|
Socializing Your Puppy
One of the most
important parts of training your puppy is to properly socialize them so
that they are both confident and able to interact with people and other
animals. Here is some advice about how to socialize your puppy.
Socializing should
start as early as possible in your puppy's life. Of course, you need to
take into consideration any vaccinations required so that your puppy can
safely go out in public without the worry of contracting a disease. Talk
to your breeder with regards to your puppy's needs and they will advise
you when you can do this.
Of course, in the
mean time you can get started with socializing your puppy with people
and any other pets you may have at home. Let different people come into
your home so that your puppy gets used to people other than family
members. Some people don't like dogs, and it's good for your puppy to
learn this also, so that they don't automatically think they can
approach everybody. Likewise, your puppy will need to learn to live with
the quirks of other animals, and understand that they can't always be
boss.
Another important
point is exposing your puppy to new situations. The more exposure to new
experiences that your puppy can have the better, puppies are naturally
resilient to new situations, and if you can introduce them to a range of
situations when they are young, they are less likely to become
distressed or frightened when they are older. A great place to take your
puppy is to the local train station or bus station, especially during
the busy periods. This is a good way to socialize your puppy with people
and get them used to crowds. You can start by carrying your puppy is
they seem a little scared, but as they get used to the strange situation
and their confidence builds, you should put them down on their leash and
then work to walking around. The same applies for busy roads, especially
if you live in an area where you will regularly walk your dog beside a
busy road.
Perhaps the most
important part of socializing your puppy, however, is letting them meet
other animals. Many puppies have no interaction with other dogs once
they leave their litter, and this leaves them with a huge gap in
understanding how to respond when they meet another dog or animal.
For this reason, you
should spend time taking your puppy to a local obedience class, where
they can be in a controlled environment so that they can socialize with
dogs of all ages and sizes and maintain the correct way to behave around
other dogs. I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOG PARKS you cannot rely on the fact
that the other owners have properly trained their dogs and this can lead
to an unwanted accident. Denying your dog this experience can lead to
snarling and growling, and also fighting. You don't want to have to
cross the street every time you see another dog coming and socializing
is the best way to deal with this. One very important thing to remember
is whether you are socializing your puppy with people or other animals
that you do so in a controlled environment. Never just assume everything
will be okay by not taking the time to supervise the interactions your
puppy is receiving. It only takes one bad experience to change your
puppys out look on life.
A properly
socialized dog will be a pleasure to walk and will not cause you anxiety
through their fear of new situations. Take the time to do this from an
early age and you can eliminate anti-social behavior.
|
