# How much does socialization affect nerves?



## tenhogues (Jun 1, 2011)

Veela is 12 weeks old; I've had her two weeks. I chose her because she was the most outgoing and perky pup in her litter. I take her someplace new two or three times every day, just for short little visits. She's been to the beach, a baseball game, a couple of playgrounds, a couple of parking lots, the woods, the feed store. She has met kids, adults, dogs, bicycles, rollerbladers, cats, grocery carts, umbrellas, horses. She will walk on all surfaces, including docks, decks, metal grates, playground equipment. As you can see, I am working hard on socialization, and she seems to be enjoying it. My trainer says this will help make her "bombproof."
My question is, how much will this matter if the dog has weak nerves? And, how can I tell at this age if she has weak nerves? She seems calm and careful to me, not fearful. If she is unsure about something new she watches it for a bit before approaching it. I notice that she watches me too, maybe checking how I react to things? Could that be? Is this normal?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

she sounds pretty normal to me at this point 

I think negative experience(s) at certain points can affect certain dogs, but a stable sound dog should bounce back from that. 

For example, I don't have kids, most of the dogs I've had, weren't around kids much, so that would be a lack of socialization around kids. YET, they all were fine with kids and readily accepted them. 

I think your doing great by your puppy, and it sounds like she's doing great as well. So just continue what your doing)


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

Weak nerves can come from 1st genetics and then 2nd negative experiences. (Someone correct me if Im wrong). 

If a dog has weak nerves no matter how much you socalize, it will always have weak nerves and when under stress it will revert back to genetically what it is...a weak nerve dog.

What you are doing is good and make sure everything stays positive. I noticed you said that you picked out the pup. Im curious as to why the breeder didn't pick it out? I take it this is your first GSD?


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

I have a weak nerved 21 month old. He appears much better probably due to maturity and constant exercise and socialization with dogs and people,especially kids. His socialization is daily but I know beneath the surface his insecurities are just being muted. I'm always aware of his possibility of charging or cowering or submissive peeing.


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## cshepherd9 (Feb 11, 2010)

I agree with what the others have posted and I think you are doing a great job of socializing at an early age. Though, like the others have said weak nerves are always there. I have been working with my dog on this same issue. For the past 6 weeks I have taken her to a new place at least twice a week. When we first started doing this she was whiny the second she got out of the car, tail down or tucked and she could barely do a basic "sit" command she was so nervous in the new environment. She has been doing SO much better the past two weeks and just yesterday I took her to a strip mall, she got out of the car, she was cruisin' down the sidewalk, checking things out. Her tail was in a good position and THEN.... someone opened a store door about 5 feet in front of her and it scared her. She immediately turned back into me and started whining. The good thing is that since we have been working so diligently lately it was easy for me to get her back into the flow and we continued on. You just have to watch the things that can potentially cause a reaction.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

To answer the other question you asked - you'd be able to tell if the puppy had weak nerves in many ways. Shaking while out in public, tail tucked, fearful, skittish, spooky, etc

Puppy should be outgoing and confident, curious about other things and it's overall environment.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Good nerves are 100% genetic IMO. If a pup has less than 100% sound nerves, socializing helps condition them to the world around them, but under stress, the weakness will always manifest itself in some way - whether slight or major....

I just got a new pup....I have always heard that coming out of the crate you will see what you have....although I did not pick her up at the airport, the people who did are both knowledgable and immediately observed her and reported that her nerves were totally solid.  Within 24 hours, this pup, who had never been away from it's kennel except to go to the vet with littermates, had been transported to an airport, crated, shipped from Europe, met strange dogs, cats, kids, slippery floors in an echoing hallway, stood 100 feet away from a freight train, met horses and another bunch of strange dogs. Absolutely never a negative second with anything. No prior socialization at all. 

Socialization is great, it can help dogs who are less than 100% tremendously. But a lack of socialization will not harm a dog who is genetically sound.

From your post - your pup appears to be sound nerved.

Lee


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

At this age, I don't think you can tell that a dog has weak nerves. You can tell if it's confident or timid, but that doesn't equal strong or weak-nerved.

I have a weak-nerved 22 month old male GSD and he was confident, non-anxious, and all around GREAT until about a year to a year and a quarter. Then his genetics started really coming out, despite ALL the socialization we did, much like you're doing.


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## tenhogues (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks for all your helpful replies. 

