Socializing your puppy is one major key to having a normal, well-adjusted dog. In my years as a dog trainer I have unfortunately seen the scary results of a lack of early socialization.

Imagine your neighbor has a child. For whatever reason your neighbor decides to keep that child away from the outside world. In fact, your neighbor decides to keep that child locked up in his bedroom. Year in and year out he stays in that room. His parents bring him his meals and spend an hour or so every day with him. The view from his window is of a corner of the backyard. He is an only child and has no friends. Then imagine that on his 14th birthday his parents decide it is time to take him out. So out they go to a restaurant. Upon seeing the world the boy is terrified, awed, and in wonder. The cars move so quickly and are so large. There are so many noises on the street. The waiters at the restaurant look right at him and speak to him which makes him uncomfortable. The food tastes weird and he is afraid to use the restroom because there are so many people moving about.

Sounds crazy, right? It is. Yet, so many people do this with their dogs with a lack of puppy socialization. I used to run group obedience training classes in a park. On any given first day of class about a dozen or so dog owners with their dogs would show up. Many of these dogs were suffering from an extreme lack of puppy socialization. Many a dog had never met another dog. Many a dog had never met another person outside their family. Many more had very limited socialization. They were kept cooped up in the back yard and taken on walks a few times a week. These dogs weren't ready for the world.

Based on the character and temperament of these un-socialized dogs their deficiencies showed in different ways. The more aggressive dogs who lacked puppy socialization manifested their problem by growling and barking at everybody and everything. For them, this new stimuli was scary, and anything scary needed to be warned with a growl. The timid, poorly socialized dogs ran from people or cowered when approached by others. These poor dogs had not been prepared for the world.

Don't do this to your poor puppy. The first six to nine months are the most crucial for puppy socialization. So you may ask, what does puppy socialization involve? Proper puppy socialization is introducing your dog to anything and everything. Your puppy needs to experience all types of sights, sounds, textures, and so on. He needs to see cars, motorcycles, football games, lawnmowers, and pogo sticks. He needs to hear a car backfire, a basketball bounce, and a baby cry. He needs to walk on gravel, grass, dirt, carpet, and slick floors. But most of all he needs to meet people. Lots of them. All types. Short ones, fat ones, weird ones, black ones, white ones, people who limp, people in wheel chairs, and people who sneeze. And children, loads and loads of children. If it exists, you should have your puppy see it or meet it.

There is a big caution when doing this, however. During these formative months your puppy is susceptible to many diseases. He is still in the midst of his vaccination cycle so his immune system isn't well equipped to handle diseases from other dogs. The best way I have found to handle this is two fold.

1. Only let him meet dogs that are current on their vaccinations. Yes, it is very important that your puppy meets other dogs to learn how to interact properly with them. They should be puppy friendly and disease free.

2. Socialize your puppy in non-dog areas. Let your puppy meet the world where there aren't going to be other dogs. This can be tough but if you are inventive there are many ways. I like to take my puppies near a school while it is letting out. Here he will meet lots of kids. I have also been known to take a puppy and sit outside of a grocery store. Here the puppy sees shopping carts, cars, and other sometimes scary things. Not only that but I guarantee you that if you sit outside a grocery store for a half hour with a puppy that you and your puppy are going to meet a lot of new people. Get creative. Your puppy's mental health depends on it.

Socialization is not only done during a short window of time. Socialization should be a lifelong pursuit for you and your puppy.