Helping Your Puppy Develop Into a Social Pet

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     A social dog makes a better companion. If he is friendly in the presence of strangers and their pets, you'll be able to spend more time with him, and expose him to a wider range of environments. But it is important to start the process of socialization when your pet is still a puppy. This is the time he'll begin to develop his first impressions of people and other animals. If he is exposed to bad experiences with them, his impressions will be negative, and difficult to alter down the road.

This article will first describe the circumstances that can make puppies feel afraid or unfriendly toward people. We'll then shift our attention to creating an environment in your home that your pup will find welcoming and comfortable. Lastly, you'll learn how to make him feel at ease around complete strangers and their pets.

How Owners Impede Their Dog's Sociability

In order to understand how puppies develop impressions of others, it's worth becoming familiar with how they are often mistreated. A lot of owners bring their new puppies home, and isolate them in a room. The intention is good; most owners want to make their pups comfortable and give them space while ensuring they don't escape and eliminate somewhere in the house.

However, the isolation begins to have an near-immediate effect on his impressions of people. Missing his mom and littermates, loneliness settles in, a feeling he associates to those few people in his young life. This is the reason it is critical to create a welcoming environment for him from the moment he steps into your home. This is essentially the first stage of his socialization training.

Creating A Welcoming Environment

When you bring your puppy home for the first time, give him space, and allow him to explore his new surroundings at his own pace. Don't isolate him in a room from which he is unable to leave. He'll likely be timid initially, but will become more adventurous as he learns to trust his new family.

It's important to spend time interacting with him in order to take his mind off his mother and littermates. Otherwise, he'll begin to feel lonely. Take care not to overwhelm him, however. Make sure he knows you and your family are there, but give him time to become accustomed to his new surroundings.

Keep in mind this stage in his life is crucial since he is still developing many of his first impressions of people. Keep loud individuals away from him to ensure he is protected from experiences that may prove frightening to him. He'll soon come to trust you and your family, and even seek you out for company.

Acclimating Your Pet To Strangers And Their Pets

During the first few weeks, coax your puppy into an area of your home where your family spends time together, and you receive guests. This might include your living room or kitchen. The purpose of doing this is to help your puppy become comfortable with people who are unfamiliar to him. He'll be able watch your guests arrive, spend time, and leave. This builds his trust, not only of your family, but of strangers, too.

Eventually, as your pup's comfort level increases, ask your friends who own sociable pets to bring them to your home. This will give your puppy exposure to other animals. He'll develop positive impressions early, which he'll carry with him throughout his life.

Enrolling Your Pup Into Professional Training Classes

A lot of professional dog trainers offer classes that specialize in puppy socialization. These classes focus less on training puppies to follow specific commands, and more on letting them enjoy the presence of other pups and their owners. This provides additional exposure to strangers and other dogs. The pups are usually allowed to play together in a supervised environment. They'll also have a chance to be petted and handled by the other owners. This further helps the puppy build a positive association with people.

Socialization can be valuable for dogs at any stage of their lives. The process is most effective, however, when it begins the moment your puppy is welcomed into your home.