Overview

The most important work you can do with your puppy is temperament training, or teaching your dog to be relaxed and comfortable around people, also called socialization. Since the most critical window for socializing your dog begins to close when he's just 12 weeks old, the sooner you get started handling your pup and exposing her to new situations, the better off you'll both be.

Steps to raising a friendly dog

1. Get your pup used to being handled all over.

• Settle your puppy in your lap, cradling her comfortably and securely on her back like a baby.
• Gently touch and rub her head, tail, paws, tummy, and the area around her collar. If she seems sensitive about any of these spots, feed her a bit of kibble or other tasty treat at the same time.

2. Broaden your puppy's world.

• Introduce her to at least four unfamiliar people every day--the mailman, friends, and even strangers you see on the streets. Ask them to touch her and rub her, and ask friends to hand feed her.
• Take your puppy with you on errands. (Be sure to either hold her in your arms or keep her in a carrier until she's had all of her shots.)
• Throw at least one puppy party to introduce her to your family and friends. Inviting lots of people over to the house is an excellent way to do a lot of people-socialization at once.
• If you're not feeling like having a big party, host several smaller gatherings instead.
• Hand-feed nearly all your pup's daily meals to her during socialization exercises and on fieldtrips.

Extra credit: For the ultimate handling exercise, dress your puppy in socks or a cute outfit. Once she learns to put up with this kind of "handling" she'll be able to tolerate anything.

DogTime tip: Be sure your puppy meets men, women, and children of all shapes, sizes, and colors during this period. Puppies who aren't introduced to different kinds of people can become suspicious - particularly of men and children - as they grow older.

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Veterinarian and animal behaviorist Dr. Ian Dunbar and his wife, dog trainer Kelly Dunbar, collaborate on DogStarDaily.com, OpenPaw.org, and DogTime, where they serve as contributing editors. They are dedicated to strengthening the bond between people and their dogs through training in order to keep dogs in their original homes and out of shelters.

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