How to Properly Socialize Your Puppy

The importance of proper socialization of your puppy can not be stressed enough. Properly socialized dogs are less prone to biting, being fearful in new situations and are all around easier to train. Training can be easily implemented into a proper puppy social calendar.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Veterinarian
• Dog Vaccinations
• Lots of People

1. 
   Introduce your puppy to many people, especially children.

   Expose your puppy to 100 different people by the time they are 4 months of age. This is a reputed by Dr. Ian Dunbar, founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). He is also a highly respected veterinarian, animal behaviorist and author. These need to all be positive encounters for your puppy. You should also strive to make a good deal of those exposures with gentle children. Children are less predictable and that is something unsocialized dogs tend to fear the most.

2. 
   Make sure your puppy is up to date on all vaccinations.

   Properly vaccinate your puppy and understand that puppy vaccinations work, not by a build up of immunities, but rather by a hit and miss method of trying to hit the right age that the vaccination properly protects your individual puppy. Unfortunately, it is around 4 months of age that puppies are believed to be the safest in being vaccinated properly. For this reason, avoid areas such as dog parks, rest areas and other public areas which may be frequented by other puppies and dogs which may be carrying contagious illnesses.

3. 
   Enroll your new puppy in puppy classes.

   Enroll your puppy in puppy kindergarten, a type of dog obedience for puppies. Be certain that your instructors insist on proper vaccinations and admittance of only healthy puppies to the class.

4. 
   Allow your puppy to have sleepovers.

   Allow trusted friends or family members to take your puppy for a day or two without you so that they may learn that the world does not require your presence to be safe and secure.

5. 
   Make fun visits to the vet's office.

   Take your puppy to their veterinarian a few times early on just for well puppy checks, no vaccination or other fearful procedures necessary. You will want your puppy to associate going to the vet as a positive experience. Bring along a favorite treat and allow the vet to give it to your puppy at the end of the exam. If you live near your vet's office, ask if it would be okay to stop in once in a while just to shower the puppy with affection for a minute or two. You shouldn't be charged for this but do be considerate in calling ahead to make sure it's not a busy time of the day and limit your visit to just a minute or two.

6. 
   Socialize your puppy with other animals.

   Remember to socialize your puppy not just to people but other animals as well. This will go a long ways towards ensuring your puppy has a well rounded socially acceptable personality.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your puppy's breeder if they have other socialization ideas that benefit your breed specifically. I breed coonhounds and if a coonhound puppy owner has the opportunity to socialize their puppy at a sportsman's club that they may later frequent for trials and such, it's a great thing!
• For health reasons, always carry your puppy into the vet's office if they are not yet fully vaccinated. Sick dogs visit there, too.

[drenee]

on 9/29/2009 Great ideas on how to socialize your puppy

[apegram]

on 9/24/2009 great tips on socializing your puppy! I especially like the one about having your puppy around gentle children. I can see where that would be really important!

[Dawnella66]

on 4/26/2009 great information on how to socialize your puppy!!!*5/rec

[MIghtyDreamer]

on 3/7/2009 Excellent, necessary and easy tips to socialize a puppy