Socializing Your Pup

[Milopup]

Hi,

I was just wondering how much you socialize your pups. When I was in California, I brought Bosco to puppy play group every week, and there were many people in our apartment building who had dogs, so he probably encountered/played with at least a couple of other dogs a day. The situation has completely reversed itself in New York.

In New York, Bosco usually stays home and does more socializing with people (my parents and brother, as well as their friends and kids) than other dogs. He rarely sees other dogs as there aren't many in our neighborhood, and most of the other dogs in the neighborhood are guard dogs that stay in their backyards. Bosco is a lovely cairn (with a cairn temperament), but he rarely sees or plays with other dogs. A lot of this is also because we just don't trust dogs that we don't know, and where we don't know their owners.

Are we hurting him by not having him be with other dogs? As usual, feeling guilty about this.

- Mp

[toomanypaws]

My cairns get all the socializing they really need right here in their own backyard. Kiara and Abbey love running and playing w/ my Lab and Australian Shepherd. I do have to watch little Hannah as I'm still afraid of her getting stepped on by the big dogs. Hopefully she'll get a couple pounds bigger so she can run w/ everyone. I usually let her run w/ the other cairns and then bring her in and let the Lab & Aussie out to play w/ Kiara & Abbey. My Aussie is an outside dog (comes into a screen room at night) so the cairns look forward to playing w/ him when in the backyard. The Lab stays indoors so I usually baby gate the cairns in the kitchen & breakfast room (large area). The Lab loves hanging his head over the baby gate and getting "cairn kisses" from Abbey & Hannah. Kiara pretty much has free run of the house. She's the only cairn I trust on the carpet. She loves nothing better than to steal the Lab's toys and run into our bedroom w/ one. Thor (the lab) comes running to me as if to tell on her.

I don't think you're hurting Bosco by not being w/ other dogs. That's the life he's use to, getting all the attention. I only have one human child and have never worried about her being socialized. One usually doesn't miss what one never had.

[Milopup]

That's the issue - from the age of 9 weeks to 11 months, Bosco was around other dogs. It is only in the last 4 months that he has become the "only child" with the attention of all the humans, but alas no other dogs to play with.

[wheezie23]

I'm no expert, but I would think that since Bosco was around other dogs from 9 wks to 11 mos. he *is* socialized. That is really the crucial time that they need it. I think he will be fine being an only dog with little contact with other dogs. But if it bothers you, you can always look into a doggy daycare one or two days a week.

thela

[bradl]

Sounds like Bosco got a great start in life.

Just this morning was flipping through a picture book of puppies, with various dog-related sayings associated. One I'd not heard before was

A puppy plays with every pup he meets - an older dog has few associates. -- Josh Billings

Puppy Dogs - Hulton Getty

[Milopup]

Bosco has never met a person he doesn't like - hopefully he wouldn't greet a criminal with a tail wag and kiss.

So beyond the initial socialization year, it won't give him a traumatic disorder by being the only pup around?

[newcairn]

Digby is the only Cairn we have, no others....yet. But he gets all the Canid socialization he needs with me, because I am the other dog. Hee hee.