12/18/2025
Puppies have a critical socialization window from about 3–16 weeks.
Waiting until all vaccines are finished often means missing it.
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) recommends safe, controlled exposure before vaccines are complete - because the risk of behavioral issues from under-socialization can outweigh disease risk when done responsibly.
Socialization doesn’t mean dog parks or daycare. It means positive exposure to the world: sights, sounds, surfaces, people, handling, and calm, healthy dogs.
Done right, this builds confident, resilient dogs for life. Done wrong, or skipped, fear often fills the gap.
Early socialization isn’t about making puppies excited about everything in their environment. Building engagement with the handler teaches puppies that they don’t need to interact with everything they see. This creates more neutral, confident, and less reactive dogs long-term. There is a time and place for exploration, and a time and place for focus and calm neutrality. Teaching that balance early matters.
Reach out if you’d like to plan ahead with my hybrid programming of day training and 1:1’s in 2026!