Ace952-To answer your questions, my first dog as an adult was a white shepherd. She was wonderful in many ways and I adored her, but her health and temperament reflected her poor breeding. That was 20 some years ago. I've wanted another GSD ever since.
I'm wondering why you would suggest that the breeder choose my pup? She certainly helped with the decision, but the ultimately we chose our puppy. Is this not typical?


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Most pups go through a "fear period" which is really a developmental stage where they suddenly notice things that could be potential threats. They may suddenly act cautious or afraid of things that didn't bother them before. So don't be alarmed if you see this. If the pup has good nerve, she'll bounce right back and get through this period without being negatively affected. Sounds like your pup is all good.


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## Alyalanna (May 28, 2011)

tenhogues said:


> I'm wondering why you would suggest that the breeder choose my pup? She certainly helped with the decision, but the ultimately we chose our puppy. Is this not typical?


Depends on the breeder. Some breeders let the buyers choose their puppies while others don't. The reason that they don't is usually because they have been with the puppies since day one and know their temperaments better than a prospective buyer does. This knowledge allows them to better match personality types so both the buyer and the puppy are happy with each other.


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## tenhogues (Jun 1, 2011)

That makes sense. I am fortunate to live near enough to my breeder to be able to visit several times, and sort of get to know the puppies. She got to know us and our teenagers too, so her input was invaluable. At the same time, I was able to meet the sire and dam, which was an important to me.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Freestep said:


> Most pups go through a "fear period" which is really a developmental stage where they suddenly notice things that could be potential threats.


Actually all pups go through fear periods...even other species do (wolves, foxes etc). It's just that it is more noticeable in some dogs than in others.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

DJEtzel said:


> At this age, I don't think you can tell that a dog has weak nerves. You can tell if it's confident or timid, but that doesn't equal strong or weak-nerved.
> 
> I have a weak-nerved 22 month old male GSD and he was confident, non-anxious, and all around GREAT until about a year to a year and a quarter. Then his genetics started really coming out, despite ALL the socialization we did, much like you're doing.


My 21 month old started exhibiting problems immediately at 8 weeks old. Machine gun barking and charging passersby,submissive urination,excitement urination,overreaction to verbal corrections,cowering,hackles at full attention and barking at stimuli that we could not even see or hear. It was very obvious from the get go,and we were quite pissed.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I still have to wonder how much the vaccines play into changes in behaviors. Especially when vets give a 5 way cocktail and inject a rabies shot for good measure.

I believe most experienced breeders can tell if a pup is soft, or not as stable as far as the nerves go. And by testing them, it will be a better gauge on the temperament. http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php

Many won't admit they may have a weak nerved pup however. The responsible ones will keep that pup(or those) and grow them out a bit to build confidence and see how they are after a few months.
Then they can be placed carefully instead of just sending the pup home with an unsuspecting new family.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

when it comes to the breeder picking out the pup
i always say "when you want pick ot the litter who's
picking out the pup"? what matching the person
with the pup is being done"?? when the breeder picks the pup
they don't know what temperment the pup is going to have
a week later, a month later, etc. i also think you when buy
from a reputable breeder all of he pups are sound. with
training and socializing you shape the pups temperment.
if you want a protector you train it in that manner,
if you want a pet/companion cuddle bug you train
it in that manner.



tenhogues said:


> Thanks for all your helpful replies.
> 
> Ace952-To answer your questions, my first dog as an adult was a white shepherd. She was wonderful in many ways and I adored her, but her health and temperament reflected her poor breeding. That was 20 some years ago. I've wanted another GSD ever since.
> I'm wondering why you would suggest that the breeder choose my pup? She certainly helped with the decision, but the ultimately we chose our puppy. Is this not typical?





Alyalanna said:


> Depends on the breeder. Some breeders let the buyers choose their puppies while others don't. The reason that they don't is usually because they have been with the puppies since day one and know their temperaments better than a prospective buyer does. This knowledge allows them to better match personality types so both the buyer and the puppy are happy with each other.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> I still have to wonder how much the vaccines play into changes in behaviors. Especially when vets give a 5 way cocktail and inject a rabies shot for good measure.
> 
> I believe most experienced breeders can tell if a pup is soft, or not as stable as far as the nerves go. And by testing them, it will be a better gauge on the temperament. Volhard Dog Training and Nutrition: Behavior and Training: Behavior
> 
> ...


My puppy tested all 3s on the aptitude test which would indicate a very sound puppy but he fooled them.


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