Socializing Your New Puppy

If you have a new puppy, one of your first tasks will be properly socializing them. This is of course after they are fully vaccinated, but it should be done as soon as possible.

The benefits of properly socializing your puppy are many. A properly socialized dog will be friendlier to strangers, will not embarrass you by barking excessively and is less likely to be a liability since it will not be prone to biting. There are many more benefits to socializing, but these are some pretty important ones. So, just how do you go about making your dog social? It is a lot easier than you might think.

Getting Started with Socializing

You might be lost as to what you need to do to socialize your dog, but it is actually quite simple. All that you need to do is introduce your dog to as many situations as possible. Once again, you should make sure that your pet is fully vaccinated before you begin, but once that is done, get started ASAP. Here are some places to get started.

Dog Parks

Let’s start by getting your dog used to being around other dogs. Do this at an early age and you can enjoy years of watching your dog romp and play with other canines. You have to be smart when it comes to dog parks however. Since many other animal owners are not as careful as you, it is crucial that you take the proper steps.

Obviously, the first step is vaccinations. A dog that is not fully vaxed is in danger of contracting a number of deadly illnesses when exposed to other dogs and pet waster. If you are not sure when your dog will be safe, ask your veterinarian.

Next, you need to choose a dog park that is sectioned of by size. You do not want your Chihuahua messing around with a huge Mastiff and vice versa.

Once you have found the right dog park, ease your dog into it slowly with increasingly longer and longer visits. Remember that dogs can get overwhelmed, so in the beginning also choose times when the park is not incredibly busy.

Play dates With Friends

You likely have friends who have dogs, so why not take advantage of this fact and set up a play date with a dog that you know is not aggressive. This is a great, risk free way to socialize your dog with another one in a non intimidating environment. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to show off your new puppy and who does not want to do that?

Stores

Once you have the socialization with other dogs down, you need to think about people. You do not want your dog to be aggressive to other humans because this can be both embarrassing and a liability. There are over 4 million dog bites in the United States, don’t be one of them.

The best place to socialize your pet with people is at stores that welcome dogs. You will not be able to take your pet any place where food is sold but pet stores and most home improvement stores will allow animals. If nothing else, you can take them walking around a busy outdoor mall. Once again, start slowly and choose less busy times in the beginning. Also, be sure to use a short 6 foot lead instead of a retractable.

Wrapping Up

So there it is, socializing your puppy in just a few simple steps. This is an incredibly easy but an incredibly important task, so make sure that you take the time to do it. You and your puppy will be grateful that you did.