Youโd better get out there and get started!ย Thereโs no such thing as overkill when it comes to properly done socialization. You canโt do too much. Pups who are super-socialized tend to assume that new things they meet later in life are safe and good until proven otherwise.
Dogs who are very well-socialized as pups are least likely to develop aggressive behaviors in their lifetimes. Pups who arenโt well-socialized tend to be suspicious and fearful of new things they meet throughout their lives, and are most likely to eventually bite someone.
If your pup comes to you from a socially impoverished environment, youโll already see the signs of neophobia. You have no time to lose, and you may never be able to make up all the ground heโs lost, but you can make him better than heโd be otherwise.
- Itโs useful to see your pupโs parents โ at least the mother, if at all possible. If Mom is timid or aggressive thereโs a good chance her pups will be, too. The pupsโ behavior still canโt be attributed solely to genes; pups can learn fearful or aggressive behavior by watching their motherโs response to humans and other environmental stimuli, a behavioral phenomenon known as social facilitation. If youโve been paying attention youโll remember that genes and environment both play a role in behavior โ always.
For more details and advice on ways to socialize your puppy or dog, purchase Whole Dog Journalโs ebook, Socializing Your Puppy or Dog: Making a Lifelong Difference.
