Puppy Socialization List
One of the biggest mistakes people make with their puppies is that they do not socialize nearly enough. Just because your dog lives with another dog, or lives with kids, or lives when adult men or women, doesn’t mean they are socialized to these things. Proper socialization can help prevent future behavioral problems–it is almost like a vaccine to prevent your puppy from getting sick behaviorally. Now, it’s not just about the amount of socializing, it is about the the quality of socializing–tons bad socialization won’t help but a moderate amount of high quality socialization can be perfectly fine.
Now, here’s a not so top-secret piece of information–the window of optimal socialization closes at 16 weeks old. Before 16 weeks old, a puppy’s brain is primed for accepting new things and feeling comfortable with new things. So, this means that it is absolutely crucial to not wait in your socialization efforts–far too many people call me or WPHS looking to get into “puppy socialization class” when the dog is 5, 6 or 7 months old, well after socialization period has closed. There is actually emerging research that indicates that the most prime weeks for socialization are 4-8 weeks! So while the puppy is still at the breeder’s or with the mom is when they are going to be best able to accept new things even more quickly and easily build a comfort level with exploring novel stimuli. This research is very new but if it is replicated and found sound, it is just one more reason to find a very skilled breeder if you are choosing that route and one more reason to avoid pet store/puppy mill/backyard breeder puppies who are lacking any socialization during these weeks.
For most people getting young puppies from breeders or shelters, they have somewhere from 6-8 weeks to do quality socialization, I have about 3 weeks with Loki if our age guess of 13 weeks is correct. Since I have absolutely no idea what his life was like prior to coming to me, I am socializing him as if he has had zero socialization.
My method of socializing puppies involves a balance between allowing the puppy to explore novel stimuli (people, things, footing, etc) and working on puppy focusing on me around novel stimuli. There is lots of value letting puppy explore but there is also a lot of value on starting the foundation of focus training very early on. Teaching a puppy very early on to focus on you instead of the leaf blower, dog, cat, monster, etc is so helpful in the long run. Biologically speaking, puppies are wired to pay attention to mom/dad, take advantage of this feature! Teenagers are wired the complete opposite, but if you lay a strong foundation in puppyhood (when you are more likely to get that focus), you’ll set yourself up for a lifetime of attention.
I have had Loki since Thursday afternoon, and every day he has had at least 1 adventure or activity to expose him to the world–I’m trying to pack in as much quality experiences as I can in the next 3 weeks. Here’s a list of things he has experienced with notes of things we need more of…
People
Adult Women
Women in hat
Elderly Women
Loud Women
Boys
Boys playing
Girls
Girls screaming
Baby
Adult men
Men in work boots
Men with tools
Men in climbing harnesses
People pushing strollers
We need to experience people of different races, shapes and sizes, men with facial hair and more men with hats, people in uniforms, more babies, and some toddlers. He’s met about 40 new people, been around closely (without actually meeting) about 20 more, and saw probably close to 50 people alone while at the park, all in the last handful of days, which is a great start!
Footing
Grass
Gravel
Linoleum
Ceramic
Hardwood
Carpet
Rugs
Grates
Wooden deck
Open backed steps (up and down)
Normal steps (up and down)
Rubber flooring
Rubber matting
Metal grated steps
Up on chairs
Up on Tables
Up on conveyer belt (check out area at store)
Plastic tarp
Inflatable Pool
Tippy board
In a shopping cart
Soft dirt in my raised vegetable garden (yeah)
I think we’ve done a good job on exploring various footings but I’d like to encourage him to explore getting up on rocks or stumps and continue to walk on strange floorings.
At the park watching cars, bikes, people, and dogs–playing focusing games while also being allowed to just take it all in.
Vehicles/machinery (been around/seen)
Cars
Loud cars
Fast cars
Vans
Wood chipper
Crane
Logging truck
Backhoe
Tractor
Tractor trailers
Dump truck with trailer
Motorcycles
Bicycles
Bicycles with training wheels (extra loud)
Helicopters
I’d like him to experience heavier traffic areas and experience buses, dirt bikes, and some other machinery but he’s well on his way to experiencing a wide range in vehicles and machinery.
