[Eclipse]

While i know shes young, I was hoping to get some advice on socializing her to other dogs. What i hope for is a confident dog who doesn't loose her bearing.. All other aspects like potty traiing and basic commands are going good so far but, im unsure about socializing. I don't want to make a mistake now and have this affect the future. I've had dogs in the past that were already great but, never had a puppy.

Thanks!

 

[tim_s_adams]

Socialization is all about exposure, without overwhelming the puppy. New places, new surfaces, new noises, new obsticals to climb over, elevators, stairs, basements, ladders (laid flat), play ground equipment, etc. It can include meeting people and friendly dogs, but that really isn't the focus, it's all just exposure. And of course you don't want your puppy meeting or even going out anywhere where other dogs go or have gone until your puppy has had all her vaccinations, parvo and distemper are a very real threat!

Hopefully someone will chime in with names of good trainers in your area. But don't let anyone convince convince you that meeting 100 new people in 30 days is a good thing. It won't help!

 

[Eclipse]

We have a couple of chickens in the yard that roam. For the past few weeks I've simply walked her by them and, eventually stopped in front of them all while and she was calm. The chickens seem to remember who she is and don't get nervous when i walk them by the pen(fenced in). Today her leash slipped my grasp and she chased one at blazing speeds through thick trees where i lost sight of her. The chicken eventually ran back to the pen with her chasing behind. The chicken then hid under the pen where there is only one way out and my pup sat at the entrance and just stared at the chicken once the chase was over with out doing a thing. No hackles or anything like that. She then play pounced and i was pretty surprised. I then picked up my pup and put her inside. I don't know if this was a good outcome. I just think it would be healthy for her to go to a group kinda thing and meet other pups to zoom with. I've taken her to Cabelas multiple times with great success. We live infront of a busy road so she hears cars pass by every day and is used to that. Yesterday i took her to a state park for the first time and she saw people ride bikes past her and she handled it well. She heard all sorts of noises and wildlife there as well.

 

[tim_s_adams]

Lots of folks on this forum suggest that a puppy doesn't need to play with other puppies or dogs, but I disagree with that notion entirely! It not only gives them great exercise, it teaches them how to interact with their own kind. Virtually all animals in the wild learn valuable life skills by sparring and playing with siblings and/or adults. And it does make them happy!

I've been taking my puppy to dog parks since she was about 6 months old. And it was amazing to watch her learn different playing styles from different breeds of dogs. Huskies like to do the shoulder bite attack while running, whereas bully breeds use their chest and weight. Nyx learned them all, and would practice a style for a few days then switch again. At around 9 months she decided playing with other dogs was beneath her, and the only thing that really mattered in life was playing ball. But she remained good friends with all of her playmates, and she's well behaved when meeting new dogs as well.