Puppy Socialization

Posted on March 12, 2009

Socialization is an extremely important part of any puppy’s development. A properly socialized puppy should translate into a well adjusted adult. Socialization is so much more than getting a puppy out into the world.

Every experience your puppy has with the world around him will teach important lessons that can carry with him for the rest of his life. The first 16 weeks of a puppy’s life is of particular importance. The first 8 weeks are taken care of by the breeder. This is just another reason why you want to purchase a puppy from a responsible breeder who takes their part seriously.

In the first 8 weeks of life your puppy is exposed to their mother and siblings and learns many lessons from them. Personality traits and social skills are formed from the very first day based on every single experience. A puppy learns about proper play and mouthing by wrestling and playing with their mates and interacting with their mother. A puppy learns about body language (from eye contact, to tail wagging, to play bows) and tones of voice (from whimpering to growling to barking) and what they mean.

During the first 8 weeks a responsible breeder does everything they can to expose their puppies to different sights, sounds, objects, and people. Many breeders use pre-existing puppy training routines such as Puppy Head Start. Some breeders also do temperament testing such as Volhard testing. We use a combination of our favorite pieces of other existing puppy programs and temperament testing, but use a number of additional techniques and training that are all our own. Our individual puppy program is something that I will be writing more on in the near future (including how and why we begin to introduce house training before the puppies leave us and a variety of other topics). The point is not so much what exact techniques the breeder is using, but that they are in fact doing everything they can to help mold a well adjusted puppy. This of course could vary considerably from breed to breed depending on that breeds unique personality and traits that need cultivation.

A puppy also gains valuable social skills by being handled extensively by the breeders and other visitors. This is a major reason why we ask all of our puppy buyers to begin visiting the puppies after they turn 3 weeks old. Each time the puppy is handled it is a valuable learning experience for them and having a variety of people handling and playing with the puppies exposes them to a diverse set of techniques.

What the breeder does during the first 8 weeks could mean nothing if that foundation is not continued to be built upon in the following 8 weeks in their new home. That is where the puppy buyer assumes responsibility for molding and developing the dog that will live with them for the rest of their life.

When you bring your puppy home it is extremely important to continue not only the human socialization aspect, but also the socialization with other dogs and animals. We have talked some on early exposure of puppies to other animals and surroundings once they move to their new home. It is important to understand that while you need to socialize your puppy, you also need to use a good deal of common sense when doing so.

For example, it is not in your puppies best interest to go to the dog park (especially an off leash dog park) during their early weeks. You might be asking why and there are many reasons. First, you have no idea what dogs, if any, have received any form of vaccination. Second, you have no idea what dogs are sick with very contagious and very serious illnesses when contracted by a puppy. Third, dog parks are notoriously dangerous for any dog especially a young puppy when another aggressive or intolerant dog is nearby.

For a young puppy a much better form of socialization would be a one on one playgroup with a friend or neighbors dog who is good with young puppies and you can reasonably assume is not sick. You want to monitor your puppies activity level anytime they are around another animal and make sure they do not overdo it. You do not want your puppy to get a muscle strain or other injury from too much play or from too rough play. The point is again to use your common sense because you do want to socialize your puppy and get them out into the world, but always in a safe and positive manner.

In addition to socialization you will also begin training your puppy. This includes not only house training, but also obedience. You can start teaching your puppy to sit, stay, and down as soon as they come home. We do encourage you to enroll in a puppy socialization and basic obedience class. The class will probably have some vaccination requirements, but as soon as you have those met it is a good idea to attend. Classes provide a structured environment for socialization, training, and give you time to bond with your puppy. Many owners are perfectly capable of training their puppy on their own without a class, however, we still do recommend the class even to those individuals because there are so many additional benefits for your puppy from going to the class.

The socialization done in the second half of the critical first 16 weeks of life is just as important as what is done by the breeder in the first 8 weeks. Every experience your puppy has will carry with them for the rest of their life and mold the adult dog that you will be living with for many years to come. This topic will be expanded upon in the weeks to come as our latest set of puppy buyers prepare for their new addition.