# 1-16 week period.... Just how important is it?



## StingRay (Jun 10, 2014)

Is the 1-16 week period really that important for puppy behavior later in life? I have read it a few places that if you don't socialize your puppy with people or animals, they are more prone to snapping and biting later in life. How true is this?


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

It is crucial and formative.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

I agree with wolfy dog...it is paramount.

You only get one shot at the development of pup, so take complete advantage of the moment.....you'll be "paid" back many times over for the effort you put into today. Trying to train bad behavior out of a dog is soooooooo much harder than teaching proper behavior from the beginning when the pup is so malleable.

Carpe diem,

SuperG


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

SuperG said:


> I agree with wolfy dog...it is paramount.
> 
> You only get one shot at the development of pup, so take complete advantage of the moment.....you'll be "paid" back many times over for the effort you put into today. Trying to train bad behavior out of a dog is soooooooo much harder than teaching proper behavior from the beginning when the pup is so malleable.
> 
> ...


...plus you cannot undo lack of socialization after that period. Many dogs pay the ultimate price because they couldn't function in the world as a result of lack of proper socialization. Please look into this seriously before getting a GSD pup.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

I think it has much to do with the genetics of the pup. Weak genetics means more work to overcome certain behaviors thus making careful socializing very important. 
Strong genetics and puppy means socializing is not going to be a game changer.

Carmspack Gus


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## StingRay (Jun 10, 2014)

Thanks for all the helpful answers guys. This will be my first dog, so I am basically a rookie trying to get myself prepared. I have been reading a lot of stuff on the internet but some of it is sort of contradicting. Some folks say don't take your puppy out a lot because it might catch a disease (Provo)? Others say that socialization is a must between 1-16 weeks. (To be honest, the second one makes sense to me).

However, what is socialization? and how is one supposed to do it? Should one take a chair and camp out in front of a mall? Take the puppy for a hike? Take it to a bar-b-que?

I am not trying to be smart here, but these are the items I am currently researching.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Read, read and read and keep your dog in classes. Take from it what you can use. Every writer and trainer has her/his own ideas. You need to go by what you are comfy with. With a GSD you need to do things right from the very start.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I agree with the genetic component, but the breeder must also play their part in raising pups that are clean in their habits(crate training, housetraining is begun early) and confidence building is ongoing. I personally think Karlo's breeder has set that bar really high with the way they raise pups. 
I don't know if I'd want a pup raised any other way!


> However, what is socialization? and how is one supposed to do it? Should one take a chair and camp out in front of a mall? Take the puppy for a hike? Take it to a bar-b-que?


Socializing IMO is giving a pup a safe view of the world, experience everything possible though not overwhelm pup. Scents, sounds,babies, the elderly, animals, surfaces, heights, water, anything...it doesn't mean meeting 100 people. The handler should let pup know they are safe and encourage pup in every situation it is exposed to.


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## swestypants (Jun 20, 2013)

I'll tell you what.. I picked up Judah and his brother (for a friend) at the same time. At the time of 8 weeks they were separated. From that point on they were socialized differently, and trained differently. Judah hiked with me and many of my friend's adult dogs of all different breeds. Diesal on the other hand simply went to puppy classes for a few weeks. Judah experienced bikes, horses, a variety of people and vehicles, shopping carts, gunfire, fireworks, fire, drunk people, children, babies, screaming babies, other puppies, cats everything that I could condense into those 10 weeks that I had him before he hit 16/17 weeks...I introduced him to everything. 
Diesal's socialization on the other hand just about ended outside of the other dog at their house, and the occasional bon fire with some friends. 

Diesal gets spooked...very easily. 
He lives in a household of Soldiers, yet is very nervous around gunfire and fireworks. 
He freaks out when he sees a horse, and slams into people and children because he doesn't know how to interact... he's getting better... but Judah on the other hand just in the last week has met a ton of new dogs and people and has not had any issues - he's even exceptionally non-reactive around semi-reactive dogs. 

Not saying my training was perfect. He still scoots across the house when we fluff up a plastic bag for the garbage can... and he gets nervous your typical upright vacuum because i simply didnt have one when he was young. But being able to compare brothers really verified with me how important those first 8-10 weeks that you have them in your possession is. I probably will never purchase a puppy from a breeder that keeps them till they're over 12 weeks simply because of my personal observations.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Saphire said:


> I think it has much to do with the genetics of the pup. Weak genetics means more work to overcome certain behaviors thus making careful socializing very important.
> Strong genetics and puppy means socializing is not going to be a game changer.
> 
> Carmspack Gus


Yup. Lots of people out there with stable friendly solid nerved dogs that dont have a clue what socialization is. Nurture can go a long way to creating a functional dog but if you want to skip all that crap find a good breeder with confident lines.


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## Cara Fusinato (May 29, 2011)

Read Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete. You get a good psychological profile of puppies and a great test to evaluate them when choosing yours. Reads fast, available on Kindle.

There are many ways to "socialize". There's interaction at home between the family and other family dogs, there are visitors who can add to that by coming in and spending time greeting the pup, there's taking the dog but not having it walk through places (notably Hobby Lobby and Home Depot are dog friendly -- carry-throughs if you will), there's going for a short car ride, there are many sights/sounds/textures to expose a dog to at home, and crucial is choosing not only a line but an individual puppy that is mentally solid.


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