Socializing must do's

[HayleyMarie]

What are your special socializing must do's? Or that you think is very important. I am beginning to start writing out a list of socializing extras that I must do with the pup.

- The sound of guns going off is a huge one.
- Getting used to be around and in the boat, and how to act properly in it.
- Getting used to ATV's and dirt bikes.

[Fran101]

- Getting puppy used to public transport (buses, subway, trains, noises)
- Getting puppy used to riding in the car/taxis
- Restaurants
- Malls, stores
- Pet stores
- Football games/sports events, ESPECIALLY Mascots and those kinds of things (Merlin still has problems with them)

[Toller_08]

Coming from the girl who overthinks and worries too much about absolutely everything: don't worry too much about socializing to what and where and who and how many times! It's important, but so many people stress about it. I know I did with Dance and even the Dobermans and if anything, as a result, I forced too much on them by accident probably. Any list of goals and ideas I had for Journ honestly got thrown out when I got her. Puppies all mature and grow differently. I didn't have time for lists LOL. And once she was home, they seemed pretty useless (for me).

I didn't specifically seek out certain things for Journey. I took her downtown, where there are weird statues, crazy people, costumed people, normal people, big people, small people, smelly people, clean people, construction, buses, trains, people yelling, bicyclists, roller bladers, skateboarders (yes, even in winter) etc. I gave her treats, played with her and just acted like it was normal, relaxed every day life. I took her on the bus (which is squishy, dark and cramped and full of people), to work (which really didn't IMO do a whole lot for exposure, but was just nice to be able to do), on the train, to the train stations, up escalators, in elevators, around other dogs I knew, to different peoples' houses, to my Dobe breeder's house (hectic, doggy, busy) and really I don't think I went out of my way to take her anywhere I wouldn't normally go. Mostly because downtown pretty much exposed her to all kinds of weird things anyway. Weird things are definitely important. Oh, and I didn't force her to interact with anything. People were a given since she's a people magnet and everyone feels compelled to touch the fluffy puppy, and she loves people too, but otherwise I just kind of had her around things without any direct interaction. And when she went through like three days where she was leery of people, I just tossed treats at her around people and told people to leave her alone and everything worked out super well and she's my most stable, do anything dog I've ever had.

The ideas you have are good ones if those are the types of things he's going to be around.

[Maxy24]

Running. In a house full of adults Tucker didn't see a lot of running, so I think if he's around kids in the future it'll be a problem. He gets super over aroused if someone runs in the house/yard.

[*blackrose]

The biggest thing I plan to do with Future Pup is get him used to gunfire. Mike goes shooting for recreational purposes, and Cynder is awesome with it all. I want to be able to bring Future Pup along, too, which means he can't be gun shy.

I'm also going to teach him how to properly ride in the back of a pickup truck, so if we take the dogs swimming/hiking in mud (LOL), I don't have a nasty, dirty dog sitting in my car or on my lap in the truck. (Cynder rides in the truck bed quite well.)

He will also be uber-socialized to a veterinary clinic setting. I work there, and he will likely be coming to work with me while we're potty training, unless Mike is home and wants to deal with him. lol So he will be used to the clinic, boarding, and grooming. I want him to be comfortable in the clinic setting and behave himself.

Being able to potty both on and off a leash. I don't want to have a dog that will only defecate/urinate when he is not on a leash (or only on a leash). That is annoying as all heck.

[Laurelin]

I don't worry too much. Just take them along as much as possible and take them to classes where they can learn that they can work through scary stuff. Mia's socializing was mostly on a college campus and of course you see odd hints there lol.

I am pretty lax and most the breeds I'm looking into dont do well with forced socialization. We just take it in stride and don't worry.

[sassafras]

Walking all over the neighborhood, something that Squash sometimes had to have a think about was lawn ornaments. Statuary especially.


ETA: Like others, I didn't really have a specific list but I just tried to take him as many places with me as possible and walk him all over the neighborhoods near home and work as much as possible. Taking slightly different routes each time so he wouldn't think the whole world was made up of that one familiar route.

He's also been almost continuously in some sort of class since he came home. Puppy class, obedience, agility "for fun", tricks class, lure coursing, rally... just anything to constantly keep him exposed to different people and dogs.

[Oko]

I'm mostly going to focus on just going places, having good experiences there, and learning how to adapt to new environments. I have a bunch of places and things I can think of, but we'll definitely miss some things.

However, things I've noted -
- People tickling/roughhousing/laughing real hard. It freaks Wes out, it's def on puppy's get-used to list.
- Sunglasses/hats/weird clothing. September should be good, we get a mix of weather.
- Public transportation. I do a lot of it, I want puppy to be chill.
- Sporting Events, see above.
- Stores/food places, learning to chill in them.
- Kids doing weird kid things like running and screaming.
- Weird surfaces, like gutters
- Cars/bikes/buses/trains/runners going by
- All sorts of dog breeds
- Being in crowds on the street

I am the super planner, I have files and documents on everything. Then puppy will come and it will all blow up in my face.

ETA: Oh, and totally getting used to being in someone else's house, overnight alone with someone else, and guests, zomg, no one came over to our house when Wesley was a puppy *headdesk*.

[Xandra]

-Being around other dogs

-Being around children

-Guests coming to the door and being in the house

-The mailman

-Being in crowds

-Being left alone in public places (i.e. if you have to run into the store to get a water)

-Car rides

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by Oko

ETA: Oh, and totally getting used to being in someone else's house, overnight alone with someone else

YES I so wish I had done this. Squash did not need to stay overnight anywhere until he was almost 2 years old, because we had taken him with us on all our vacations prior to that! He stayed at the neighbors, who he ADORES, and they still had to call me over to help them get him in their house before we left. He was fine after that but jebus I was slapping myself for that. I'm planning to send him on some overnights there and at the local boarding kennel I use just for a night here and there and get him used to it over the course of the summer.