Saving Relationships
Teaching Puppies To Be Dogs
By Margot K. Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ
Happy Spring! I want to save a really special relationship: the one you have or will have with a new puppy.
The majority of dogs surrendered to shelters and rescue groups are between the ages of five months and three years – about 3.3 million dogs annually. While many of them are relinquished because of human issues regarding cost of pet care or housing, a large portion also have behavioral issues.
Not all behavior issues are correctable, but a great many are with proper puppy socialization.
What is socialization? In a nutshell, socialization is positive exposure to a variety of experiences. Just like toddlers, puppies are naïve in the world and need to meet lots of people and animals, be exposed to different environments, hear different noises and more. Socialization with and by other dogs also teaches puppies appropriate behaviors and responses, a bit like when our human children start preschool, kindergarten or early elementary school.
And, just like little children, play and observation are great teachers of behavior to puppies.
A 2018 study at the University of Guelph found that one third or more of owners “failed to expose their puppies to enough social stimuli, including people and animals, during the first few months of life.” The researchers found that 51 percent of the owners surveyed failed to attend puppy classes and found significant differences in puppy behavior and owners’ disciplinary techniques between those who attended classes and those who didn’t. Not surprisingly, those that didn’t attend classes were more likely to be using non-positive training techniques.
Dr. Jason Coe, one of the study authors, noted, “Puppy classes aren’t just about obedience. They are about exposing your pet to other people and animals as well as educating pet owners.”
In addition to learning social skills, socialization also develops confidence and sets up patterns of behavior for a puppy to handle and approach new situations in the future. The truly critical window of socialization is the first three months of life – so no waiting for your puppy to be six months or older. And, if you got your puppy after that window, start as soon as you are able so they can catch up.
Well-socialized dogs are less likely to be hyperactive or fearful, to engage in undesirable destructive behaviors such as chewing on inappropriate items or to show aggression towards other people or pets.
So if you have or plan to get a puppy, make sure that you are budgeting time and money for puppy socialization classes, consult with your veterinarian on additional ways to socialize your puppy and invest the time needed during their first year to ensure that you have a good canine companion who can happily adventure anywhere with anyone without fear.
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit www.parkhillvet.com. A version of this column originally appeared in April, 2019.
Puppy Love
1. At parkhillvet.com – under Helpful Links, in the canine section, print out Dr. Sophia Yin’s Checklist for Socialization.
2. Dr. Yin’s book Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right is available via amazon.com or cattledogpublishing.com.
3. Visit beforeyougetapet.com
4. At ddfl.org – under Resources, access the behavior handouts on a variety of topics.