What are good ways to socialize your puppy?
Hi, I live in Illinois and its freezing and nasty outside. I realise the first couple weeks are crucial to socializing my puppy and am worried, I have no idea where to take her other than pet stores and my friends houses. I will eventually be taking her to HUGE camping events with hundreds of people and other animals. Are there any good suggestions to how I can get started with her socializing and places I can take her/things I can do with her in the winter?
Notes-She is all up to date on vaccinations/dewormed. She is also already very good on her leash and obedience training/crate training. The only thing I’m worried about is strangers and strange places, as she currently is terrified of everything/everyone and needs encouragement. Thanks!
It is a good thing to socialize your pup.
A pup should be held by 100 humans in 100 days. All kinds of ppl.
To socialize with other dogs, sign her up for puppy class at nearby doggie school. Supervise the class yourself, most trainers are great, but, there’s always exceptions.
Dog parks can be filled with outa control dogs, dog-aggressive dogs who WILL often bite shy dogs, so do so with extreme caution.
do not FLOOD your dog with 100s of other dogs if your dog is not yet well socialized, she could blow a fuse——-especially if she is fearful, THAT would be HUGE mistake. for real, you don’t wanna flood her.
Now that i read that—that your dog is fearful, i am more convinced you need to get you, and her, to a good, POSITIVE ONLY dog trainer.
Fearful is the root of many other problems. She MAY be born “inherently shy” (google it) and if so, she will always be this way, but, i don’t have enough info from your post to know if this is the case.
Inherently shy dogs can get better, but, will always be inherently shy. Pushing them in wrong way could make them WORSE not better, get to a pro.
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