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SOCIAL NETWORKING, PUPPY STYLE
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You can't find bigger buzzwords right now than "social networking." Generally, this means using web sites and social applications like Facebook, Twitter and Lindedin to stay in touch with family, friends, and work contacts. But your puppy should be social networking too. No, you don't need to buy her/him an I-Phone--but you do need to think carefully about who you add to her/him list of "friends" or "followers."
A long time ago, dog owners were taught that puppies shouldn't go out into the world until they had all of their puppy vaccinations. Typically, this meant that until 5 months of age--the beginning of adolescence--many puppies wouldn't be allowed to socialize with other dogs. Sometimes that extended to people outside the immediate family too.
Because of this isolation, some of these "bubble puppies" developed behavioral issues such as fear of other dogs or people. Many lacked critical social skills and the ability to read cues from other dogs. In some cases, they even developed aggressive behavior toward humans as well as dogs. While genetic, enviornment, and early puppyhood (birth to 9-10 weeks old), development can also be contributing factors, its widedly acknowledged that lack of proper socializing in the oh-so-critical 8-16-week puppy window can contribute to or even cause behavorial issues.
Thankfully, today's veterinarians and trainers understand and acknowledge that puppies need social interaction and that when done correctly and safely, puppy socialization is a critical piece of the puzzle for a well-rounded dog.
The idea is to have your puppy interact in a way that is emotionally and physically safe for her/him, so a dog park is not a good place to start. Start with quiet and mild-mannered guests. For the first week you want your puppy to interact with people who are relaxed and calm. No loud people or dogs. The dogs you introduce to your puppy must be healthy, up to date on their vaccinations, have a generally calm disposition and be friendly toward puppies. One or two people with dogs are plenty to start off with, but you can increase after a few weeks. Be Consistent. The aim is to maximize your puppy's social interaction during the all-important period of 8-14 weeks of age. Initially these meetings should occur at your house, but eventually you can take puppy out and visit other people's homes. Ideally they should meet 10-15 people a week. After a week or two, start taking the puppy to a quiet time at a school, park etc. Don't forget the potty breaks. You are still training your puppy, so you have to set a time aside to take her/him outside. When you hit that magic 16 week mark, continue socializing and exposing your puppy to as many new experiences as possible.
Sometimes puppipes who used to be great with people and other dogs turn into social freaks. All puppies and dogs go through "fear periods." Be patient and withou validating her/his fear try to work through it (high value treats work well). Whatever you do don't force your dog/puppy to approcach what she's/he's afraid of. Remember, even though something isn't scary to you it doesn't mean your dog's fear isn't justified.
Socializing your dog may feel like having a 2nd job, but the benefits far out weigh the inconvenience. Considering that the average dog's life expectancy is 12 + years, a few months of dedicated socialization will pay dividends far into the future.
