Socialization is Party Time!
Opportunity Barks™ Behavior & Training
By Leigh Siegfried, CPDT

Congratulations on your new puppy! This is an exciting time for you, and if you're like most puppy parents, you just want to get it right with your new pup. Properly socializing your new puppy now can have positive affects that last a lifetime! Socialization is allowing your dog to become familiar with other people, animals, places and things in everyday life. Well-socialized dogs tend to be confident and well adjusted, and are neither frightened by nor aggressive towards anyone or anything they would normally meet in day-to-day living.

"If a puppy is shielded from new experiences and people though, he'll likely grow up to be timid and possibly frightened of new things. Also, an under-socialized dog is more likely to react defensively around new people and in new situations and this is potentially dangerous. " K. Gorman

Opportunity Barks™ Behavior & Training is proud to offer our Free Puppy Socialization Parties to give you and your new puppy a safe place to socialize your pup to new people and puppies. Dogs under 5 months that have received their first two rounds of vaccinations are welcome. And there is a Professional Trainer on hand to answer any questions you have about your new pup. What's better than that?

Common Socialization Questions

What should I be exposing my dog to?

• New people: all sizes, genders and races. Kids too! People that move funny, are boisterous, etc.
• New places: car rides, the vet's office, shopping centers (lots of smells and people).
• New surfaces: grass, pebbles, sand, dirt, concrete, mulch.
• Nature: trails, rain, thunder, water.
• Handling: touching, grooming, examining teeth, ears, paws.
• Animals: friendly house cats, KNOWN friendly, social dogs and puppies.
• Confidence building stuff: equipment that moves, things that make noise.

How do I socialize my dog?
Plan trips to take your dog out- the pet store, the drive thru bank, dine al fresco, go to your local coffee shop and hang outside. Take plenty of awesome treats and say "good" and treat the dog when being admired, petted or exposed to anything new.
Ex: A person walks on stilts and talking loudly. Your dog looks at them "good" and treat! Yay! What a brave boy!

My puppy is already confident…
That's great too! Dogs are always changing and learning, so even the confident dog you see now, doesn't guarantee that your dog will be the same forever. Socialization is a preventative way to maintain confidence long term. It's still important whether your dog is a wallflower of the life of the party! Regardless of breed or temperament, socialization is imperative, especially for breeds described as "protective" or "aloof".

What if he's scared?
Good question, if the dog doesn't look like he's having a good time, he probably isn't : Don't force interaction that the dog is not comfortable with. And if he seems overwhelmed, give him a break or remove him from the environment.

Other dogs…
Often puppies are appropriately corrected by adult dogs. Adult dogs may growl, show teeth then air snap to communicate to the puppy- back off. Usually neither dog is hurt (other than their ego). So, expect that adult dogs will do this. And if the dog is truly aggressive, don't repeat that interaction. We recommend that pups experience supervised play in puppy parties, classes or dog daycare. We recommend that you DO not take a dog under 6 months old to the dog park. One traumatic event can forever effect their interaction with other dogs.

My dog is over 5 months old…
Great! That doesn't mean your dog is "done" of that socialization ends. Come out and take a class or visit the articles on our website to learn more about how you can continue to socialize your dog well into adulthood.

Come out and play! The time you put in now will forever shape your dog's behavior. Please call or visit our website for locations and information on our Puppy Social Parties. 888-OPBARKS or www.opbarks.com.

Leigh Siegfried is a Behavior Counselor and Trainer with Opportunity Barks™, offering private lessons, behavior consultations, group classes and workshops in Northern Virginia, DC and Philly Metro areas. Have a training question or want more information?
Visit www.opbarks.com or call 1-888-OPBARKS.