Not all dog owners are aware of the fact that in puppies there is a small window of opportunity during which socialization is crucial. This brief grace period of time happens to start from when the puppy is still in the breeder's care, therefore still with its mother and litter mates, up to a few weeks after the puppy is adopted by a new owner. It is therefore both the breeder's and the new owner's responsibility to ensure that the puppy during this critical time is exposed to as many people, animals and situations as possible.
Why Puppies Need to be Socialized
Puppies tend to be like sponges when they are in the process of exploring the world. They will literally soak up everything they learn about the world surrounding them. For this reason, it is very important to have puppies socialized when they are able to absorb the most from their introductions with the world. The best time therefore to socialize puppies is during that small window of opportunity mentioned before which is generally according to Karen L. Overall between 4 and 12 to 16 weeks.
Often, this time frame coincidentally matches the time when puppies are more vulnerable to diseases such as Parvo. Veterinarians may therefore advise not to expose puppies to other puppies for this time. Yet, this way the time when puppies are most receptive to stimuli is irreversibly lost. Once this grace period is left behind therefore, all that is left for the owners of unsocialized puppies is desensitation and counter conditioning strategies which may or may not work.
The best course of action therefore is to find the puppies some healthy playmates or enroll puppies to puppy classes when the puppies are around 8-9 weeks of age and have already received their first shots. Perhaps as Dr. Karen L Overall puts it goes a long way: ''The single biggest killer of pets is not infectious disease; it is behavioral problems''.
How to Properly Socialize Puppies
In order for a puppy to be well socialized however, it is important to learn how to do it properly. Owners should expose their puppy to as many types of people, animals, noises, textures as possible but without overwhelming the puppy. Indeed, if all is done too quickly or in an invasive manner, the puppy may be prone to develop behavior problems in the near future.
Socialization therefore must be done in a gradual and controlled manner so that the puppy learns to make positive associations without feeling overwhelmed. Owners must be able to identify signs of stress and fear from their puppy so to learn when they have pushed the puppy too far and for too long. A puppy should appear happy and pleased to make new encounters and treats given at the right time may be helpful in making these associations positive.
The socialization window of opportunity in puppies is brief, but owners must learn how to make the best out of it. However, past this time, dogs should not stop being socialized. Indeed, dogs should continue to to be socialized throughout their lives. A well socialized dog is ultimately an investment, a dog with whom it is a pleasure to live with and a dog less likely to develop behavior problems such as excessive fear or aggression.
Adrienne Farricelli - Adrienne Farricelli brings expertise in canine topics as a former American Animal Hospital Association employee and certified dog ...
Join the Conversation