Fall 2017 Saber Tails 57
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America
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uppies, Puppies, Puppies. Anyone on social media has noticed that there are quite a few new puppies out there right
now. Puppies make us happy, they bring smiles to our faces and they have a zest for life that we envy and aspire
to! While puppies are such a joy...they also represent some hard work ahead. Raising a puppy is like raising a child in
warp speed with a very condensed timeline. With so many people getting new puppies this Summer and Fall and more
people on waiting lists for their new furry family member, it seemed a good time to research the all-important topic of
Puppy Socialization. Do some research on your own as well! One thing that is obvious...there are a lot of different ap-
proaches to bringing up your new bundle of joy in the healthiest, safest and most well-adjusted manner.
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veryone agrees that socializing your puppy is imperative to the puppy’s emotional and mental development and
future success in life. But there is very little agreement as to the best method for socialization, the right timing and
whether or not it can be hazardous to your puppy’s health. Information is avail-
able online. Socialization programs are for sale. And ‘wive’s tails’ and legacy cliché
old-school beliefs can still be found readily when looking for advice. In fact, if you
ask breeders, behavioralists, longtime dog owners and people on the street about
socialization, you will get as many different theories as people you ask. For some,
the subject sounds as important as getting their newborn baby on a waiting list for
the ‘right pre-school’ and for many other pet owners, it is a new concept all together.
In an article published by the AKC, the author states that “socializing your puppy is
key to ensuring you’ll have a confident, happy and well-adjusted dog for life.” That
certainly sounds important. And I’m sure most of us can completely relate to the
reason the concept makes sense.
What is Socialization?
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ocializing means hanging out with friends after work for Happy Hour in the adult world. In the puppy dog world,
it truly has a broader definition. Socialization for puppies means exposing them in a safe way to all sorts of differ-
ing environments, sights, sounds, people, animals, experiences to teach them confidence and security. You are quite
literally shaping their ability to handle new and uncomfortable situations for the rest of their lives. Many people think
socialization means allowing their new bundle of joy to meet other dogs. That might be part of the equation, but we
need to stop thinking of this from a ‘human’ perspective. Socialization does not mean having your puppy learn how to
‘play well with others.’ That’s part of it. But building confidence is much more extensive than that.
When Should You Socialize Your Puppies?
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uppies have a window of time between roughly 7 weeks and 4 months some call the ‘sensitive period.’ (Even this
timeframe is debated among the experts, but all suggest erring on the conservative side and assuming the puppy
needs active socialization during the entirety of this time frame). During this period, puppies are learning what’s nor-
mal. They will experience fear but also will accept as normal anything with which they have a positive experience. One
dog trainer writes about this period of development, “It’s almost as if they develop a catalog of sights, sounds, smells
and experiences that fall under the heading of “safe.” As a special bonus, if the range of pleasant early experiences is
wide and varied, the puppy also seems to learn that “new” does not necessarily mean “scary.”
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lso agreed upon by most, is that this window of time is a once in a lifetime opportunity. After that window ‘slams
shut,’ an un-socialized dog can learn to accept new things but that comfortable acceptance of new situations will
not come naturally and in many cases will need to be taught.
The Importance of Puppy Socialization
Submitted By Tiffany Cannon