Socialization vs. Exposure to Disease

One of your many jobs as a new pet owner is to ensure that your pup is socialized with vaccinated dogs and exposed to different situations without risking his health.  Puppies are usually vaccinated at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age.  Dome breeds, such as Rottweilers, are more susceptible to certain viruses and may even require a fourth booster vaccine.

From 8 weeks to 16 weeks of age is a crucial period for socialization.  The experiences that a puppy has during this time will help shape the personality of the adult dog.  Like humans, an isolated dog will lead to an adult with social misfit behaviours.  Phobias, timidity and fear-based aggression are often the result of poor socialization.

Dog parks are not always the best place to socialize the pup that has only received one or two vaccines.  Even if the dog park is empty, viruses can linger.  Parvo virus can live on the ground for up to a year in ideal conditions.  A better socialization choice would be to get together with other new dog owners in a backyard and let the pups interact with each other in safety.  The village is another good location to introduce your pups to strollers, people with big hats, patio dwellers and other human oddities. 

The more situations and experiences you can conjure up for your pup to learn from, the better rounded an adult dog you will own.  Start off with benign experiences and work your way up to fireworks and parades.  If your pup is intimidated by something, resist the urge to say, “It’s ok, you are all right” as this only teaches the pup that there is something to be afraid of.  Instead, talk to your pup in a happy confident voice about the situation so that the pup will look to you for guidance.  If your pup seems to be overwhelmed by a situation, remove them and make their next exposure one level lower in intensity.

Don’t forget to have fun!