Shy-K9s FAQ Addendum - Socialization
Although early socialization is important, it can not be emphasized
enough that this does not necessarily mean that puppies should be adopted
at very young ages in order to be well-adjusted. In fact, as long as the
breeder and dam see to their socialization needs, puppies are best left
with their litter until they are at least 7 weeks old, some people would
claim 9 or 10 weeks is better. Puppies who are separated from their
litters and dams at young ages are more likely to have problems with other
dogs and sometimes humans. The communication skills they learn from their
dam after 5 weeks of age are vital to the rest of their lives, and this
education shouldn't be short-changed. Many people mistakenly believe it's
easier to bond to a puppy if they get him as young as possible, even
bottle-raise him themselves, but this is actually counterproductive.
After all, service dogs are often not placed with their owners until they
are 2-3 years old, and service dogs must bond very closely with their
disabled owner.
Lynda Oleksuk