What some people fail to realize is that socialization of a dog isn’t an option. It’s a requirement. A lot of strange puppy behavior stems from a lack of proper socialization that only generates fear, aggression, or fear-aggression from things that aren’t threatening at all. This article therefore expands on the importance of socialization just so there’s no doubt left about the topic at all.

An unsocialized dog will demonstrate aggression, anxiety, and fear of other animals, situations, and people. The only familiar territory that an unsocialized dog may have access to is its own backyard. And even though that may be where a dog spends the majority of its time, it will cause problems when it inappropriately reacts to things outside of that yard: the vet, a loud car motor, or blaring radio music for example.

Such dog behavior demonstrates why it’s important to introduce a puppy to new experiences. Near home, you can introduce the new sounds of the vacuum cleaner, the television, radio, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and outside appliances (lawn mower, trimmers, etc.). Let the puppy experiment walking on carpet, linoleum, tile, dirt, stone, cement, and brick. The idea here is to safely reduce unnecessary fears and teach appropriate reactions to things the puppy may encounter on its own anyway.

Puppies are naturally fearful of some things which is a survival instinct. Healthy fear can actually prevent a puppy from entering a dangerous situation. Your job as a dog owner is to teach the puppy what is threatening and what is not. Since dogs can pick up on our emotions and emulate them as their own, it’s best not to act fearful when confronted with things that aren’t threatening. If you and your dog are attending a carnival for instance, and the two of you are surprised by a clown that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, laugh, interact, and have fun with the silly thing. A fearful reaction will inevitably give your dog a disorder that’s normally reserved for people: a clown phobia!

You can reduce a puppy’s fear of people (not just clowns) by ensuring it’s gently handled at a young age. Throughout its entire life, the dog will need grooming, medical exams, and a handler if it will compete in agility sports, obedience competitions, or conformation shows. It won’t cooperate with these people very well if it’s not used to people touching it or telling it what to do. Even if you don’t have children in the home, the dog will encounter them some time in the future so it’s in your best interest to introduce your puppy to kids early on as well.

Try to arrange a play date or two if you don’t have kids. A small group of children is fine since a large group may be overwhelming and upset the puppy to the point of fear or aggression.

This activity will acclimate your puppy to the sometimes, clumsy nature of children, and it help prevent attacks. The children that your puppies meet must be well-behaved and understand why rough housing or excited movements and sounds can be upsetting. Explain that they shouldn’t pick the puppy up or carry it around, or play with it while it’s trying to eat.

And never leave children and puppies alone together. The potential for a fear or aggressive based puppy behavior is just too great.

Vaccinated puppies can socialize with other dogs and people in a safe environment. At 17 weeks of age, they can safely take neighborhood walks, trot about a beaches, accompany you on dog-friendly shopping outlets, and play at quiet parks as long as you keep them away from public dog potty areas. And you can lessen separation anxiety by leaving the puppy with an entrusted neighbor, family member, or kennel for short periods of time. You won’t be around your dog all the time and teaching it that little fact is best achieved at a young age. The puppy will learn soon enough that even though you disappear at times, you’ll always come back and there’s really no need to throw a temper tantrum.

Another thing that you need to train your dog for is walking on a leash. Puppies don’t like leashes or collars, but they’ll get used to them over time. The first time that you put a collar on your puppy, it’ll probably try to remove it. Get the puppy used to the collar by forcing it to wear it in gradual intervals. Leave the collar on for only 10 minutes one day and then leave it on for 15 the next. Continue in this fashion until the puppy tolerates wearing the collar for an entire day.

After the puppy seemingly tolerates the collar, attach a leash and work on leash training. You don’t want to try and control the puppy at this point. Let the dog freely walk about (while on a leash) just so it will get used to having something extend from around its neck.

If you have other pets in the home, you’ll need to monitor how the puppy interacts with them. Cats for example, are natural curiosities for puppies, but quite simply, cats don’t like dogs and they’ll hiss, growl, and scratch a puppy if it refuses to leave them alone. You’ll have to intervene inappropriate behavior and keep the puppy separate from other pets when you’re not around to watch it. When you notice your puppy "harassing" the other pets, leash it and give the "leave it" command. Gently tug the leash to bring the puppy back from the other animals each and every time a conflict occurs. If the events get overwhelming, consult a professional trainer.

You would think that a puppy and an older dog would get along automatically, but that’s not always true. An older dog will be just as curious about a puppy as a puppy is about an older dog. But the elder of the two will not appreciate nor tolerate inappropriate puppy behavior. In almost all cases, the older dog will discipline the puppy when it demonstrates behaviors that don’t follow dog laws.

