ម៉ារី អាឡិន
Socializing puppies is not difficult and is particularly important for later dog life. But what does that actually mean and how can you make a positive contribution to it yourself? We answer these and other questions for you here.
A Short Biology Lesson
After puppies are born, all nerve cells only gradually network with other nerve cells. The junctions, the synapses, allow the transmitters to bring the necessary information from one nerve cell to another. Of course, this is written in a relatively rough and simplified way, but it gets to the heart of the matter.
Transmitters – the messenger substances of the nerves – are formed in the brain and the more stimuli the puppy experiences from the breeder in the first few weeks of life, the more messenger substances are produced, synapses are formed and nerve cells are networked. Conversely, if the puppy is not exposed to enough stimuli, then the production of messenger substances is reduced and thus nerve networking also slows down. A puppy with less connected nerve cells is not as resilient later on as a puppy that has been exposed to many different stimuli. This can even show up in deficits that appear later in life, such as motor disorders or behavioral problems.
If the breeder has done a good job, then the puppy not only literally has “good nerves”, it also learns more easily. It also helps if the puppy has experienced some level of stress in the first few weeks. This is the only way he can build up a high level of frustration tolerance, which will later make him a relaxed, confident dog.
Definition of “Socialization”
Socializing puppies usually means that the pup gets to know as much as possible in the first few weeks, for example, other people, dogs, but also situations, noises, and other new impressions.
But in fact, socialization is limited to interaction with other living beings. First of all, this includes dealing with the mother dog and the siblings, then comes the contact with people. Of course, both getting used to it and socializing the puppy are important if the puppy is to become a well-balanced dog. Not only the first four months are important, but also the young dog phase and in principle the whole life of the dog. After all, he is a lifelong learner. However, especially in the “forming phase” (up to the 16th week of life), there are a few things to consider.
Socializing Puppies: It Starts with the Breeder
Ideally, the puppy will stay with the breeder until it is at least 8 weeks old so that it can make its first important experiences in familiar surroundings and develop so far that it is ready to move into its new home. It is therefore important that the puppy has positive experiences during this time. Many breeders let the puppies “grow up in the middle of the family”: This way they get a full picture of everyday life and also get to know the noise of the kitchen, the noise of the vacuum cleaner, and many other things faster than if they were raised in a kennel.
Above all, however, it is important to get to know the human being, because there are many different types of us for small puppies. Big, small, fat, with high or low voices, clumsy or distant people. The number of contacts is slowly increased until the puppy knows that he doesn’t have to be afraid of people, but that they are much more part of the “family”.
In addition, he should be able to go on supervised exploratory tours with his siblings, during which he also gets to know the outside world with strange noises and different surfaces. Positive experiences create new connections in the brain that strengthen it in its essence. Most importantly, the puppy learns that the world is full of new things, but they are harmless (of course moving cars are not harmless, but that exercise comes later). In these first few weeks, trend-setting experiences will decide whether the puppy will one day become an open and curious dog or whether it will later be afraid of everything new.
Continue Socialization
Once you have picked up your new family member from the breeder, it is important that you continue with the socialization. You are now responsible for the puppy and must ensure that its further development continues in a positive way. The basis for this is first of all trust in the person with whom he will (ideally) spend the rest of his life. So you can discover the exciting world together and get to know new things. It is important to proceed step by step so as not to overwhelm the little one and to react correctly to situations that frighten him.
As the closest reference person, you have a strong role model function for the puppy. If you approach new things calmly and relax, he will do the same and learn a lot about observation. This is more pronounced, for example, when the little one gets used to city life with its loud noises and fast, unfamiliar objects (cars, motorcycles, etc.). It is helpful here to proceed step by step and slowly increase the stimuli. You can distract him by playing, so the new stimuli quickly become a minor matter.
It is also important to get used to driving a car, going to restaurants, using public transport or large crowds. Again: trust is the be-all and end-all! Always approach new situations slowly, don’t overwhelm him, and take a step back if your little one reacts with anxiety or stress. If you are successful, you can increase the “level of difficulty” again.
ទៅសាលារៀន
By the way, a good dog school is helpful when it comes to contact with other dogs. Here the puppy not only learns how to deal with dogs of the same age. He also learns to master encounters with larger or adult dogs. And under the supervision of dog professionals. Visiting such a group is also good for you as a dog owner, because you can always learn new things and improve the relationship with your puppy.