Training : Socialization : Why Socialize?

Written by Heidi Palladino
cleverk9@earthlink.net
The Importance of Socialization
From the Clever Canine website

How do you significantly reduce the risk of your dog becoming aggressive, anxious, or fearful around men, children and other dogs? Socialization.

Puppies need to gain exposure to a wide variety of people, children, dogs and environments that result in positive experiences. Dogs that are aggressive or fearful in the presence of men were not necessarily abused by such, but lack favorable interaction with them during the critical socialization period.

That critical period commences around three weeks of age and ends somewhere between 16 and 20 weeks. During this period a puppy’s approach – avoidance behavior is developing. The puppy is curious and looks to explore and investigate. At the same time the puppy’s level of suspicion and caution is gradually increasing. The experiences a puppy has during this period (both good and bad) make a permanent imprint on his psyche.

Socialization is not a guarantee a puppy will not develop any undesirable social behaviors, but it acts as an inoculation against them. It helps to reduce the risk of their development. Furthermore, socialization improves a dog’s recovery time when it experiences something frightening or stressful. For example, a dog exposed to a wide variety of people and environments as a young puppy will settle down and relax faster when in a situation it finds unsettling or frightening than a dog that is under-socialized.

As with training and learning, socialization is an ongoing process throughout a dog’s life. A dog that received adequate socialization as a puppy cannot be put into an isolating situation without setbacks in behavior. Socialization must continue throughout adolescence and adulthood to keep your dog comfortable with people, children, dogs and different environments. This is especially important for dogs that remain intact (not neutered or spayed) as hormones play an influential role in canine behavior.

Genetics can also influence the time and effort required to adequately socialize each puppy. Puppies that exhibit extreme sensitivities or avoidance behavior take more effort to socialize.

Far too many dogs end up in shelters or euthanized because of behavior problems due to inadequate socialization. Do your puppy, yourself, and society a favor and take the time to socialize it.