Whether you bring home a brand-new, wiggling lump of a puppy or an older, more mature dog, don’t overlook the importance of socializing your dog. Well-socialized dogs make better all-around pets, as they are more accepting and have less fear of the world around them.
A socialized dog will still be appropriately protective. Many owners of large breeds, known for their protectiveness, want their dog to be not only a good pet but also a source of protection for the home and family. As part of their pack family, dogs will naturally want to protect their home and family. Even if (hypothetically speaking) your dog wasn’t particularly fond of you, he would still protect the home because that is his source of safety and food. Thus, socializing the dog will not prevent him from warning of danger or disallowing the entrance of a stranger while you’re not home. He will do his job, no matter what.
An unsocialized dog will be more likely to threaten the neighborhood dogs (or at least sound like he will) and prevent friends and relatives from entering the home. An unsocialized pup is less likely to accept a new baby or allow children to visit. Additionally, an unsocial dog is not going to show behaviors that would make it acceptable for you to leave the house and take him out into the world. Un-socialized dogs may require tranquilizers just to go to the vet’s office. There are numerous issues that unsocialized dogs have, each of which makes them harder to own, more hazardous to those around them, and less lovable in the long run. Unless you plan to never take your dog anywhere, skip all his routine vet visits, and never provide him with proper medical care (in which case, quite frankly, you should just own a goldfish instead of a dog), you will need to socialize him, regardless of his age, size, or status.
Socializing Your Dog Safely
The only cautionary factor to this socialization concept is the Parvo virus. Parvo, which can live in the ground, is quite costly to treat, and has only about a 50% chance of being effectively treated, should be avoided at all costs. Puppies should not be actively socialized until after they have received their Parvo virus vaccination, which is usually around 12 weeks of age. Before then, you can invite people over to your house, with their dogs if their dogs pose no threat, and introduce your pup to visitors coming in and out of your home. This is an excellent idea even after outdoor socialization has begun, as it teaches your dog proper manners when guests enter and helps him avoid becoming overly protective of those who enter his home.
Socialization can take place in many forms. You can take your dog out and about and let it happen naturally, which it definitely will if he is as cute as a button, like most floppy-eared puppies are. You can also take weekly trips to the park or, better yet, the dog park, or enroll him in puppy school. Any of these methods can provide your dog with a healthy dose of social experiences to help him develop his personality. The main goal is to get him around new humans, new dogs, and, if possible, a few cats to learn how to be a good friend to those around him.
Don’t mistake socializing your dog with randomly dropping him off at the puppy park while you go off to chat with new friends. While meeting new friends will be an additional bonus for you, the puppy park is a chance for your dog to learn proper puppy etiquette, which includes refraining from mounting, stealing other dogs’ toys, pawing people into a muddy mess, and urinating on other dogs (a sign of dominance). Being a good pet owner means staying involved with your dog, even while he’s romping and hopefully playing nice and making new friends.
Don’t forget to bring a pooper-scooper bag to the puppy park or other public areas. There is a two-fold method to creating a socially acceptable dog, and leaving his droppings laying around for an unsuspecting foot to step in just isn’t cool. You need to be as socially acceptable as your dog.
Finally, part of the importance of socializing your dog is teaching him how to relate to other dogs in their own language. Unless the other dogs are getting rough, don’t intervene too quickly. Most other dogs will tolerate a lot from a puppy, but it is okay for them to let him know when he’s pushed their limits. Naturally, you don’t want your dog to get hurt, but you also don’t want to turn him into a “princess.” Not to mention that other dog owners will usually intervene if their dog is the one out of line.
The importance of socializing a dog is so high that, whether young or old, it helps to shape his personality. While he will still want to keep his home and family safe, he will be less likely to become a nuisance as events in your life change. He wants to be a good guy, but he needs your help in understanding the ground rules.
