Dog socialization: How many dogs should you meet at what age?
Be exposed to at least fifty different people and situations before the age of sixteen weeks.
The socialization window for dogs is between three and sixteen weeks of age. The amount of frontal contact during this period directly determines the degree of timidity in adulthood. Research generally recommends exposure to more than fifty different people and more than twenty environmental sounds before sixteen weeks of age.
Contact does not mean indulgent interaction. The correct approach is to "just watch": let the puppy observe bicycles, strollers, people holding umbrellas, and people in uniform from a safe distance, and give him treats as long as he is not afraid.
Socializing between dogs requires choosing the right partner. Give priority to adult dogs with stable personalities and complete vaccinations, and avoid letting puppies be surrounded by large groups of dogs in dog parks, which can easily cause one-time fear memories.
If you miss the window period, you can still do desensitization training as an adult, but the pace must be ten times slower, and the intensity of each exposure must be lower than its fear threshold.
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