The first socialization training a dog receives is from his or her mother. When puppies bite too hard, their mothers teach them a lesson by knocking them over. Conversely, pups are rewarded for acceptable behavior with milk. These first encounters with their mothers teach puppies how to live socially among other dogs. They are conditioned to behave based on the rewards and punishments of their environment.

We all know that dogs have different social rules among themselves than people. So the puppy you adopt, no matter how loving or disciplinary its mother was, will have to be trained to fit into the human family. Dog Socialization should begin within the first 16 weeks of life. After that, puppies are stuck in their ways, and it will take additional training to acclimate them into your home.

Dog Socialization Is about Instilling Confidence
The ideal canine companion is confident, comfortable around people, and does not attack other dogs. The only way to accomplish this is by exposing a dog to numerous experiences early in life. A four-year old dog meeting another dog for the first time in his life may become scared or aggressive. By introducing your puppy to a friendly dog, however, he will realize at a young age that other dogs make great friends. Take your dog to the park. Let kids play with him. After your young dog has had fun in numerous situations, he will begin to understand the world is a safe and wonderful place to be.

First and foremost, be compassionate, loving, and reassuring to your puppy. Don't be overprotective, however, or he will become too dependent on you. You want your dog to be outgoing and social. He can only learn confidence from you.