Socialization is the way a dog sees the world, and a dog needs proper socialization to thrive in a human world.
A dog with good socialization sees the world as a fun and safe place. He sees people as friends and other dogs pose no threat to him. He is indifferent to sounds and things around him and enjoys his life and the person he calls his.
Dog owners often mistake play for socialization. Socialization is not the same as play, although play can be an important part of socialization.
In The Dog Vinci Code, John Rogerson , a well-known British canine behaviourist, defines socialization as learning how to behave appropriately around people and dogs . It involves exposing your puppy during the first sixteen weeks of his life—before he develops a fear of new things—to as many stimuli as possible that he will likely encounter later in life. Your puppy needs to learn how to interact appropriately with other dogs, how to accept physical confinement and brief periods of isolation, how to ride in the car, how to accept being handled by you and other people, how to cope with unique environmental conditions where you live (such as neighbourhood noises, sights and smells) and how to deal with unique family situations ( babies and the elderly, medical equipment and pets of other species).Every socialization experience should be short, pleasant and puppy-appropriate.
Important Socialization Periods of a Puppy’s First 16 Weeks
Canine Socialization period ( 3-7 weeks) is when your dog learns the species-specific behaviours that make him a dog. Through interaction with mother and litter-mates, the pup learns the body language, facial expressions and vocalizations of canine communication. It’s important that puppies remain with their litter-mates for this entire period.
Human Socialization period (8-12 weeks) is the time during which the pup must be socialized with a variety of people and new experiences. Lack of socialization during this period results in neo-phobic dogs –frightened of “the new”: people, places, objects, and activities. This is the ideal time for play with other puppies – with the understanding that puppies need rest and can become over stimulated. A sub-set of the Human Socialization Period, is Fear Impact period (8-11 weeks) a time when painful, traumatic experiences can have a lasting effect.
Seniority Classification period ( 13-16 weeks) is an important pre -adolescent period when puppies develop self confidence. During this time puppies work through a variety of interactive issues such as learning bite inhibition.
It is important that socialization takes place during the early stages of the dog's emotional development, the first 16 weeks of his life. Past that point, the effects of lack of socialization can only be reversed through special training (behaviour modification training) .
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