~ The rules of 7 Socialization Method explained ~
Positive social exposure has
a bigger influence over behavior than breed characteristics. Puppies that are
not well-socialized often have problems with aggression or manners later.
Unsocialized dogs are not comfortable with the world they live in and are less
able to cope with change than they should be.
Many dogs at the shelter that look abused were actually just under-socialized as puppies.
People are often afraid of the germs that their puppy might encounter when they are out in the world, but the major killer of dogs in the U.S. is not disease, it’s behavior, which is directly correlated to puppy socialization.For most of the dogs, that could have been changed with early socialization and puppy training. As a New Puppy Owner, it is your job to help your puppy be all that it can be.
After your puppy gets his first round of shots, he is ready to be carefully exposed to the world. We still need to minimize risks for disease until the vaccinations are complete and keep the socialization fun for your puppy. That’s the key to everything – socialization is a fun experience for your puppy.
Your puppy is learning and socializing right now, every second that she’s awake. People used to say that you couldn’t start obedience training with a puppy until it was six months old. But they meant you couldn’t properly punish a dog until that age with a choke chain, because of their growing puppy bones. With positive training methods, you don’t have to wait. Using positive training, some dog breeders send home puppies that already know how to sit on cue. That’s just one more reason to be dog-friendly – you can teach your puppy manners now! You can and should start teaching your puppy basic cues, like sit, down, etc. using a clicker or just using treats and praise. But your main focus during puppyhood should not be on manners or ‘obedience’, but rather on socialization with other puppies, dogs, humans, surfaces, sounds, and more.
Puppies are socialization sponges. Things that they experience in this time period will stick with them forever. Sources differ, but many say that the primary socialization period is up until 18 weeks .
Socialize with dogs in a positive puppy training class, a puppy play group, or a neighbor’s yard, not the dog park! One recent study found that dogs about 6 month of age were the target for the most aggression in the park, more than any other age group. Once your dog is old enough to go to the dog park, and you decide it’s worth the risk, protect him from harm by moving along, and not letting him get harassed by other dogs, etc.
Many people are surprised to learn that the full socialization period for a puppy is two years! But your dog will be your companion for 10 to 15 more years! Why not invest some time in her now? What sort of things should you socialize your new puppy to? Everything!! You should start with exposing your puppy to new things now. Socialization doesn’t just mean play.
This discusses how valuable socialization is for normal development and what you can do to help. A properly socialized puppy is happy and content. A well-balanced puppy will accept new places, noises, and people and other dogs with confidence. An unsocialized dog exhibits fear and/or aggression toward people, other dogs, and any new situation. The number one reason why dogs are euthanized is due to a lack of socialization during critical phases.
The most crucial time in a puppy's development is during the first 18 weeks of life; the social exposure during this time affects how he relates to people and the world around him.
The puppy's mother, littermates, breeder, and new owners are responsible for properly socializing a puppy during different phases of development. If you miss your window of opportunity, you cannot go back and make it up.
Your pup's temperament and behavior traits develop during this time and any experiences he has will affect him for the rest of his life. Positive social exposure has a bigger influence over behavior than breed characteristics. Furthermore, a negative experience can emotionally scar the puppy (an aggressive dog attacks a puppy while in its fear stage will create a dog aggression issue for the puppy). It is important for new owners to learn the developmental stages and when to expose the puppy to the world.
The first 'social' lesson learned from his mother is how to keep the den clean. For the first 3-4 weeks of life, the mother controls elimination by consuming their excrement, which is how they learn how to keep their den/crate clean. Around 5 weeks, puppies are weaned and their mother stops cleaning up after them. The breeder steps in to further reinforce keeping the den clean.
The puppy's mother is also the first to issue discipline. Littermates teach social lessons like how to control the strength of their bite, how to vocalize, and how to interpret dog body language. Puppies take turns being dominant and submissive. They learn how to play bow, share space and food, and most importantly, where they fit into the pack.
Ideally, a litter of puppies is kept together until they are 8 weeks old because the lessons learned from their mother and siblings are crucial. A good breeder will execute some form of puppy-raising program to enhance development.
Experts say that the best time for a puppy to learn proper social skills is between 4 and 18 weeks of age.
The breeder reinforces those canine rules, introduces human manners, and provides stimulus to enrich their environment (new sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch). Breeders that follow enrichment programs produce puppies that are well balanced and ready for the family.
Read puppy-raising books to become knowledgeable about growth stages and how to train skills like housebreaking, crate training, teaching respect, establishing leadership, and basic obedience. Enroll in a group puppy class by the age of 14 weeks; your trainer should offer a training program that reflects the needs of the puppy and the ability of the owner.
Dr. Carmen Battaglia created the Rule of 7's as a guide to increase a puppy's exposure. You do not have to follow it to the letter, but try to do as many things on the list as you can for your puppy.
By the time Your Puppy is 14 weeks old, it should have been:
On 7 different types of surfaces: carpet, tile, linoleum, concrete, wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, and wood chips.
Used 7 different types of food or water bowls.
Been exposed to 7 different types of new sounds.
