Socialization
What is socialization ?
It's not meeting every person and every dog you pass.
It's not bringing your puppy to the dog park to let them play.
Its not about only walking them around the block.
It's about carefully curating experiences that will expose your pup to new sights, sounds, smells, footing, etc, without overwhelming them, without teaching them that every person or dog they pass is their new best friend, and without letting their world be so narrow that they shy away from new experiences.
Socialization is about building a stable, confident, resilient dog.
Socialization, particularly within the crucial socialization period of 4 to 16 weeks, is about preparing your dog to handle the world around them. To be exposed to different sights, sounds, and experiences, and allow them to "practice" resilience.
Socialization can build on a great genetic temperament, creating a stable dog who's calm in crowds, who might startle at a loud noise but promptly recover, who's curious rather than cautious, wanting to explore the world.
Socialization can improve on a genetically poor temperament, allowing a shy dog to be more outgoing and a nervous dog to be more stable, but the most robust socialization plan won't "fix" a poor temperament. If your goal is a stable dog who can be a joy to bring along to patios, travel with, and join you on adventures, step one is choosing the right breed and right breeder.
Socialization with the Breeder
Long before the key socialization window opens at 4 weeks, great breeders have begun socialization and specific exercises to promote resilience, stability, and comfort being handled.
Puppies are handled daily to ensure they are thriving, they are weighed daily (or twice a day), their nails are trimmed regularly, eyes and ears are checked, etc. Many breeders introduce Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) beginning at day 3 and continuing daily until day 16. This period of growth is believed to be a time of rapid neurological development.
ENS was developed by the US Military to improve the performance of future working dogs. Puppies are handled one at a time while performing a series of five exercises. The breeder completes all 5 exercises with one puppy before moving on to the next.
Tactile Stimulation - using a Q-tip to tickle the pup between the toes on any one foot
Head held erect - using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground so that its head is directly above the tail.
Head pointed down - holding the pup firmly with both hands, the head is reversed and pointed downward.
Supine position - holding the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with muzzle facing the ceiling.
Thermal stimulation - using a damp towel that has been cooled in the fridge, the pup is placed on the towel feet down
Each of these exercises lasts 3 to 5 seconds.
Throughout your future puppy’s development, great breeders are actively working to safely and appropriately socialize them. Baby puppies should be meeting a variety of people (kids, seniors, beards, hats, etc), other household dogs, walking on a variety of surfaces, being exposed to new sounds and sights (all while practicing appropriate biosecurity).
Programs like Puppy Culture can be a great guide for breeders, helping them make the most of the socialization period. Although we use and love Puppy Culture, I'd never consider it a red flag if a breeder didn't. While my mentors may not specifically follow Puppy Culture, they are doing a fabulous job of safely socializing their pups, and have been long before Puppy Culture existed. It isn't about using a certain program (or not), it's about being fully dedicated to giving pups the best start possible, in health, nutrition, early training, and socialization.
Socialization at Home
Once you bring your puppy home, it's your responsibility to continue their socialization- for their whole life, but particularly until the end of that first, key, socialization window. Just like with the breeder, socialization in a puppy has to be balanced with safety. There's no one right answer. Different homes will have different risks in their areas. Some local parks may be appropriate for a walk, some may not be.
Absolutely avoid any dog park or high dog traffic area until vaccines are complete (and maybe forever, many dog parks are not appropriate places to take your dog), but absolutely do not wait until vaccines are complete until you begin socialization!
Get your puppy out in crowds (farmers market? Garden center? Dog show as a novice puppy?), get your puppy around a variety of people (friend's homes with no dogs or fully vaccinated adult dogs? Nursing home visit with permission? Cub scout meeting?). Get your puppy out around sounds (car show? Skatepark?) Get your puppy out. Every day.
When I have a new pup we go on an adventure every day. Maybe it's a conservation area that has metal steps for new footing, maybe it's hanging out at the skatepark to hear the noise of skateboards and kids shouting, maybe it's to walk through a garden center and walk on gravel, sniff different plants....every day, something new.
Before the Cabin in the Woods pups went home, they went to the auto shop my husband works at to chill in my car while listening to loud machines. They went to visit a friend's elderly dog-loving mum and milled around her walker and toddled around her basement. They went to a friend's studio for a photoshoot.
Right from 3 weeks old, every day they had a new experience. A new toy in their pen, a new obstacle to climb, an introduction to water, etc.
What Socialization Is and Isn’t
As you head out with your pup, remember that socializing is about being calm and curious, and being exposed to new sights, sounds, and smells. It isn't about meeting every person or dog. Meeting people it great! (And super important) But being around new people and not greeting everyone is also important!
Learning to focus on you when there are distractions lays the foundation for a sport dog who can focus in a crowd, or a pet dog who is calm and relaxed on a patio.
I'm a firm believer in NO on leash meetings with other dogs. Too many random dogs in public are unfriendly or unstable. On leash greetings prevent dogs from exercising normal body language and can create problems. And I very much do not want my dog pulling towards every dog we pass. Meet your friends' stable dogs in their yard or yours. Meet up at safe off leash areas (not off leash parks that too often are a free for all) for playtime.
Socializing a puppy is a big responsibility and is also so much fun. So many tiny adventures with your new best friend. Have a plan, have fun, and set your pup up to be your adventure buddy for the rest of their life.
