Socialization

How it works

Quality matters more than quantity, and this is the point most often missed. The aim is that a puppy has good or neutral experiences, not that they meet a target number of dogs and strangers. An overwhelming encounter teaches the opposite of what was intended, so a puppy watching a busy street from a distance is usually being better socialized than one being passed around a crowd. It also covers surfaces, sounds, handling and being alone, not only meeting others.

What it looks like

A puppy sits on a bench a hundred and thirty feet from a market, watching people and traffic while eating small pieces of cheese. Nobody approaches or touches them, and the whole outing lasts eight minutes.

Commonly confused with

Habituation

Habituation is a dog ceasing to respond to something neutral through repetition. Socialization is building an actively positive association during a developmental period, and it is done deliberately rather than left to happen.

Related terms