When dogs get older, they decide what to trust and what not. The instinct to trust is based on the time they spent as wolves in the wild. As pack animals often forced to defend themselves in the wild, they used this trust to decide when to be friendly and when to show aggression. This distinction helped them survive for centuries, until they were finally domesticated and turned into friendly dogs.

Although they are pets, that instinctive trust still remains. As dogs age, they find out who/what they are supposed to trust and what is strange or strange to them, which requires aggression (growing up, attacking) or fear (running away or avoiding). For dogs, they usually figure out what to trust and what not to trust when they are puppies, and once they are older, they keep those opinions in mind.

Although there are many things in this world to fear for a stray or feral dog, a pet in your home has little to worry about, so make sure you teach your dog to get used to and trust other people and animals. early, before you have “established” what you trust in the world.

what to socialize

When you are ready to socialize, you should try to get your puppy used to everything you expect him to encounter in life:

o People (including friends, family, children, and strangers).

o Animals (Other dogs, cats, and any other animals in your home or outdoors)

o Things (motorcycles, bicycles, skateboards, and anything that moves)

Anything your dog might come across that moves could be something your dog doesn’t trust as he gets older, requiring him to socialize against those things at the youngest age possible.

how to socialize

Socializing is fun and easy, but it requires a lot of time and careful observation of your pup to avoid bad behavior.

o People – To socialize for people, you simply need people of all shapes, sizes, including genders, ages and breeds (if possible), to come into contact with your dog and show kindness and affection in both public and private settings. That means you have to entertain guests at your home, get your pup out of the house, and let lots of strangers (including kids) be friendly with your dog.

o Animals: Dogs can be a bit more complicated, but are still done the same way. Take your pup for walks to dog parks and popular dog spots and let him sniff and interact with other animals. You want to take care to make sure your pup doesn’t encounter too many dangerous animals, as a few bad experiences can set socialization back quite a bit, but the more dogs of all sizes you can introduce to your pup, the better.

o Things – Perhaps the most difficult aspect of socializing is the way your pup feels towards objects. Herding breeds may be especially prone to disliking motorcycles and skateboards, and since it’s dangerous (and difficult) for your dog to interact with a moving motorcycle, it may be difficult for you to properly socialize your pet. However, if you know of an area of ​​town where a lot of these moving items are being operated, if you can get your pup there early and provide him with various treats, socialization can still take place.

Socializing your puppy is very important. The sooner your dog learns to trust these people, animals, and objects, the better his behavior toward them will be in the future. As often as possible, you should take your pup to populated areas to give your dog the socialization he needs. Fortunately, you can also enjoy all the personal affection that is given to you by those who appreciate how cute and friendly your pup is.