The importance of Socializing
Eros waving hello
Well socialized dogs make better all around dogs, as they have more acceptance and less fear of the world around them. And unsocialized pup is less likely to accept a new baby or allow people to visit your home. Socialization can take place in numerous forms. The main goal is to get him calm and unnervous around new people, other dogs, new places and even cats. A huge part of the importance of socializing a dog is to teach him how to relate with other dogs in their own language. Socializing a dog helps shaping his personality and he will be less likely to become a nuisance as events in your life change.
Puppies go thorough a critical period of socialization between 8 - 16 weeks of age. During this period of time they mature very rapidly. If isolated from external stimulation and not exposed to the outside world, they can grow up to be fearful adult dogs. Litters of puppies raised in an isolated location such as a barn, a garage or an isolated dog kennel often have little exposure to humans except those feeding them and taking care of them. If puppies never leave their confined, isolated quarters where they have been raised, they may never experience any external stimulation such as automobiles, strangers, loud noises or children running and playing. If puppies are not socialized at an early enough age, it makes little difference if they have been raised in a kennel, a private family or in a vacant building; the outcome will usually be the same. Puppies that receive little or no human handling between the ages of 8 - 16 weeks of age often remain fearful when exposed to new situations. Meeting their new family for the first time, the car ride to their new home, their first trip to the vet, and meeting children, strangers or other dogs for the first time can be extremely frightening for these puppies. Acquiring a puppy prior to eight weeks of age can also create problems. These puppies miss out on important interactions that take place with other puppies in the litter. A puppy taken too young will miss out on important lessons in a dogs life.
How do we get our puppies socialized so they grow up to be well-adjusted, adult dogs that are comfortable meeting strangers, children and other dogs? The key is to make sure that the puppy gets exposed to everything he may ever be exposed to during his lifetime, while he is very young.
Puppies go thorough a critical period of socialization between 8 - 16 weeks of age. During this period of time they mature very rapidly. If isolated from external stimulation and not exposed to the outside world, they can grow up to be fearful adult dogs. Litters of puppies raised in an isolated location such as a barn, a garage or an isolated dog kennel often have little exposure to humans except those feeding them and taking care of them. If puppies never leave their confined, isolated quarters where they have been raised, they may never experience any external stimulation such as automobiles, strangers, loud noises or children running and playing. If puppies are not socialized at an early enough age, it makes little difference if they have been raised in a kennel, a private family or in a vacant building; the outcome will usually be the same. Puppies that receive little or no human handling between the ages of 8 - 16 weeks of age often remain fearful when exposed to new situations. Meeting their new family for the first time, the car ride to their new home, their first trip to the vet, and meeting children, strangers or other dogs for the first time can be extremely frightening for these puppies. Acquiring a puppy prior to eight weeks of age can also create problems. These puppies miss out on important interactions that take place with other puppies in the litter. A puppy taken too young will miss out on important lessons in a dogs life.
How do we get our puppies socialized so they grow up to be well-adjusted, adult dogs that are comfortable meeting strangers, children and other dogs? The key is to make sure that the puppy gets exposed to everything he may ever be exposed to during his lifetime, while he is very young.