Helping your puppy to socialize
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Socialize your puppy and give him the best start in life
Socialization. Sounds serious. And that’s the way it really is – because it’s about raising a friendly dog that will live life to the fullest. Now that you have adopted a puppy, you must provide him with conditions under which he will grow up well adapted to the world around him and will feel great in any company, be it people or other animals.
The sooner the better
It’s hard to overestimate the benefits of early socialization – the sooner you start, the better. It’s simple and can bring joy to both you and your pet. All you need to do is keep him in good shape. If you give your first vaccination at the age of six months, you will be able to let your puppy out earlier. Just one warning – don’t overdo it. Accustom your pet to the world around you gradually.
Your puppy and other people
Perhaps this is obvious, but nevertheless it must be recalled: people are all different – of different ages, shapes and sizes. Your puppy needs to learn all of them. Accustom him to communicate with strangers, however, make sure that they do not frighten him with their irrepressible joy. It is important that your puppy gets to know the children as well. Even if they are not in your home, you can easily find them outside of it. For example, you can take your puppy for a walk near the school. Children do not have to be persuaded for a long time – they themselves will be happy to mess with your pet. But do not forget that puppies get tired quickly, so make sure that communication with strangers is short. Give your puppy a chance to rest.
Let your puppy interact with other dogs
The key to socializing any puppy is getting to know other dogs and puppies. However, it is very important that he associates with dogs that are themselves well socialized. A negative experience can leave an indelible mark on the mind of your “boy”.
When surrounded by other dogs, your puppy will learn to respect older companions, they may even “suspend” him if he starts to act too excited. Be careful and make sure that adult dogs in excitement do not scare your baby. This is undoubtedly the last thing you want, so be prepared to protect your pet if necessary. There is no reason to keep your pet away from other four-legged animals – cats, horses, and even livestock. Such an experience will serve your pet well and he will grow up calm and friendly.
Your puppy and unfamiliar places
For socialization purposes, introduce your puppy to different environments, sights and sounds. For an animal that gets along well with people, this will not be a problem and will happen on its own. Both of you will enjoy exploring cities, villages, traffic and cars. Just remember that you should not bring everything down on your pet at once and be moderate.
If you need more information regarding socialization, please contact your veterinarian – he will be happy to advise you on additional literature on the subject. You may want to join a puppy socialization group, many veterinarians run these groups. You can start visiting her when your puppy is 12-18 weeks old.
