The Importance of Socialization and Positive Training Methods
Socialization in those early formative months plays a critical role in the training of a confident puppy who will respond positively to humans. Healthy puppies are naturally playful and curious about the world they live in. The more experiences they are exposed to, the more ‘educated’ they become. A socialized puppy is a confident puppy who feels good about himself. He trusts his human and enjoys learning new things. A well socialized puppy will be more likely to learn what is accepted and normal and be able to discern good from bad and right from wrong.
Puppies who live in isolation or hunger feel a sense of hopelessness and grow up to be unresponsive and shy. Sheltered puppies who see only the backyard or the inside of a garage will have very few learning experiences by which to measure the world. Any new thing becomes frightening to them.
Assistance dog training centers realize the value of socialization and place their puppies in ‘puppy walker’ homes to lay the foundation for learning. These dogs accompany their foster ‘parents’ everywhere in daily life, learning about people, places, and things before their formal training ever begins.
Positive training methods produce a more responsive animal. Puppies who are pushed into frightening situations or terrorized and corrected harshly by misguided owners learn fear. They cope with their fear in the only way they know – by running away or fighting back. Fearful puppies grow up to be shy dogs and/or biting dogs. Of course breed and heredity play a part and some dogs are just naturally more shy than others. Yet gentle socialization can help even these dogs develop to their full potential.
Ways to Socialize Your Puppy
Your puppy wants to be with you and feels more confident at your side. Take him with you whenever weather and circumstances allow. Remember to secure him safely in your vehicle and, on warmer days, don’t forget the risks of heatstroke.
Introduce him to all kinds of people – men, women, children, people in uniforms, people wearing hats or caps, etc. Let him see different kinds of animals like horses, pigs, and turtles. Show him different vehicles like boats, buses and motorcycles. Allow him to feel grass, mud, concrete, wood, carpet, and tile surfaces under his feet. Let him hear an array of sounds like car horns, hoof beats, power tools, a baby’s cry, and people singing.
Provide him plenty of opportunities to take in various scents from the city as well as the country. Take him to puppy obedience classes where he can meet other dogs and people. Take him with you to a parade. Play games with him like ‘ball’ or ‘hide n seek’. Handle his ears, feet, and teeth, put doggy clothes on him, run with him over an obstacle course.
Do all of these things regularly but remember to allow him to investigate at his own pace and at his own comfort level. Ignore or redirect wrong behavior but praise him when he does well. Remain consistent and tell him often what a good dog he is. Talk to him in a cheerful, confident manner and let him know that he can always trust you to be kind to him and keep him safe.
Your puppy will respond with joy and enthusiasm, creating a strong bond of love and trust with you.
Related Reading:
Training Puppies: Puppy Development
Training Puppies: Socialization
Puppies and Intestinal Parasites
