3 Ways People Screw Up the Puppy Socialization Process

While fear and anxiety can stem from nearly unlimited sources, the truth is that a lot of it comes from a lack of or improper socialization. This process can, and should, start with puppies as young as three weeks of age. That means your breeder selection is the first step in socialization, even if you have nothing to do with it.

If you’re in the market for a new German shorthair or maybe a golden retriever, ask the breeders what they do for socialization. If they don’t have a good answer, be careful. This is one of the reasons that puppy-mill dogs often end up being total headcases later on in life. Puppies that never leave the kennel and never get to start to learn the world around them are puppies that miss out on the first innings of the socialization process.

Instead, find a breeder who understands this. The same goes for shelter dogs, honestly. Anyone who is going to get their hands on a young puppy before it’s passed on to someone else should understand this, and if they don’t, consider moving on. But remember, the job is far from over once you pick up your fresh recruit.

People often view their role in socialization as simply facilitating the opportunity for their pup to be around other people. That sells the whole thing short. The goal is to allow the puppy to comfortably and safely begin to learn about the world. Then, you introduce it to other people, and eventually, other dogs. Note of caution here: before you really venture out with your pup, it’s generally recommended to have them up to date on vaccinations, especially if it’ll be in areas where other dogs frequent.

The key to socializing your pup from the day you bring it home is understanding how to manage stimuli and creating a positive experience with every new journey. You’ll probably treat-train an eight-week-old puppy before going deep on praise, so don’t be shy with the rewards early on. You want your dog to love new places and small adventures.

Think about socialization as a multi-phase process that starts with you and the puppy in new, low-stimuli environments. The park by your house is great if it’s a Tuesday morning and you’re the only ones there. On Saturday night, when a Little League game is going on, that’s a different story. Take your time with this process, and watch your pup. Dial it back if you see a tucked tail, pulled back ears, lip licking, or other fearful behaviors.

Over time, your dog will develop confidence in new environments with ever-increasing stimuli. Eventually, you’ll be able to take him into pet-friendly stores, busy parks, and other areas where encounters with people will be the norm.

Just remember to not put your pup in a situation where the socialization might go okay, but some other harmful event might happen. Beware of strange dogs, which is a situation that can break bad in a hurry with a puppy. Loud noises, like fireworks, and even someone slamming a garbage can lid closed, can set the stage for gunshyness.

The best way to approach this is to location scout, then plan your visits when you know the activity level should be on par with your pup’s socialization level. This isn’t as easy as it seems, because one other person walking a dog in the same spot can potentially change the game.

It’s also important to note that you should use each interaction as a teachable moment. If you don’t want your dog to jump up on strangers when he’s two, don’t let him do it when he’s 10 weeks old. Tell the people you encounter how you want the interaction to go, and then guide your dog through it. You don’t want to take something like socialization, which should be a net positive for your dog’s development overall, and then allow for some other issue to spring up that you’ll have to deal with later.

This might seem like overkill to some folks, but developing a good dog takes time. Short-cutting the socialization process might save you some time at the front end, but will end up much worse on the back end.