Riding in style in the cart at the pet store!
Places
Vet office
Big box pet store
Small boutique pet store
Busy park
Shopping mall (walked in to get to pet store)
My home
A friend’s home
For just a few days with me, he’s had quite a few adventures!
Critters
Shayne
Rio
Bandit
Panther
Monty
Jeffy
Meika
Callie
I know he has some troubles greeting other dogs so it is going to be a work in progress to have him socialize with dogs. My focus is NOT other puppies but instead introducing him to stable adult dogs who can show him appropriate behaviors.
Climbing on the edge of the inflatable pool. He walked all up and down the sides before jumping in!
Environmental “Stuff” (sights/sounds)
Garage door (noise and sight)
Automatic door
Shopping Baskets
Shopping carts moving slow and quick
Small rockets (rocketry club set off 3 small rockets while at the park!)
Wagons
Kids playing basketball
Fake dog
Motorized kids scooters
Kids playing baseball
Large inflatable pool
Water in said pool
Crate
Xpen
Ice Maker sounds
Tunnel (about 1/3 the way open)
Under chairs/couches/etc.
Bouncy house
Sirens
Car horn
Wood chipper
Chain saws
Crane moving a huge hunk of tree
This is an incomplete list but these are the big pieces. Lots more to see and experience but again, he’s well on his way.
Handling
Feet
Ears
Belly rub
Tail pull (gentle)
Collar grabs
Trading games (Drop it)
I haven’t focused too much on handling yet, I plan on working on nail clipping slowly over this week but he’s been great so far.
Everyday we are doing new things and focusing on both experiencing new stuff and learning to work and focus around new stuff. It is a balancing act for sure, but it’s critical to his skills as an adult so I want to do the best I can! Socializing a puppy is hard work, if you think you’ve done enough, you should probably double those efforts! New places, new people, new experiences. Going to the same public places will build routine but won’t necessarily address the ability for the dog to adapt and tolerate new situations or new stimuli. We’ll be going on some new adventure almost everyday or at least walk a new route everyday!
I love that you emphasize the difference between low and high quality socialization. Socializing your pup with dogs who are aggressive and unpredictable is probably going to be counterproductive.
Also, working with my rescue girl has brought it to my attention that dogs need exposure to rollerblades, scooters, and lots of hand-held “props” weather they’re tennis rackets, fishing rods, umbrellas, bins, etc. And bikes (which you mention) and joggers too of course.
Great post.
Yep, lots of bad socialization won’t help. Forcing a scared puppy to interact with whatever they find scary won’t make them like it more. Bad socialization is worse, in many cases, than no socialization.
Great list! When I teach my puppy classes, I make up a socialization BINGO sheet and hand it out the first night. When the puppy has a GOOD interaction with something on the sheet, they get to cross it off…when they get a BINGO, they bring the sheet in for a prize, then they are off and running again to get another BINGO. Makes for a little competition, while teaching them what the puppy needs to be exposed to!
I LOVE that idea!! Really a fantastic idea–i think all puppy classes should have this!
Sunshine was late (I got her at 11 weeks), Daisy I got as a puppy form WPHS. She is a boxer/akita and so I am GLAD we socialized as much as we did. I think it made all the difference. She doesn’t WANT to be petted by strangers but she isn’t freaking out either. She is saying, “Mom, don’t make me let them pet me!” So I don’t. but she can be taken anywhere and SHE will behave. Her big issue was things on wheels. We worked with that in Therapy Dog class and I got a young friend to ride all her wheeled things starting far away and moving closer as Daisy got comfortable. Now she’s ok as long as she sees it coming. She does NOT like it when skateboarders blow past her unexpectedly on Carson Street. What a great place to go for sights and sounds and all kinds of people. We walk through Riverfront Park to the Mall by the Hot Metal Bridge and then walk on Carson Street once everyone has had a nice long walk to relax them. Buses, trucks, people, construction, loud noises, sirens, lots of stuff.