Canines are friendlier to other pets and people if they enjoyed positive experiences with others while they were young. This is the reason veterinarians, professional trainers, and breeders strongly encourage owners to provide their puppies with an outlet for socialization. Doing so prepares the path ahead. When your dog meets unfamiliar pets and people – including your friends and family – he’ll be more inclined to greet them calmly. This means he’ll be a more pleasant companion for you and your family.

In this article, we’ll explain how puppies learn socialization skills at an early age – while they are still near their mothers. We’ll also explain why you should begin acclimating your puppy to new people and pets as quickly as possible after adopting him (we’ll give you a few ideas for doing so). Remember, your canine’s behaviors toward others are largely influenced by his past experiences. You can play a key role in shaping them.

How Puppies Socialize While Near Their Mothers

Once they are born, pups are taught by their mothers to adhere to certain behaviors. When they cross a line, she disciplines them. This is the first socialization they receive, even though it is limited to their mothers.

During the first several weeks of their lives, puppies also socialize with their littermates. This gives them an opportunity to develop their skills of interacting with others. As they play together, they alternate between assuming dominant and submissive roles, learning the value of each within the safety and security of their family. If, in this environment, a pup crosses the line, his littermate will let him know.

This is part of a normal learning process. Thus, it’s not uncommon for dogs that were taken from the mothers and littermates too early to have trouble socializing with others.

While puppies are in the care of the breeder, they’ll also have a chance to interact with people. This is a critical time in their life. The experiences they have during the first eight weeks will have a direct influence on their interactions with people later. If a puppy is isolated from human contact, he will likely become attached to his future owner, and avoid others.

Starting While Your Pup Is Young

When you bring your new puppy home, it’s important to provide a high degree of socialization. This should occur from the first day. At the breeder, he enjoyed interacting with his mother, littermates, and likely, other animals and people to which the breeder exposed him. To remove this type of interaction from his life would undo much of what he learned through his earlier experiences.

Many breeders recommend keeping puppies busy when they are first introduced to a new home. Doing so minimizes any sense of loneliness they may feel from having been separated from their families. If you have another pet in your home, give them a chance to play together while you supervise. This keeps your puppy occupied, provides animal interaction, and builds his confidence at the same time.

An Ongoing Process

As your puppy develops into an adult, provide opportunities for ongoing socialization. For example, when you take him for a walk, give him a chance to meet other pets that are walking with their owners. Consider taking him to a dog park where he can roam and play freely with his own kind. If you have young kids in your home, ask them to invite their friends over so your dog will have a chance to meet them. You can also enroll him into professional training classes; this is an ideal environment because your canine will be able to socialize while learning proper behaviors.

The more exposure your dog has to other animals and people at an early age, the more sociable and well-behaved he’ll be around them later. And this makes life with your canine much more pleasant.

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Category: Pets
Keywords: pets, socialization of a puppy, training your puppy, puppy training