Trainer Talk

SOCIALIZATION - the process of exposing your puppy to PEOPLE AND ANIMALS in such a way, that the result is a positive experience

HABITUATION - the process of exposing your puppy to various PLACES AND THINGS in such a way, that the result is a positive experience

Exposing your puppy to new people, places and things must be done purposefully, in a step-by-step manner, never using force. Since dogs do learn from each other, you might consider adding a well-balanced, confident dog to help with this. Realize that the more your dog is exposed to various situations the more confident he will become and the more manageable he will be as well. Since a dog's lifespan is so short compared to humans, consider the first 4 months of life to be more like the first 10 yrs of a human life. You can well imagine what a 10 yr old child would be like if he never left the kitchen or the yard and only met the family and a few of the neighbors! You must expose your puppy to what is referred to as a "dog a day", so to speak, and you must have them meet and mingle with hundreds of people, places and things in the early weeks. When planning on getting a new puppy, you will be wise to accept that you will need to tend to the puppy's needs quite a bit during these early weeks and you will need to put other things "on hold" for a while.. It's well worth it in the long run!

Be sure to check out this month's companion article by Dr. Ellen Leonhardt on Immunity

Understand that although we are talking about behavior and mental development in puppies, we also need to be concerned with the exposure risks to disease during these same vulnerable weeks. There are veterinarians who are quite adamant about NOT allowing your puppy to venture away from your home or your yard until all vaccines are completed. Other veterinarians are less strict and acknowledge that disease risk varies from low to high in different environments and they can be helpful in identifying the safest exposure risks without sacrificing your puppy's mental and emotional heath.

Read this new article written by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Please share print it and share it you're your own veterinarian.

The following will help you consider the possibilities of exposure so you can keep track of your puppy's progress.

Socialization

People

Animals

Habituation

Places

Odors

Things

Grooming

Sounds