Tips for Socializing a Puppy with People

 

Socializing a puppy is crucial for helping your pet become comfortable meeting and interacting with people in a variety of environments.

Socialization also helps your dog learn to handle encounters with strangers, at home or away, without fear or aggression. The result will be a happier, more well-adjusted pet that enjoys humans as much as they will enjoy him.

So, how do you go about socializing your new furry friend?

Start Early and Provide Regular Reinforcement

Although it’s never too late to begin socialization – older puppies and dogs can learn new tricks — the best window of opportunity is between 4 and 16 weeks of age.

During this time, puppies go through a critical period of development, in which their brains are most open to new experiences. If you take care to be positive when introducing your puppy to new people, places and situations when he is young, he is much more likely to remain calm and at ease when encountering similar experiences later in life.

If you start the socialization process as early as possible, you will provide your pet with a huge advantage in life, as he’ll never have a chance to learn inappropriate responses or bad habits.

Help Your Puppy Learn Good Behavior

Socializing your puppy involves placing him in a variety of locations and situations where he will encounter other people.

At home, your pet must learn the proper way to behave when guests visit. This requires that you maintain control of your dog, offering a treat to distract as you open the door. Continue praising and rewarding good behavior, while ignoring whining and barking.

Keeping your puppy on a leash when guests arrive can be helpful for maintaining control, until he learns what is expected of him.

Outside your home, the new pup must learn the appropriate behavior for encountering strangers and groups of people.

Leashing is an absolute requirement, but taking your puppy on walks is a great way to work on socialization skills. Provide your pet the opportunity to encounter people of different ages, sizes and races.

One word of caution however: Avoid dog parks and areas with a large number of people, especially small children. If your puppy should happen to be attacked by another animal or overwhelmed by a mob of well-meaning kids, he may experience emotional overload that can affect him for life.

Take a Training Class

A puppy training course – also called puppy school or boot camp – provides the most effective means of socializing your puppy in a safe and structured environment.

This can be helpful for dogs of all ages, but a group class can be especially beneficial for pups that show signs of stress when introduced to new people and situations. A trainer can work with you and your pet to overcome behaviors such as tail tucking, cowering and clinging, and teach your puppy how to respond appropriately.

Look for a puppy training class where the trainers offer a positive approach, using treats or toys to encourage desired behavior, as this will make learning fun and easy for your pet.

The professional trainers of Innovative K9 Academy have been assisting pet owners in and around Salt Lake City for many years. Our highly skilled team is passionate about dog training, and all of our programs follow scientifically proven principles to build confidence and stability for your pet.

Contact us today to learn more about training and socializing a puppy or dog.