Anyone who has a pet will understand that animal behavior can be an issue and training may be something that is required. When making the decision to introduce a precious, furry bundle of joy into your household, puppy socialization classes will always be a lingering thought in your mind: Should I enroll my pup, or shouldn’t I? Will it really make that much of a difference in the long run? Let’s take a look at five ways in which puppy socialization classes can help your dog to grow and learn.
1. Easing the Transition
Odds are, your puppy has come from a litter of brothers and sisters to a home without them. He may be the only dog in the house or may have an older dog or two to keep him company. Either way, he is going through a huge transition and may need to first graduate from “puppy kindergarten.” It’s necessary for your pup to be introduced to as many different dogs, other animals (if there are any in the household), and people as soon as possible. This will help him to understand that the world outside of his litter mates isn’t such a scary place and that it’s actually normal and enjoyable. It doesn’t have to exactly involve large puppy parties, but introducing your dog to other puppies in a controlled environment such as a puppy socialization class is a great way to make sure that he gets the canine companionship he needs while keeping him in a safe and controlled environment.
2. Basic Commands
Puppies are much more likely to be on track in terms of learning basic commands when enrolled in a puppy socialization class, than pups that are not. This is, in part, due to the fact that teaching a puppy even the most basic commands can be a time-consuming affair and our often hectic schedules may end up forcing this essential training down the pecking order. A puppy’s critical developmental period ends at around 16 weeks (four months of age), so this period of time is critical for them to absorb information before they reach their stubborn, teenage phase. Puppies as young as seven or eight weeks of age have the ability to learn simple commands like “sit” and “stay,” so the sooner you get them enrolled in puppy socialization classes, the better.
3. Eliminating Unnecessary “Mouthing”
One of the biggest issues that a family can experience with a new pup, in terms of basic obedience, is their constant mouthing (chewing and gnawing) of anything and everything around them. This can include your favorite shoes, your carpet, and your furniture—not to mention unsuspecting hands and toes! This is an issue that is most definitely tackled in puppy socialization classes, as it is such a common one. While some puppies may simply grow out of this phase, others will not, and it is important to know how to correct it when “no” isn’t working. This becomes even more important when you have small children—tiny, razor-sharp puppy teeth can easily poke through delicate skin, which is certainly something you don’t want to have to deal with. After all, you purchased your new pup to be your child’s best friend. Puppy socialization classes will help teach both your pup and yourself the best way to go about correcting this type of behavior.
4. Putting a Stop to Behavioral Problems before They Start
If puppies aren’t socialized properly or given the correct structure and specific discipline they need, they can most certainly develop behavioral problems later on in life or even continue their current behavior well beyond that cute puppy stage. Believe me when I tell you that they are not so super cute when they are two years old and still having accidents everywhere! This doesn’t only apply to accidents. Your pup could grow up to become aggressive toward other dogs and/or humans if they do not get the right socialization they need. Once taken away from their littermates, they may not consider it normal to have other dogs around them anymore. This could result in them becoming territorial or aggressive toward other dogs, even if they are perfectly fine with the humans they meet. Pups that grow up to not be good with other dogs can end up missing out on some of the finer things in their adult life. They cannot be taken to as many places or do as many activities, including being taken to a dog park or being allowed to be off-leash.
5. Setting Up Your Pup for Success
From potty training to leash walking, you want to make absolutely sure that you set up your pup for success and encourage him to develop into a laid back, full grown dog. Puppy socialization classes are a great way to give your pup the best chance possible for a happy life and are designed to do just that through training and positive reinforcement. Here are some ways that puppy socialization classes help achieve this:
- Going on walks: If your pup is experienced and comfortable with walking on a loose leash and demonstrates good manners, you are setting him up for a life of long, happy walks. Whether going to dog parks or around the city, proper exercise is critical to your dog’s physical and mental health as he develops. So, it is especially important that you tackle this hurdle head on—and as early as possible.
- Exposing him to anything and everything: Make sure he is comfortable with his surroundings. This includes different noises, as well as other dogs and people.
- Eliminating scolding: Dogs that are well trained and socialized from an early age are far less likely to be scolded as they grow up. Scolding, as a way of forcing them to demonstrate obedience, causes them unnecessary stress and can encourage more behavioral issues. Therefore, teaching your dog from a young age (and through using positive reinforcement) helps nip behavioral problems in the bud early on. Then, he can feel confident with how he acts and knows how he is (and isn’t) supposed to behave in his adult life.
Although setting aside the time and money to attend puppy socialization classes may not be on the top of your list, it should be added onto the “cost” of getting a new pet. In some ways, it can, of course, be more “fun” to adopt a puppy compared to an older dog; however, there is certainly a lot more work and obedience may always be an issue. You can definitely count on more time and money that needs to be spent on successfully bringing up a puppy, especially teaching them to become a well-rounded dog. That said, there many pros and only a few cons to enrolling your pup in socialization classes. So, what are you waiting for?
Bringing a new family addition into the home is extremely exciting! Becoming a new puppy parent comes with a ton of new joys, challenges and responsibilities. PupBox was created to help new puppy parents like yourself, by providing all of the toys, treats, accessories and training information you need, when you need it. CLICK HERE to learn more about PupBox.
And remember, puppyhood is fast and is gone before you know it. Make sure to savor the time when your pup is young, and take lots of pictures along the way!
