Puppy socialization, Training a friendly puppy

What is socialization?
In the words of Dr. Ian Dunbar, PhD, founder of the Association for Pet Dog Trainers and author of How To Teach A New Dog Old Tricks:

“Socialization is the developmental process whereby puppies and adolescent dogs familiarize themselves with their infinitely varied and ever-changing social and physical environment.”

This means that any person, animal, or situation you want your puppy to calmly accept as an adult dog, you must first get him comfortable with as a puppy. How do you do that? By arranging positive encounters. Treats, praise, play, and fun can make your puppy love garage doors, strangers with sunglasses, kids on skateboards, even the vet.

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Q. Why do I need to socialize my puppy? She already loves the world.
A. Don’t be fooled. Puppies are happy-go-lucky for the first 3–6 months of their lives, but they can become fearful of and growly around everything from the mail carrier to toddlers if you don’t actively prevent it.

Q. What happens if I don’t socialize my puppy?
A. Under-socialization is the primary reason dogs develop behavior problems like aggression and fearfulness.

Q. Why the urgency? Can’t I do this later?
A. Socialization is a lifelong project, yes. But the all-important groundwork must happen in the first 3 months of your puppy’s life. After that, the critical window of socialization closes—around the time when, in nature, the dog would have to start fending for himself.

Puppy Socialization