Most people know that off-leash puppy classes are great way to socialize their puppies, but puppies should be socialized to people before they attend puppy classes and they need to continue being socialized throughout adolescence.
Socialization and classical conditioning prevent development of the predictable fears and lack of confidence of adolescence, characteristically expressed as dog-dog and dog-human aggression.
To be properly socialized, puppies need to be raised indoors with plentiful human contact. By eight weeks of age, the puppies should have been handled and trained by at least 100 people, especially children and men. This must be begin before they arrive at their new homes. During their first month with their new families, puppies must meet and be handled by at least another 100 different people before they are ready for puppy class. Puppy classes are not intended for socializing asocial or antisocial puppies. Rather, they provide a safe forum for continuing puppy-human socialization and revamping puppy-puppy socialization.
Puppies must be ultra-mega-super-socialized before encountering the world at large as adolescents, at 4.5 to 5 months of age. Even though a young puppy may appear to be Mr. Sociable, classical conditioning is the name of the game to enable the pup to successfully navigate adolescence and become a confident adult dog; without it, the socialized pup may lose confidence and become fearful and aggressive.
Without continued socialization, dog-human and dog-dog sociability can deteriorate surprisingly quickly. Adolescent dogs can abruptly become wary of people, especially children, men, and strangers. Also, they may grow to dislike being hugged (restrained) and having their ears, paws, and muzzle handled.
There are absolutely no excuses for this to happen. Socializing dogs to people is as easy as it is enjoyable.
Teaching a dog to get along with every other dog, on the other hand, can be challenging. After all, groups of wild canids (wolves, coyotes, jackals, etc.) seldom welcome strangers into their midst, but that’s exactly what we expect of domestic dogs. Furthermore, it is unrealistic to expect a dog to be best friends with every dog. Much like people, dogs have special friends, casual acquaintances, and individuals they don’t particularly like. Another thing to consider is that it is quite natural for dogs (especially males) to squabble. In fact, it is a rare male dog who has never been involved in a physical altercation.
Everything may be fine with young pups playing in class and in parks, but when they grow into adolescent dogs, the scraps, arguments, and play-fighting can seem all too real. Dogs small and large can become snappy and scrappy out as adolescents. Unfortunately, without proper training and continued socialization, such dogs may go downhill fast as their owners become less inclined to take them out where dogs and people congregate. Now we’re in vicious circle: the less the dog is socialized, the more likely it is to fight, leading to even less socialization.
So what’s the best advice? Make sure to attend puppy classes, where your dog will learn bite inhibition, so even if he someday develops a dislike for people or dogs, he will never harm them. Make sure that all family members continue basic handling and gentling exercises. Have the dog sit before greeting all household visitors, who then call the dog, ask him to sit again, and then offer a couple of pieces of kibble before touching the dog. Soon your dog will love visitors.
Make sure to walk your dog every day and carry some kibble with you to give to the dog when greeting strangers, or if a motorcycle or a child on a skateboard rushes by. Instruct your dog to sit before greeting other dogs, offer a piece of kibble, tell him to say hello, and then praise him when he greets the other dog in a mannerly and friendly fashion.
This continuous socialization activity is the foundation of a great life for and with your dog.
Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian, canine behaviorist, and puppy-training pio-neer. He is the founder of SIRIUS® Puppy Training and Scientific Director for www.dogstardaily.com.
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