Puppies and People
Now that your puppy has settled into his new home and family, he needs to be introduced to as many different types of people as possible. Being unfamiliar with someone’s appearance or a new place can be intimidating for your puppy, so help him build the confidence he needs to cope with in our world.
Socializing your puppy
In addition to integrating your puppy into your home life, it is vitally important that your puppy learns how to be friendly and sociable with other people and animals he may meet, and not just other dogs. Socialization is an ongoing process that is not just confined to puppy classes, but starts as soon as you bring your puppy home and introduce him to your family and any pets you may already have. Puppies have to make a sudden transition from the familiar comfort and security of their first home with their mothers and littermates and face the unfamiliar sights and sounds of their new environment. Some puppies may be confident and others may be shy, but, whatever their nature, they are all highly inquisitive. By exposing your pup to lots of new situations and unfamiliar people of all ages, and to other animals, you can make sure he develops the confidence he will need to live in our human environment.
While the puppy is still very young is the time to take steps to prevent any socialization problems from occurring. You should take every opportunity to introduce your puppy to as many different people (and places—see Exploring the Big Wide World) as possible. Let your puppy meet people of all ages, occupations, and racial groups, so that he doesn’t become intimidated by, or aggressive toward, anyone with whose appearance he is unfamiliar.
If you allow many different people to handle your puppy in gentle and calm ways, he will be relaxed and comfortable and will think of them as friends.
Getting comfortable with people
You should include older people using walking sticks and walkers, people in wheelchairs, people wearing glasses, and people in uniform, such as police officers, fire fighters, and soldiers. Introduce your puppy to the mailman and ask him to give your puppy a treat. Then, instead of barking and growling when your puppy sees him, your dog will think he is good news and greet him like an old friend.
Motorcycle riders and other people who wear helmets can seem particularly disturbing to older dogs that haven’t been exposed to them when they were puppies. A dog could find it rather unsettling when the person suddenly removes the helmet—the animal thinks they’ve taken their head off! A baby in a backpack can also seem strange to a puppy. They do not always see this as two separate individuals—an adult and an infant—but as a strange alien being with two heads! So make sure your pup sees both as often as you can.
Encourage different children to make a fuss over your puppy. Tell them to stroke the chest or the side nearest to them, rather than starting with the head and back, which the puppy could find threatening.
Meeting children
It is especially important that your puppy has plenty of contact with children. Many puppy classes encourage dog owners to bring along their own children, or relatives’ children, to class to meet the other young dogs. But it is also important that your puppy gets used to seeing children in his own home. If there are no children in your family, encourage relatives, neighbors, and friends to bring their children for a visit. Encourage the children to stroke the puppy gently and give him treats. This ensures that the puppy doesn’t develop a fear of children, which, in turn, reduces the risk that the puppy will bite, even in play (a process known as “bite inhibition”—see Bite Inhibition). There will then be far less chance that the dog, when older, becomes frightened in the presence of a child. If the children are old enough, encourage them to tell the puppy to “sit” before playing (see Sit). This helps keep the child in control and also reinforces the puppy’s training.
PUPPY TIP: TREATS
Keep a jar of your puppy’s favorite treats by the front door for times when children come to call. Encourage the children to give your puppy a treat and stroke him. Your puppy will soon learn that children are good news and will look forward to meeting them, rather than shying away.
If your puppy doesn’t meet children on a regular basis, you could put him on a leash and take him to your neighborhood park or school at play time (you may have to ask the school authorities for permission) and stay in the background with your puppy, letting him watch the children coming and going. The children don’t need to stroke the puppy, although as long as you approve and supervise, they can if they wish. If necessary, he can just watch them from a short distance. The important thing is just to let the puppy see the children and get used to the way they look and sound so that your pet does not get frightened or overexcited when seeing a child.
Teach your children to handle the puppy correctly, so that he feels secure and at ease whenever he is around them.
Play sessions
Dogs are naturally social—and sociable—animals, so it is important that they have the opportunity to interact with one another on a regular basis. Most puppy classes include play sessions when the puppies can run around freely to meet the other pups and join in a little “rough and tumble.” To avoid problems it is important that the play sessions are kept tightly controlled—remember, even puppies can cause injury to themselves and other pups if things get out of hand. If there are a large number of puppies in the class, it is a good idea if only a few puppies are let off the leash, at least in the initial stages. If the small and/or nervous puppies are released first, it will allow them the time and freedom to explore the room at their own pace and help them to lose some of their anxiety and shyness, and not get bowled over by the larger and more exuberant puppies!
If any of the puppies become too boisterous, the owners should go to their pups and spend a few moments calming them down, if necessary putting them on the leash for a short “time out.” Once you have taught your puppy behaviors such as “Sit”, “watch me”, and “
Children should only approach and play with dogs if they have the owner’s permission and supervision.