Socialization
A puppy is not really well domesticated until he has been properly trained and socialized. If you do not see to his socialization, he could develop the problems at a later time. If the dog was badly or partially socialized, he becomes even more dangerous than a wild animal, because wild animals stay away from humans, whereas a domestic animal that is afraid or wounded will have a tendency to bite. Lack of socialization is the prime cause of a dog fearing other animals, neighboring dogs, humans, even the environment. Fear is one of the major causes of aggressive behavior in dogs.
A situation of aggressions is in the making when the subject is stuck in a restricted area, with no way out. For example, a dog is kept on a leash, in the bathroom, in the closet, a corner of your yard; a scared dog will find refuge under the couch. Such situations can occur as often for males as for females. Consequences of a defective socialization are irreversible, and confirm the importance of primary socialization in the evolution of the puppy. The ability of the puppy to adjust to his environment is directly proportional to the quality of the socialization that he gets. Consequently, many behavioral or relational problems will crop up during his development: excessive barking, defective sexual orientation, avoidance of certain stimuli or strange behavior in their presence, increased timidity, reduce learning capacity, social withdrawal, and an exaggerated sense of independence, or the opposite, overprotection of the master.
In a given situation, a soc ialized dog naturally prefers play to aggression or running away. Socialization involves continuous adaptation to an environment which constantly changes. A puppy must be exposed to everything he is likely to experience during his adult life and be sensitized to it. The more life experience a puppy has, the more appropriate his reactions will be to stressful situations. Bring your puppy on neighborhood streets, and let him encounter as big a variety of people as possible. Let him become accustomed to the various noises of the community, such as: vehicles, horns, sirens, anything which could potentially scare your dog. The experiences must always be on a positive and reassuring note.
Obedience training in which socialization is considered “top priority” will ensure that the puppy will be prepared to live in a human community. The puppy must have acquired socialization skills as soon as the age of two to four months.
It is always possible to socialize an older dog, but the process takes much longer and is referred to as “desensitization”. If the dog you wish to buy is older than four months, make sure that he was wells socialized. If for any reason the dog does not display proper socialization skills, Multivet has the tools to assist you to educate or re-educate your dog.