Etc....
Credits
Rules of & developed by Pat Schaap, article is from the following website:
http://www.echowyn.com/Ruleof7.html
Many dogs at the shelter that look abused were actually just under-socialized as puppies.
People are often afraid of the germs that their puppy might encounter when they are out in the world, but the major killer of dogs in the U.S. is not disease, it’s behavior, which is directly correlated to puppy socialization.For most of the dogs, that could have been changed with early socialization and puppy training. As a New Puppy Owner, it is your job to help your puppy be all that it can be.
After your puppy gets his first round of shots, he is ready to be carefully exposed to the world. We still need to minimize risks for disease until the vaccinations are complete and keep the socialization fun for your puppy. That’s the key to everything – socialization is a fun experience for your puppy.
Your puppy is learning and socializing right now, every second that she’s awake. People used to say that you couldn’t start obedience training with a puppy until it was six months old. But they meant you couldn’t properly punish a dog until that age with a choke chain, because of their growing puppy bones. With positive training methods, you don’t have to wait. Using positive training, some dog breeders send home puppies that already know how to sit on cue. That’s just one more reason to be dog-friendly – you can teach your puppy manners now! You can and should start teaching your puppy basic cues, like sit, down, etc. using a clicker or just using treats and praise. But your main focus during puppyhood should not be on manners or ‘obedience’, but rather on socialization with other puppies, dogs, humans, surfaces, sounds, and more.
Puppies are socialization sponges. Things that they experience in this time period will stick with them forever. Sources differ, but many say that the primary socialization period is up until 18 weeks .
Socialize with dogs in a positive puppy training class, a puppy play group, or a neighbor’s yard, not the dog park! One recent study found that dogs about 6 month of age were the target for the most aggression in the park, more than any other age group. Once your dog is old enough to go to the dog park, and you decide it’s worth the risk, protect him from harm by moving along, and not letting him get harassed by other dogs, etc.
Many people are surprised to learn that the full socialization period for a puppy is two years! But your dog will be your companion for 10 to 15 more years! Why not invest some time in her now? What sort of things should you socialize your new puppy to? Everything!! You should start with exposing your puppy to new things now. Socialization doesn’t just mean play.
This discusses how valuable socialization is for normal development and what you can do to help. A properly socialized puppy is happy and content. A well-balanced puppy will accept new places, noises, and people and other dogs with confidence. An unsocialized dog exhibits fear and/or aggression toward people, other dogs, and any new situation. The number one reason why dogs are euthanized is due to a lack of socialization during critical phases.
The most crucial time in a puppy's development is during the first 18 weeks of life; the social exposure during this time affects how he relates to people and the world around him.
The puppy's mother, littermates, breeder, and new owners are responsible for properly socializing a puppy during different phases of development. If you miss your window of opportunity, you cannot go back and make it up.
Your pup's temperament and behavior traits develop during this time and any experiences he has will affect him for the rest of his life. Positive social exposure has a bigger influence over behavior than breed characteristics. Furthermore, a negative experience can emotionally scar the puppy (an aggressive dog attacks a puppy while in its fear stage will create a dog aggression issue for the puppy). It is important for new owners to learn the developmental stages and when to expose the puppy to the world.
The first 'social' lesson learned from his mother is how to keep the den clean. For the first 3-4 weeks of life, the mother controls elimination by consuming their excrement, which is how they learn how to keep their den/crate clean. Around 5 weeks, puppies are weaned and their mother stops cleaning up after them. The breeder steps in to further reinforce keeping the den clean.
The puppy's mother is also the first to issue discipline. Littermates teach social lessons like how to control the strength of their bite, how to vocalize, and how to interpret dog body language. Puppies take turns being dominant and submissive. They learn how to play bow, share space and food, and most importantly, where they fit into the pack.
Ideally, a litter of puppies is kept together until they are 8 weeks old because the lessons learned from their mother and siblings are crucial. A good breeder will execute some form of puppy-raising program to enhance development.
Experts say that the best time for a puppy to learn proper social skills is between 4 and 18 weeks of age.
The breeder reinforces those canine rules, introduces human manners, and provides stimulus to enrich their environment (new sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch). Breeders that follow enrichment programs produce puppies that are well balanced and ready for the family.
Read puppy-raising books to become knowledgeable about growth stages and how to train skills like housebreaking, crate training, teaching respect, establishing leadership, and basic obedience. Enroll in a group puppy class by the age of 14 weeks; your trainer should offer a training program that reflects the needs of the puppy and the ability of the owner.
Dr. Carmen Battaglia created the Rule of 7's as a guide to increase a puppy's exposure. You do not have to follow it to the letter, but try to do as many things on the list as you can for your puppy.
By the time Your Puppy is 14 weeks old, it should have been:
On 7 different types of surfaces: carpet, tile, linoleum, concrete, wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, and wood chips.
Used 7 different types of food or water bowls.
Been exposed to 7 different types of new sounds.
Etc....
Credits
Rules of & developed by Pat Schaap, article is from the following website:
http://www.echowyn.com/Ruleof7.html
