12 Steps to Puppy Socialization

Socialization begins in the whelping box. During the first weeks of life, each puppy is handled several times a day. Studies have shown that early environmental influences, such as positive brief handling can have profound and enduring effects on behavior. It is essential to expose a three to six month old puppy to new situations, as long as the exposure is done in a careful and controlled manner and is fun for the puppy.

It is your responsibility to introduce your puppy to as many experiences as possible and to make each experience pleasant. Your puppy runs the risk of being frightened or aggressive toward objects or situations that she was not exposed to or had a scary encounter with during her socialization period.

By the time a puppy is twelve weeks old, he/she should have:

1) Met and played with 12 new people, including children of all ages, adults (both male and female), the mailman and other people in uniform, elderly people, disabled people, people wearing hats, people wearing glasses, and other people different from the puppy's usual encounters.

2) Played with 12 different types of objects: big balls, small balls, rubber balls, tennis balls, soft fabric toys, fuzzy toys, squeaky toys, toy with a bell inside, paper or cardboard items, heavy rope, sticks, Kongs, and anything else that will broaden his experience with objects.

3) Been in 12 different locations in the home: front yard, backyard, basement, kitchen, car, garage, laundry room, bathroom, crate, your bedroom, spare bedroom/children's room, living room, etc.

4) Been introduced to 12 different types of surfaces: carpet, concrete, wood, vinyl, marble, foam, grass, dirt, gravel, wood chips, sand, newspaper, sawdust, and rubber matting.

5) Met and played with 12 new animals, including puppies, older dogs, kittens, adult cats, horses, and other animals that may be part of the family environment.