Socializing Your New Puppy

The whole idea behind socializing your puppy is to acclimate them to all types of new environments. Introductions to new things like sights, sounds, smells, experiences, dogs, and people all help to shape well behaved and comfortable interactions. Doing this while your dog is still a puppy is vital for their mental growth. Proper socialization as a puppy permanently shapes their behavior and personality for their whole life.

Having a dog that is comfortable and thrives in social settings not only saves headache for you but will also give your dog a more enjoyable life. Being able to play with and meet new dogs and humans alike is extremely rewarding for dogs.

The “Learning” Years

The breeder your dog came from should have naturally been socializing your puppy from birth to about 7 weeks. In this time, they learn to communicate with their litter and parents, getting used to the breeder(s) being around, exploring their environment, and experiencing new sounds and sights. Usually, a puppy is put up for adoption around the 7-week mark and thus begins their developmental stages in life. Similar to adolescent kids this time in their life is ideal for learning.

Between the ages of 7 weeks to 4 months is when you really want to be socializing your puppy. Something to think about is that if your dog somehow becomes lost, a friendly social pup will be much easier for a stranger to take in and care for until you two are reunited. Or, if something were to happen to you your dog would have an easier time being adopted, just based on the fact that they get along with other dogs and humans.

How Is a Puppy Socialized?

Make new socialization a positive experience for your puppy. Doing things like bringing treats, verbal and physical praise, and a happy attitude will allow your puppy to make the connection that new things are not only fun but are a good thing too. It’s important to remain positive and uplifting when socializing, your puppy can sense your emotions. For example, if you’re nervous introducing them to a bigger dog, they can sense that and will mimic your nervousness.

Try to introduce your new puppy to all kinds of new sights, sounds, textures, and people. Things like carpet, laminate, hardwood, grass, cement etc. Old people, injured people, young people, friends, family, and strangers. Take different routes on your walks, go new places, think of it as a scavenger hunt. All these new experiences will continually take them out of their comfort zone and allow them to grow emotionally and mentally. But, with all this new and exciting experiences don’t forget to take things slow too, this is a puppy after all.

Things like taking them to a big party, or a crowded subway station with loud noise and countless people may overwhelm them. Start with meeting family first, then move onto friends, one new person at a time, then two new people, and go from there.

Teaching The “Rules” of Your Home

As you prepare your puppy to come home the first time, you’ll want to have a clear set of house rules already established. Sit everyone down that lives in the home and create some boundaries or rules, not just for the puppy but for the house as a whole. Every home has different rules, so it’s up to you and those you live with to decide what is considered acceptable behavior for your new puppy. It will be important that everyone in your home consistently applies and sticks with enforcing these new rules. Consistency is key, so that your new puppy will know how to behave and know exactly what you expect of them and what kinds of things they can expect from you.

Socializing Adult Dogs

But what about if you adopt or have acquired an older dog? Is it too late to socialize them if they weren’t properly socialized as a puppy? It is not too late! Even old dogs CAN learn new tricks. You can start by taking them for walks, the two of you are bound to experience new things on them. Much more so than the comfort of your home.

Remember to be calm, associate these experiences as positive things. Being high-strung, yelling, and tugging on your dog when they see another dog can associate meeting new dogs as a negative experience. Make sure that you maintain a calm yet assertive energy. Does this mean that you’re not allowed to correct your dog’s behavior if needed? Of course not, you can do so with a quick tug, a sound you’ve taught them, or physical touch.

If all else fails you can always calmly walk away. Be sure to safely and slowly expose your dog to one new activity per week. For example, if you want to eventually be able to start taking them to your local dog park you could begin by allowing them to be an observer. Let them watch from the outside looking in, walk around the outside of the fence allowing them to see the other dogs running around, socializing, and playing. And then gradually introducing them to more dynamics of the park. Remember, if nothing seems to be working you can always seek professional help for your dog if the situations become too extreme.

The Benefits of Dog Daycare

Another excellent option to both fixing future separation anxiety and socialization is doggie daycare. Unleashed Dog Hotel offers unleashed play in appropriately sized playgroups. This means your puppy will only be playing with other puppies or similar sized adult dogs. Doggie daycare is an amazing learning and socialization opportunity for your new puppy. It allows them to consistently meet and make new friends away from the watch of their loving mother or father.

Giving your pup the opportunity to do things on their own offers them the opportunity to learn emotionally and mentally. This will help to reduce separation anxiety in the future and help them to be emotionally independent when their parents need to go out of town. One of the best parts is how exhausted and fulfilled they will be upon pick up! What’s cuter than a truly exhausted puppy taking a nap? We’ll wait…

We understand leaving your new puppy alone at daycare can be an unsettling experience, they are your babies after all. We’ve thought of it all here at Unleashed and are proud to offer cameras in all areas of the facility. You can spy on your puppy without them ever knowing.