The socialization of puppies is a key factor to them developing into well-mannered and balanced dogs. This applies whether you have a Livestock Guardian dog, Herding dog, or a Toy Companion dog like Havanese.
There are many aspects involved in socialization. It begins at a very early age by the breeder with things like scent, touch, sound, sight, and texture habituation, different kinds of food, people of all shapes, sizes, and ages, other animals especially dogs, also taking puppies to a variety of places both at home and in public.
Socialization should not stop when a puppy leaves the breeder’s home, however. The new guardian must continue it. A puppy introduced to young children when a few weeks old may not retain warm fuzzy feelings toward them if several months or years go by without any more contact with children. Life experiences need to continue and be built upon to be truly effective.
We make it a point to take our puppy Shiloh with us everywhere dogs are welcome, from the local brewery, feed, and hardware stores to the homes of friends and neighbors, even just walking along the main street of our small town.
Puppy socialization does involve forethought and effort, but it’s fun to get creative and watch your puppy mature! And it’s truly worth it when you have a stable, social dog that you can trust in practically any situation.
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