Many dogs who are isolated in puppyhood remain fearful and suspicious their entire lives.
The developmental period between one and five months is extremely important for puppies.
Providing them with stimulating, varied environment virtually ensures confident, cheerful dogs.
You want your dog to grow up thinking that all people are friendly.
Don't worry that he will be any less of watchdog as he grows up.
A well-adjusted dog knows the difference between friend and foe (enemy or not very friendly).
Invite people to your home to visit the puppy.
Make sure that all interactions are pleasant and fun.
Don't allow anyone to rough house, tease, or play chase games, especially children.
Ask your visitor to gently enforce any obedience rules you have established, like not jumping up and not play biting.
Let friends run a brush through your puppy's coat and handle his feet gently.
Doing this will get the puppy used to being groomed and going to the vet.
Don't force anything at this point.
Make it pleasant and use treats.
Build physical confidence by letting the puppy explore smells and different types of footing, climbing over logs and being in and around water.
Take him to pet stores and walk him/her around neighborhood.
Occasionally drive him places.
Many dogs develop stress and carsickness because the only place they go anywhere by car is the vet.
This stress is easily avoided if the puppy associates car trips with fun and reward of being with you.
Talk to your vet about when your puppy will be protected by immunizations before taking him/her to places like pet stores and public parks.
A puppy is not completely protected until about two weeks past the final set of vaccines at sixteen weeks.
By then he's/she's ready for puppy kindergarten and training classes, which will provide structured socialization and learning.
Socializing Your Puppy Tips: Meeting People Carry treats in your pocket, so if the puppy is nervous about some people (man in hats, from different ethnicities, children) you can hand them a treat to give him.
It's fine if people you meet ignore him/her.
You want him/her to accept strangers in a calm, neutral way rather than assume that every person he meets ought to make him the center of attention.
He doesn't have to greet everyone he/she meets.
Not all breeds are social butterflies.
Short walks around the neighborhoods Taking him/her on short walks get him/her used to the distractions of different vehicles, weather, noises and smells.
Puppies who rarely leave the property may bark excessively and be apprehensive about the world outside.
Being outside of the house reassures a puppy that it's not a threatening place Don't put him/her into a situation where he/her will get scared by dog or person.
Puppies can retain vestiges of fear for life.
Country Settings Country settings, even parks, provide a rich, natural environment for a curious puppy.
Getting a puppy to a farm to meet different species and smell different smells will help boost his/her confidence about other animals in general.
Let him/her off leash or use a long line to let him/her be independent.
Avoid comforting a scared puppy.
Doing this can reinforce anxiety.
Be cheerful and distract him/her instead.