UC Davis Veterinary Medicine states that “the risk of your puppy developing serious behavior problems from being poorly socialized is far greater than that of infectious disease.”
Socialization and exposure to new things doesn’t mean your puppy has to be on the ground sniffing new dogs and interacting with everything they see, it means they are given ample, short and positive opportunities to observe new things so they can process them as “safe” when they encounter them down the road.
*Be sure to bring your puppy’s favorite high value treats on all outings and go at your pup’s pace. If you notice she is fearful (tucked tail, yawning, lip licking, big eyes, ears back, trying to run away) give her more distance from the “scary” thing, or try in a place that is less busy to start. Do not force your puppy!
Check out ways you can safely socialize your puppy
- Push your pup in a shopping cart with a blanket at the store
- Carry your puppy in a sling around the local farmer’s market
- Put her in a wagon and go for a stroll around the neighborhood or park
- Sit at a cafe with your pup on your lap and watch the world go by
- Park your car in a strip mall parking lot for new sights and sounds
- Bring your puppy to your kid’s soccer games and hold him on your lap
- Sit on a bench at the park and watch kid’s play in the playground
- Visit your vet for happy visits – treats and pets without any scary shots!
- Feed your puppy out of different containers at home (glass, metal, plastic etc)
- Bring in an empty box from a recent delivery for your puppy to explore
- Expose your puppy to new sounds like keys falling on the ground, pots clanking together, the garbage truck
- Break out the umbrella, balloons, rolling suitcase and vacuum and reward with high value treats when these things are around
- Schedule human visits and playdates with vaccinated, well-socialized dogs at your house or a friend’s puppy safe yard
- Handle your puppy often – touch feet, ears, tail, look in their mouth etc and reward with a treat as you go
- Check out more socialization tips