Puppy Socialization Basics

A service dog in-training looking up at the camera. Settling in new places is great socialization!

When you bring a new puppy home, it can feel overwhelming at first. But focusing on proper socialization and starting your puppy’s acclimation to your home environment is the best place to start!

Keep reading and download our free Printable Socialization Checklist

What is Puppy Socialization?

Puppy Socialization exposes your puppy to the people, places, sights, and sounds of their day-to-day environment. It’s also exposing them to novel experiences that will support their confidence and comfort in the future. 

Socialization prepares your puppy to be a confident, comfortable dog in their day-to-day life and ensures positive exposure to novel stimuli! 

Why is Puppy Socialization Important?

Socializing your puppy helps them become acclimated to their everyday life in your family. Proper socialization can help prevent fears and anxieties. 

Having a dog that knows how to interact with their environment means they can better cope with environmental changes like loud noises, new people, veterinary visits, and even being comfortable in public. 

When to Start Socializing Your Puppy?

When you bring your new puppy home, they are in a critical socialization period. Their experiences and exposures in the first three months of their life will permanently shape their personality and how they respond and cope as an adult dog. Thoughtfully exposing your pup to a wide variety of noises, sights, sounds, smells, people, and places will help them learn that the world is a fun place and you’re here to support them! 

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has stated the importance of proper puppy socialization. They say puppies can start socialization after receiving one set of vaccinations and deworming. The AVSAB states, “Early and adequate socialization and programs of positive training can go a long way to preventing behavior problems and improving bonding between humans and dogs” Understanding that positive puppy socialization can prevent problems in the future should give you peace of mind as you start this endeavor. 

How to Socialize Your Puppy

To start proper socialization, you can start in your home! Introduce them to immediate family members, other pets, and their day-to-day life with slow and positive exposures. 

Give your puppy time to explore their new home by sitting at their level and letting them walk around. You can introduce them to new rooms after they become familiar with the previous one. 

Puppy-proofing the house by removing exposed cords, tempting rugs, and low houseplants will allow socialization without risking any damage! Pay attention to your pup’s body language as they explore. 

We recommend following our Puppy Socialization Checklist for keeping track of your puppy’s socialization. You can download it here.

Utilize Playtime for Socialization

When your pup is playing, lay out a new surface like a cookie sheet, cardboard box, or exercise wobble surface. They’re learning to move across new surfaces while running around and playing. 

Introduce new sounds like thunderstorms, fireworks, construction, and sirens. You can easily find background noise for playtime on YouTube or purchase soundtracks designed for puppy exposure. 

Changing your appearance with hats, hoods, glasses, and masks can help your puppy get comfortable seeing people who look different in their home. Invite friends and family in small numbers so they can participate. 

Keep Socialization Positive

Introducing your pup to one or two novel exposures at a time, paying attention to their body language, and keeping the exposure short will allow your pup to have a positive experience. 

A comfortable, confident puppy will have an upright posture, a neutral or wagging tail, a willingness to explore, take treats from you quickly, and have a relaxed and happy face. 

A pup feeling overwhelmed or scared might vocalize, be unable to take treats, have a tucked tail, stiff or lowered body position, unwillingness to move, pinned ears, pulled back lips, or try to avoid the scary exposure. 

If your pup seems scared, stop the exposure and comfort them! You’re relaying they can trust you by listening and respecting what they’re telling you. The next time you introduce them to something new, take it slow and make it fun. If you’re worried about your pup’s ongoing socialization, contact a certified dog trainer for help. 

As your puppy becomes comfortable with home socialization, practice safe socialization in different places. Try going on happy trips to the vet, carrying them in dog-friendly stores, bringing a mat, or holding them on a dog-friendly restaurant patio, taking them on short hikes climbing over branches, and hanging outside a shopping center!

Avoid Unsafe Interactions During Socialization

During this critical learning period; we do not want our pups to feel scared or put into unsafe situations. 

Avoid bringing too many people to your home at once with a new puppy. Quiet, low-energy playtime, snuggles, or training sessions are an excellent way for your pup to meet new people. You should advocate for your puppy by asking people not to pick them up without asking first, talk loudly, or invade the pup’s personal space when they need a break. When kids are interacting with your puppy, make sure everyone is seated on the ground and keep the interactions short and positive! 

When you’re introducing your puppy to other dogs or animals, utilize management like a puppy pen or gate for separation to make sure the pup and the other animals are all comfortable. Playdates with dogs that like pups and other pups the same age as yours is a wonderful way to teach them how to interact with other dogs. 

Avoid interactions at dog parks or on-leash greetings. You cannot ensure the other dogs at dog parks are healthy and vaccinated. Dog parks often have dogs that do not enjoy pups,, so it’s best to keep your pup’s social circle small at this time. By avoiding on-leash greetings, you’re preventing your puppy from invading another dog’s space. If you allow your pup to meet every dog, they see when they’re on a leash they can quickly feel frustrated when that doesn’t happen, and can lead to leash reactivity.  

Can Older Dogs Be Socialized? 

If you’ve recently adopted a dog that isn’t a puppy, you can still help them acclimate to their new home and environment. Give your new dog time to adjust, just like you would a puppy. Slowly start exposing them to new experiences and pay close attention to their body language and behavior. If you notice fears or hesitations, reach out to a certified trainer. 

Need help with puppy socialization? We’re here to help in the Atlanta area and all over the world with virtual training!