Puppy Socialization

Puppy socialization is a very important period, where the puppy receives an intense learning that will allow him to integrate completely within his new environment. It's important to understand that the puppy is going to get some knowledge that will permit him to have a normal behavior when facing all kinds of situations. During this period, the influence of the external environment is the most important. The puppy that has had no contact with other puppies, animals or human beings, will be afraid, with no self-confidence. He will be not apt for education, cause he will be unable to communicate or hearing an order.
Primary and Secondary Socialization: Primary socialization, that is contacting others, allows a secondary socialization, where life's rules are imposed. An authentic social relation with the owner can take place then. Therefore a puppy must not be separated from his litter before seven weeks. Breeders must be conscious of this. Frequently, a person buys a puppy after socialization period, and has no means for an immediate control, to know if that period has been positive or negative for the animal. It's proven that puppies correctly socialized and handled frequently by men before seven weeks, are stronger, physically and psychological, than others, and have few conduct problems. Contact with humans has to be numbered, cause it is also not good for the puppy to feel suffocated by them. In first place, the puppy will understand which is his own specie; then he will start identifying all dogs as his congeners. Then he will start learning how to communicate with them, to recognize friendly or hostile signals. This will allow him to control and adapt his reactions according to the interpretation he gives to the different situations. So he will find a place within the group, that at the beginning will be formed by his mother and brothers. Later on he will find a place within a human family. Therefore, it's easy to understand that absence of socialization produces a totally unsettled behavior. This period has some steps regarding several fundamental notions: self control, communication, hierarchical, disinterest. Primary socialization lasts only nine weeks, but is basic for the future balance of the puppy turned adult. This socialization takes place during a period known as "sensible period". In fact, the dog is then completely eager to learn, to discover the unknown without fear. Learning and memorizing capacities of the puppy are in its peak. Once its over, criterion is not the same. Secondary socialization takes place at a later age, if the primary socialization has not taken place. It's much harder.