is a way that many people can interact with your puppy. They will get used to many different people holding them and even loud music and sounds.
- Bring your puppy with you to your kid’s events. Baseball parks or football games are a great place for your puppy to interact with other people and kids. Make sure to supervise the kids so that they are gentle when playing with your puppy.
- Take your puppy on a car ride in different neighborhoods, car washes, the drive-thru, or out in the country. They will be exposed to many different sounds and experiences during these trips.
- Arrange play dates with adult dogs that you know are fully vaccinated and friendly.
- If your puppy is very small, you can take them into many stores with you when you are shopping in stores that allow it. You can let other people pet your dog and give them a treat that you bring with you.
A new puppy can be very fun and a lot of work. By properly socializing your puppy, it will help them grow into a very well-mannered dog.
Most dogs love the time and attention they get during socialization. If you turn socialization into a game, you can make it fun for the whole family.
