10/05/2026
I’m part of a holistic pet care group, and someone asked about when to take their unvaccinated puppy out in public. Pictured is my response. It got me thinking, so let’s talk socialization.
Contrary to popular belief about puppy development, I barely socialize my dogs. They usually don’t even leave the farm until they’re at least 6 months old. I recently took Lenora to the vet— it was the first time she left the property, she will be 2 years old later this month. She did fantastic. She was friendly with the vet techs, allowed the vet to look her over and administer her rabies shot, she walked nicely on leash and was not reactive to anything at all. She was a bit nervous in the truck, but overall she did great.
In my opinion, whether socialization is necessary is largely dependent on genetics. My dogs are all very friendly with people. They are huge lovebugs. I think this is largely true for Turkish shepherd dogs in general. In Turkey, these dogs are raised as flock guardians. They only really interact with other dogs and with their shepherd. Literally one or two people. Then in the winter they are brought into the village with the sheep. You have many different dog packs converging. They settle their hierarchy as needed without seriously injuring each other. And they certainly aren’t permitted to be aggressive towards people. I can’t even tell you how many videos I’ve seen of a young Turkish child (barely more than a toddler) bringing a huge bucket of food out, dumping it in the trough while the dogs wait patiently, then the dogs politely move in and share their food without even bumping into the child. It’s incredible. These dogs have been bred for thousands of years to be discerning. To understand what is a threat and what isn’t. To stay calm and level-headed. To only use the force necessary. To be gentle as a lamb with children and livestock, yet fierce as a wolf with a predator.
Do some dogs need socialization? Sure. Understand your breed. Understand your dog’s history and genetics. If you want a dog that you can take to the dog park and get along with other dogs, then by all means, get a Labrador and socialize it well. Honestly though, a Labrador from well bred lines won’t need the socialization, it will be a friendly goofball regardless. If you choose to adopt from a shelter, you don’t truly know what you’re getting. Despite all attempts to socialize, you could very well end up with a highly reactive or fearful dog. In my opinion, genetics play a greater role in determining a dog’s temperament than anything the owner could ever do.
My dogs, and really this applies to ALL LGDs, are not the kind of dog you take with you to the dog park. They don’t tolerate funny business from other dogs. They don’t usually start an issue, but when one presents itself they will finish it. They are serious. Their intelligence sets them apart from all other dog breeds. I do not allow my dogs to interact with strange dogs, EVER. They are guardians. It isn’t fair to them to force them to go against their nature. I’ve encountered too many people who cannot control their poorly behaved dogs, and I don’t want to deal with the aftermath of my dogs putting a dog like that in its place. Most people aren’t used to seeing dogs make a light correction, let alone really tell a dog to knock it off. Things get blown out of proportion way too quickly, especially these days when it seems like 9/10 of the population is completely divorced from reality when it comes to animal communication. So even though I know the dogs ultimately make more noise than anything else, I choose to stay out of situations that might invite backlash. My dogs are solid, they’re not reactive or fearful, and we protect each other. That’s not due to socialization, it’s due to good genetics and a strong, healthy, trusting bond with their handler.
What are your thoughts on socialization? Is it as necessary as we’ve been led to believe?
