What does socialization really mean? A lot of people immediately think of playing with other dogs, meeting strangers, and taking them to as many places as possible.
But that’s not really the case. The true purpose of socialization is teaching your dog to move through the world politely and without fear, which means the majority of time ignoring passers-by dogs and people. There’s nothing “socializing” if you really think about it.
Socialization is positive associations to new things. Maybe we should call it “positive association” rather than “socialization”.
Here’s another truth: socialization never stops. Yes, the prime age for puppy socialization is 3-14 weeks, but dogs never stop learning, and socialization should last their entire life.
Below a brief socialization checklist to help your pup move through the world with joy and confidence:
- Exposure to different sounds
- Exposure to different smells
- Exposure to novel sights & objects
- Experiencing various floor textures
- Experiencing various handling & touches
- Visiting novel environments
- Meeting dogs
- Meeting adults
- Meeting children
- Maintaining focus around all types of animals
- Maintaining focus around unfamiliar humans
- Maintaining focus in novel environments
Best regards to you and your pup,
Xing, CPDT-KA & Mika💜