To convey submission, the puppy should lick the older dog’s face, lay on its back, expose its belly or even pee. If none of these things happen, the older dog may assert its dominance in unusual ways just to get the point across that it’s the alpha dog – not the puppy. Don’t be alarmed at what you witness. Establishing rank is an important part of dog behavior and sometimes, the young’uns need to be put in their places. You need only be concerned if the discipline results in biting and injuries. Seek professional training if this happens in your home. Of course if professional training fails, you may need to return the puppy from where it came from.

You can increase the probability of an amicable relationship between a puppy and older dog by making sure you don't lavish all the attention on the new guy. If you continue to "praise" a the puppy for doing absolutely nothing other than sitting pretty, it could offend the older dog since its already established that the puppy is a lower ranking creature that doesn’t particularly deserve all the fawning it gets. Give the older dog just as much attention (if not more) and both dogs will work out the appropriate ranks all on their own. That is, under your supervision of course.

You should never leave a puppy along with an older dog. In an effort to discipline a younger dog, an older dog may injure a puppy. When you must leave the home, crate the puppy to not only protect it, but also to keep your home intact. Even if your older dog leaves your puppy safe and sound, the two of them left alone to chase each other around the house will simply tear a happy home into a disheveled mess!

A list of dogs that may need extra help with socialization training:

· Shiba Inu

· Siberian Husky

· Australian Cattle Dog

· Beauceron

· Belgian Shepherd Dog

· Bergamasco

· Berger Picard

· Berger des Pyrenees

· Border Colllie

· Bouvier des Flandres

· Briard

· Cardigan Welsh Corgi

· English Shepherd

· German Shepherd Dog

· Ainu

· Akita

· Alaskan Klee Kai

· American Eskimo Dog

· Canadian Eskimo Dog

· Chinese Shar-Pei

· Chinook

· Chow Chow

· Eurasian

· Finnish Lapphund/Swedish Lapphund

· Finnish Spitz

· Giant Schnauzer

· Louisian Catahoula Leopard Dog

· Mudi

· Pembroke Welsh Corgi

· Polish Lowland Sheepdog

· Pumi

· Shetland Sheepdog

· Standard Schnauzer

· Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

· Chesapeake Bay Retriever

· Cocker Spaniel

· German Wirehaired Pointer

· Gordon Setter

· Irish Red and White Setter

· Irish Water Spaniel

· Kooikerhondje

· Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

· Iceland Dog

· Jindo

· Kai

· Karelian Bear Dog

· Lundehund

· Sussex Spaniel

· Weimaraner

· Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

· Akbash Dog

· American Bulldog

· Anatolian Shepherd Dog

· Appenzeller

· Bernese Mountain Dog

· Black Russian Terrier

· Bullmastiff

· Cane Corso

· Caucasian Ovcharka

· Central Asian Shepherd Dog

· Doberman Pinscher

· Dogo Argentino

· Dogue de Bordeaux

· Estrala Mountain Dog

· Fila Braileiro

· Great Dane

· Greate Pyrenees

· Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

· Hovawart

· Kangal Dog

· Komondor

· Kraski Ovcar

· Kuvasz

· Leonberger

· Maremma Sheepdog

· Mastiff

· Neapolitan Mastiff

· Owczarek Podhalanski

· Presa Canario

· Rottweiler

· Sarplaninac

· Slovac Cuvac

· South Russian Ovcharka

· Tibetan Mastiff

· Tosa Ken

· Beagle

· Bluetick Coonhound

· Afghan Hound

· Borzoi

· Canaan Dog

· Carolina Dog

· Chart Polski

· Greyhound

· Italian Greyhound

· Pharoah Hound

· Rhodesian Ridgeback

· Stottish Deerhound

· Sloughi

· Thai ridgeback

· Xoloitzcuintli

· Airedale Terrier

· American Pit bull Terrier

· American Staffordshire Terrier

· Australian Terrier

· Bedlington Terrier

· Border terrier

· Bull Terrier

· Fox Terrier

· German Pinscher

· Glen of Imaal Terrier

· Irish Terrier

· Jack Russell Terrier

· Jagdterrier

· Lakeland Terrier

· Manchester Terrier

· Miniature Bull Terrier

· Miniature Schnauzer

· Norfolk Terrier

· Norwich Terrier

· Rat Terrier

· Scottish Terrier

· Sealyham Terrier

· Silkey Terrier

· Sky Terrier

· Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

· Staffordshire Bull Terrier

· Teddy Roosevelt Terrier

· Welsh Terrier

· West Highland White Terrier

· Affenpinscher

· Bichon Friese

· Brussels Griffon

· bulldog

· Chihuahua

· Chines Crested

· Dalmation

· Lhasa Apso

· Lowchen

· Maltese

· Miniature Pinscher

· Papillon

· Pekignese

· Peruvian Inca Orchid

· Pomeranian

· Miniature and Toy Poodle

· Schipperke

· Tibetan Spaniel

· Tibetan Terrier

· Yorkshire Terrier

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