Puppies go through a sensitive time in their development when they should learn quickly that new experiences and new people make life more enjoyable. Here are a few ways to teach them just that.
Socialization for Puppies
At around three weeks, a puppy enters into a phase of life where he is open to new experiences and adventures. Until about 12 weeks, you should endeavor to expose him to as many positive experiences with a variety of people and places as you possibly can. This will help him build a foundation of openness and confidence that will serve him the rest of his life.
Because of instincts gained from his wolfen ancestors, a domesticated puppy needs to be "socialized," that is, become accustomed to the huge variety of experiences and other creatures he may encounter in his daily life. This is the time that he learns how to interact with you as his owner, and also how to interact with any other dogs or people living in the house.
Of course you can't foresee ALL the experiences he'll come up against in his life, and that's not really the point anyway. If you introduce him to as many experiences in the world as you can in a positive way, he'll learn that the world is largely a happy place and he won't grow up fearful of unknown things. A confident puppy is a happy puppy, and a confident puppy is one who can approach new experiences and people with security.
Besides introducing your pup to new people and places, also take the time to introduce him to processes he may not potentially like, including nail clipping, bath time, and brushing his teeth. Get him used to being handled by you and your veterinarian. He shouldn't struggle against you for simple things like washing him or handling his paws.
Socialization for Puppies: The Downside
It's probably clear that positive experiences go a long way in your puppy's development to keeping him confident and happy in the world. But what happens if he has traumatic or really negative experiences during that crucial three-to-12-week period? You can probably guess that it can do a lot of harm; more harm, in fact, than if he experiences the very same thing later in his life.
Puppies are so impressionable, just like children, and a bad experience can scar them for life. A bad experience with a stranger, another dog, or even the veterinarian can make him fearful of these things for a long time, and it could take a lot of training and professional help to get him to feel confident again.
Treat your new puppy with the greatest of care, and remember that you are the one person who can give him the good experiences he deserves.
