The goal of socializing is to help your puppy get along well with others, to become a well- behaved member of the community, and to be a confident and psychologically healthy dog.

There is an important developmental stage that occurs in all dogs between the ages of 7 and 16 weeks of age. This is the time when puppies learn (whether we teach them or don’t!) which things in life are good and which are not. Now commonly referred to as a critical socialization or developmental stage, this span of weeks comprises a rare window of opportunity for us to teach puppies to become confident, psychologically healthy dogs.
We do this by exposing them to the myriad things they will encounter in their lives: people (young, old, different skin shades, male, female, with mustaches and beards, with eyeglasses, with hats, with mailbags), other animals (cats, dogs, squirrels), sights and sounds (trash trucks, blimps, fireworks, thunder, lawnmowers, weed-whackers), and so on.

Although weeks 7 through 16 are the most critical, it is important to continue to expose your pup to sights, sounds, animals and people through the first year or two of life. Otherwise, your pup may become fearful and timid, and suffer from unnecessary stress throughout his or her life.

Try to go on socialization outings with your pup at least two to three times a week. Hunt out things your pup hasn’t seen yet. Of particular importance is to introduce your puppy to other puppies of different sizes, shapes, hair length, and age. Many dogs become afraid of other dogs simply because they have not had the opportunity to mingle with their own kind. Dog-to-dog aggression a fear-based behavior, is a very sad problem that can take months to overcome at older ages.

Additionally, many puppies who are never introduced to babies have a hard time later with adjusting to new family members. Many dogs become aggressive with children not because they have been teased by them (although that certainly does happen) but because they are simply not accustomed to the way they look, act, and sound.

Our website has additional information and references to help you socialize your puppy.