58 Saber Tails Fall 2017

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

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nder socialized dogs will often be shy and skittish.  And unfortunately, many shy and skittish dogs will learn that ag-

gressive posturing is just the behavior to ensure they are not forced into a situation they can’t control or know the 

outcome.  Over time many dogs will learn that the best defense is a good offense.  High quality socialization does not 

guarantee a behavioral problem-free life with your dog, but your odds of trouble go way down!

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t’s a good idea to discuss with the breeder of your puppy what they 

did early in life to begin the socialization process.  The breeder can be-

gin working on socialization concepts with puppies around 3 weeks old 

when their eyes first open and they become aware of the world outside 

the whelping box.

What Are the Risks of Socialization?

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nfortunately, your puppy’s prime time for socialization coincides with 

the timeframe when puppy is receiving vaccines and is not fully inocu-

lated against a list of very scary diseases.  The typical vaccine protocol in-

volves vaccines administered from six weeks to four months.  Puppies must 

be safeguarded against Parvovirus and other deadly diseases until at least 

one week after their final vaccine.  Traditionally, vets would recommend not exposing your puppy to other dogs and 

keeping your dog close to home until they had completed their vaccine regimen.  However, in recent years, their posi-

tion has changed dramatically.  According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, “Behavioral issues, 

not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age.”  Thankfully, our amiable 

PBGVs rarely exhibit such extreme cases of behavioral problems that they can’t be rehabilitated, but you can imagine 

how disastrous under-socialization could be with a dog such as a Tibetan Mastiff or Cane Corso.

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t is a good idea to avoid certain places frequented by other dogs until your puppy has completed his vaccines.  Dog 

parks, trails designed for dog walking, rest stops along the highway and other places 

designed for exercising dogs or other places where you see animal poop are best avoided.  

Truth be told, when we take a new puppy to the vet’s office we carry the puppy in and 

don’t let others in the waiting room too close.  It may be overkill, but sick dogs go to the 

vet.  It stands to reason there might be some nasty germs lurking in the nooks and cran-

nies.

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ut there are a lot of places you can take your puppy.  

Many new experiences they can see, smell and do 

without unnecessary risk.  

How Do You Socialize Your Puppy?

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t’s important to remember here that puppy socialization means exposure to a wide 

variety of unfamiliar experiences and not simply learning how to behave around oth-

er dogs.  Your puppy needs to have exposure to different types of people, places and 

things.  A list of the types of experiences you should facilitate for your puppy follows. 

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he most important part of this socialization period is that the puppy has a positive 

experience.  This is the time for a lot of rewards.  

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Tasty treats can help establish a positive association most of the time.  Boil some 

chicken and give small pieces in the presence of whatever it is you are introducing.  

You could also use training treats.  Don’t forget your puppy is quite small and not used 

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