As your children move from toddlers to Pre-Kindergarten, you make special efforts to see that they have time with other children and adults. That is, you want to socialize them so that they can live cooperatively in the world as they get older. Well, it is important that you do the same thing with your puppy.

Hopefully, your breeder, humane society, or rescue league provided initial socialization. The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine states that socialization most easily occurs before a puppy is 3 months old.

Now that the puppy has come to live at your house, it is your responsibility to continue that social training. Socialization includes meeting other people and pets. Invite over your friends and their well-behaved canines or felines. Make sure the experience is supervised and fun. A bad experience in early socialization can lead to later fears and possibly aggressive behaviors.

You can also take your puppy to a place where there will be other people and pets - like a trip to the park, the lake, or the beach. Or, take the puppy on a visit. This accomplishes two objectives: getting him used to riding in the car as fun not just a trip to the vet and meeting other people and animals.

You should also use this critical time to introduce puppy to various sounds and sights. He should have chance to explore new areas and be exposed to sound making objects like vacuum cleaners. Always provide encouragement and praise as your puppy learns about the world.

Two precautions: Do not do too much at one time. Rather, provide the opportunity for frequent but brief exposures to new people, pets, and events.

Second, do not let the exposure become an unpleasant experience. If the introductions are not going well, you should remove the puppy and offer him the comfort and security of your presence, only.

Posted by Barbara.