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Is the single most important process in a young dog’s life and how much you do or fail to do will directly affect the future character of your dog. Dogs that are under socialised may become shy, fearful and sometimes even aggressive. They may not develop the appropriate canine body language necessary to interact well with other dogs. In contrast puppies that have been well socialized generally grow into happy, confident dogs. Basically socializing your dog involves introducing him to a whole range of new experiences including meeting different types of people, dogs, other animals, places, smells and noises. Dogs should be introduced to new situations gently and while being rewarded for calm behaviour. Remember you are teaching your young puppy skills for coping with the unpredictable nature of life. Who knows when a car will suddenly back fire, a cat will appear or you decide to take a holiday with friends who also have dogs.

Socialisation needs to be done sensibly. It is not simply a matter of letting your puppy play with other dogs or walking him along a busy city street. It is very important that you provide your puppy with as many positive experiences as possible. This will increase his confidence in you as a leader and in the world in general. For example carefully select the dogs that you allow your puppy to interact with. It is better to allow your puppy to meet 5 friendly dogs than 20 dogs in a park at random. A supervised puppy playgroup such as those held at the Lost Dogs’ Home is ideal . It is important that puppies can play with other pups in order to learn bite inhibition. If you have ever watched puppies play you will notice that there is a lot of mouthing going on. This is a wonderful way for puppies to explore their new teeth and learn just how softly they must bite not to cause their playmates any pain. As your puppy’s guardian you must supervise his play sessions, make sure he is not overly bullied, Likewise make sure he is not acting like a bully. If either situation is occurring simply end the play session, try again another day or find some new playmates for him. Take care when introducing your dog to other dogs while on leash. Too often I see people allowing their dogs to jump all over another dog while the owners stand there chatting oblivious to the fact that their dogs are actually practising anti – social behaviour. Let’s put yourself in your dog’s paws for a second. How would you feel if your mother put you on a leash and stood there while a complete stranger approached you and immediately started jumping all over you? The best way to introduce dogs on leash is to allow them to approach side on, have a quick sniff and step back for a moment. Reward you dog for this brief but friendly interaction.

Just as your dog needs to interact with other dogs he will also benefit from meeting many different types of people. This is a great time to invite your friends around for dinner. Encourage your friends to interact with the puppy, giving food treats and pats for calm and confident behaviour. Be sure to always supervise your puppy around children. Make an effort to introduce your puppy to all types of people. Eg. People wearing glasses, hats, bearded men, people in wheel chairs, using walking sticks, carrying shopping bags etc.

When introducing your puppy to new surroundings pay attention to your dog’s composure. If he is holding his ears back, has his tail down and is trying to make himself appear smaller he is telling you that he is afraid. Encourage him gently with a happy tone to your voice and reward him with some food treats as his confidence increases. Encourage your puppy to investigate new surroundings.

While the most important time for socialising your dog is during puppy hood it is a process that needs to be continued throughout the dog’s life. Major and minor events in our lives shape our personality and attitudes, Likewise our dog’s character is influenced by events that occur throughout the dog’s life. At some point in your dog’s life he is prone to have an unpleasant experience, you need to ensure that pleasant, positive experiences greatly outnumber any negative ones.

Below are some typical situation in which puppies should be socialized.

ADULTS
Young adults
Disabled
Loud / confident people
Shy / timid people
Delivery people
Joggers
People wearing uniforms
People wearing hats
People with beards
People wearing glasses
People wearing crash helmets

CHILDREN
Babies
Toddlers
Juniors
Teenagers

OTHER ANIMALS
Dogs - adult
Dogs - puppies
Cats
Livestock
Horses

ENVIRONMENT
Friend’s house
Shopping centre
Park
Outside a school
Country walks
Fete / car boot sale
Slippery floor
Party
Veterinary clinic
Grooming parlour
Boarding kennels

OTHER
Bicycles
Motorbikes
Skateboard
Pram
Heavy Traffic
Steps (including open stairs)

Nicole Beasley, Planet K9.