Socializing

[sourjayne]

My puppy is approaching 16 weeks, which as I understand it is the end of his primary socialization period. I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do to socialize him that I haven't thought of.

He's well socialized to people of as many ages and ethnic backgrounds as possible, and dogs (we go to dog meetups, we have other dogs at home, puppy class, etc.), and cats, he's ridden the bus, been around loud traffic and construction noise, been around people dancing to (reasonably) loud music, even watched a little tennis. He's seen bicyclists, skateboarders, rollerbladers... Airplanes and helicopters fly overhead... he's even seen ducks. I did a little vacuuming the other day, he was alarmed but stayed in the room...

Is there anything common that I'm not thinking of, or anything in your experience you wish you'd socialized your puppy to?

 

[Doberluv]

anything you're going to want to do with him when he's an adult, do now; Baths, nail clipping, brushing teeth, having the vet and other strangers doing these things, "exams," visiting the vet's for just a happy social call. Keep doing all the stuff you've been doing. Socialization never ends. The intense work needs to be done by 14-16 weeks, but he still needs practice forever...sounds like you've done great so far. I've taken my dog up elevators, across grates in roads, of ferry boats, you name it. It's all good...just as long as it's made pleasant.

 

[poodlesmom]

Sounds like you are doing a great job getting your pup used to the big wide world! Doberluv gave you some great ideas. Here's a couple of other things I thought of. Walking on different surfaces that he might not face normally - take a tarp and lay it down and walk across it. Get him used to startling noises such as a pot lid falling on the floor. If the situation is available, being around people using wheelchairs, walkers, canes. Having someone else he's not normally around all the time (but who you trust) hold his leash while you go out of sight for a little bit.

At 4 yrs old I found out Farley was absolutely afraid of being outside at night when it was pitch black out. We have a light that goes on automatically at dusk so he had never been out without it. When I was having work done that light was temporarily disconnected. I had a terrible time getting him to go out even on lead. He was so afraid because he had never experienced it before and wanted no part of being out there. Being inside with it dark wasn't a problem as he was accustomed to that but outside was a completely different story.

 

[Doberluv]

Those are great ideas too Poodlesmom.

Wow...who would ever think that a dog would be afraid of the dark? But you're right....you never know what might come up sometime in the future. farley was never exposed to that and it was just something which made him uncomfortable. Did he ever get use to it?

 

[bubbatd]

Most of this is done with the breeder and litter .... Kudos for you for going further !! Any new experience is great for any dog ... any breed !!! I hope that the toy owners see this !!! Don't put me down .... but I feel toys are pampered too much .... owners hold them too many times .... let them on ground level to experience these things ! They quiver , shake and bark ?? Normal when they aren't used to it . BTW... the dropping of tin pan was one of my early puppy tests . By then time they " went home " it was a hohum noise.

 

[poodlesmom]

Doberluv, the funny thing is that he has no problem with it whatsoever at our summer camp. In fact when he was younger I had a "charm" that was a small red blinking light that I put on his collar when we were outside at night enjoying the campfire with all the lights off because with him being black I could never see him. It is so dark at night we always carry a flashlight if we need to leave the fire and make our way to the trailer because you can't see one foot in front of the other. So at camp he was used to it but home was a different story. That's why I was so surprised by his reaction at the house.

At home that light was out of commission for almost a week and each night I'd be on one end of the leash trying to walk him away from the house while he'd be pulling like the dickens trying to get back in the house. I honestly don't think during that week that he ever pottied once it got dark - he was really, really anxious to get outside as soon as my feet hit the floor in the mornings and this is the dog who loves to sleep in usually!

 

[sourjayne]

These are all good ideas, thanks everyone!

Bubbatd -- not sure about the toy owner comment, unless you just meant in general, since I am talking about a chihuahua puppy. I do make him walk, he gets quite excited about it (eventually) though it does take a bit of work. After a few blocks of walk/drag/walk/drag he finally starts bounding ahead and investigating every leaf and plant

The only time he quivers now is around children. He's terrified of them. But I'm working on it, and he's getting better. And he has only barked a couple of times, once at the ducks, another when some passersby walked too close to our picnic blanket at the park, and another at an old lady stopping us on the sidewalk. I think it was the white hair.

 

[Brattina88]

See if you can socialize him to the disabled - wheelchairs, crutches, the hard of hearing speaking, ect...
I fostered a dog who was absolutly terrified of this guy in a wheel chair. I don't think he ever saw one before.

The white hair gave me an idea, though you may have already done this. People with hats of all kinds. I fostered an American Bulldog who went crazy when my dad put on a hat, even if he was standing in front of her when he put it on. She would go crazy barking and growling, and even biting herself. Makes you wonder about their past before they get to me... I'm glad her future is bright with her new owners

Sounds like your doing a great job! You'll be glad when he's older and is able to go just about anywhere. That was my main concern when I got Maddie as the cutest little pup you've ever seen. Then again me and Maddie went on a walk last week and she started barking at a misplaced huge pink beach ball that was by the curb lol

 

[bubbatd]

Hope I didn't offend you !! You're doing a great job !!