29/05/2025
3 WAYS TO SAFELY SOCIALIZE YOUNG PUPPIES WITH PEOPLE To prevent adolescent-onset anxiety, stress, fear, and aggression toward people, Open Paw's Minimal Mental Health Requirements states that: Puppies need to be handled, stroked and handfed by a minimum of 100 unfamiliar people prior to 8 weeks in the kennel and by another 100 people during the pup's first month at home between 8-12 weeks). Easily done:
1. Puppy Parties — Twice a week invite half a dozen friends and family to the home to meet, greet, handle and handfeed the puppy their daily ration of kibble. Ask everyone to bring a couple of friends, especially men and children. Parvo-safety: Outdoor shoes remain outside.
2. Carry/Cart the Pup to Main Street and sit on a Park Bench for an hour or two with your pup in your lap or cart. Offer a food reward with every change in the environment (e.g., noises, sudden movement,) and especially, the social environment, i.e., passersby, especially men and children
3. Park in a Shopping Center with a sign "Please Pet my Puppy" or "Dollar a Cuddle" on the car roof.
When young puppies are handled and socialized by numerous UNFAMILIAR people, they remain stress-free as adults. However without sufficient neonatal and early puppy handling, it is normal and natural development for older puppies to grow increasingly wary and fearful towards unfamiliar people, (and towards unfamiliar places and unfamiliar dogs). When adult dogs are stress-free, they don't require stress-free handling precautions, that are time-consuming and not without danger. Of course, we'll always handle dogs mindfully while we get on with our job as a veterinarian, groomer, trainer, or when living with our dogs at home. As my Gramp (a farmer) was fond of saying: "To touch an animal is an earned privilege and not a right."