Thinking About Getting a New Puppy? If you are thinking about getting a new puppy,
I recommend you carefully research the breeds and their respective history. Even if you are getting a mixed breed puppy, try
to learn as much as you can about the breed make-up. Dogs have been bred to perform various tasks over the years. Sporting
breeds have been bred to point, flush and retrieve birds. Herding dogs have been bred to round up farm animals. There are
also dogs that were bred to guard farm animals. Some dogs were just bred to be lap sitters! Whatever breed you get,
it helps if you know and understand breed traits. Perhaps you don't want a high energy dog whose whole mission in life
is to work. Maybe you want a high energy dog you can take hunting. A good place to start is by going to the American Kennel
Club website and researching recognized breeds there. You can also contact the national breed club for the breed you are interested
in. Or contact a professional trainer for additional help and guidance.
So you have a new puppy? One of my goals is to educate as many pet owners as I can about the importance of early puppy socialization.
Puppies are a clean slate when they are under 4 months of age. Between 7 weeks and 16 weeks, they are learning rapidly, and
have the best chance of adjusting to new sights, sounds, people, other dogs and situations. They also are learning bite inhibition.
It is extremely important your puppy learn how to inhibit the strength of his jaws while he is young. Any adult dog given
the right circumstances could bite. If your puppy learned to inhibit his bite, any damage as an adult will be limited. After
16 weeks, the critical socialization period is past. While you still need to socialize, the puppy is not as open to new situations
as before.
Sadly, statistics show
that more dogs are re-homed and even euthanized due to behavior problems than for any other reason. While it is hard to look
at a 3 month puppy and think he could develop serious behavior problems, it is actually highly likely without proper socialization.
A puppy that isn't socialized properly can develop fear issues resulting in aggression. They may become dog-dog aggressive
if they aren't around enough puppies at an early age. Your new puppy should be exposed to a variety of people, places,
noises, smells, surfaces and situations. The more you can do prior to 16 weeks, the better your odds you will have a well
adjusted adult dog. Many of the adult dogs I see in group classes or behavior consults have problems that could have been
completely prevented by properly socializing the puppy. If you get an older puppy or adult dog from a rescue group or the
shelter, you can assess the dog's behavior and decide if a particular dog is right for you. But if you do decide to get
a puppy, you are the one that can make a huge difference in what type of an adult dog he becomes. You can have lasting effect
on your puppy's destiny by ensuring he or she gets the appropriate socialization.
Socialization must be done carefully.
While you expose your puppy to novel situations, you must ensure he isn't scared. Let him approach new situations and
offer plenty of treats while he is being confident. Never force him to approach something if he isn't ready. You will
only teach him not to trust you to keep him safe. Try not to baby him or pick him up unless he is really scared. If he is
that scared, you just leave the area and try again another time. All socialization should be positive and fun for the puppy.
It is a lot
of work and takes a commitment of time to properly socialize a new puppy, but the payoff is well worth it. You will
have this friend for a long time; take the time in the beginning to help him be a confident puppy that can handle anything
he encounters as an adult. You will be very glad you did!
