SOCIALIZATION is the process of introducing a puppy to the world in
a way that will help him be confident and unafraid of people, places
and things that he will encounter throughout his life. The most critical
socialization window occurs before the age of 12 weeks, and that
window is considered to be closing by 5 months. Generally the
younger the puppy is when he is socialized, the more quickly and
easily he gains confidence. Waiting too long can result in a need for
the more difficult process of rehabilitation instead of socialization.
Most aggression issues are simply a result of inefficient socialization.
RULES OF SOCIALIZATION:
Each socialization exposure must be fun for your puppy. If he is
forced to confront fears he's not ready to handle, the process can
backfire and create a fearful/aggressive response. Go at his pace,
and at a distance he feels safe. Your puppy should be the one to
initiate each approach to something new and be allowed to retreat
when needed to feel safe.
Socialization includes generalization. Though your puppy may be
fine with the toddlers or dogs in your home, that does not mean he is
fine with all children and dogs. Even if he is in a class, he will need to
meet new and different dogs and people, and in different places, after
his classmates and their owners become familiar to him. You need to
continue to expose him to new things, places, and contexts to best
generalize his confidence with new things.
Pair treats with exposures to make good associations. If your
puppy is worried about those children he sees running across the
street, it can help if the sight of the children makes cheese suddenly
appear. Or if he doesn’t like her paws touched, a brief touch followed
by a lick of peanut butter from a spoon can make paw touches easier
to handle. If he will not take food, that is a good indication that you
need to back up and lower the intensity of the exposure with more
distance or less pressure.
If your puppy seems to be fearful of certain things and doesn’t gain
confidence quickly, please see a force-free trainer to help you.
Remember that socialization is a time-sensitive procedure.
_
The Pet Professional Guild has given permission for active Guild
members to use this educational piece in their businesses © 2012
http://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Resources/Documents/PPG-Client-Puppy-Socialization-Download.pdf
a way that will help him be confident and unafraid of people, places
and things that he will encounter throughout his life. The most critical
socialization window occurs before the age of 12 weeks, and that
window is considered to be closing by 5 months. Generally the
younger the puppy is when he is socialized, the more quickly and
easily he gains confidence. Waiting too long can result in a need for
the more difficult process of rehabilitation instead of socialization.
Most aggression issues are simply a result of inefficient socialization.
RULES OF SOCIALIZATION:
Each socialization exposure must be fun for your puppy. If he is
forced to confront fears he's not ready to handle, the process can
backfire and create a fearful/aggressive response. Go at his pace,
and at a distance he feels safe. Your puppy should be the one to
initiate each approach to something new and be allowed to retreat
when needed to feel safe.
Socialization includes generalization. Though your puppy may be
fine with the toddlers or dogs in your home, that does not mean he is
fine with all children and dogs. Even if he is in a class, he will need to
meet new and different dogs and people, and in different places, after
his classmates and their owners become familiar to him. You need to
continue to expose him to new things, places, and contexts to best
generalize his confidence with new things.
Pair treats with exposures to make good associations. If your
puppy is worried about those children he sees running across the
street, it can help if the sight of the children makes cheese suddenly
appear. Or if he doesn’t like her paws touched, a brief touch followed
by a lick of peanut butter from a spoon can make paw touches easier
to handle. If he will not take food, that is a good indication that you
need to back up and lower the intensity of the exposure with more
distance or less pressure.
If your puppy seems to be fearful of certain things and doesn’t gain
confidence quickly, please see a force-free trainer to help you.
Remember that socialization is a time-sensitive procedure.
_
The Pet Professional Guild has given permission for active Guild
members to use this educational piece in their businesses © 2012
http://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Resources/Documents/PPG-Client-Puppy-Socialization-Download.pdf
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