Clark Animal Care Center / Importance of Early Socialization in Puppies

Veterinary Behavior Society Announces Position Statement on the Importance of Early Socialization in Puppies Starting Prior to Completion of Vaccination Series

While veterinarians are appropriately concerned about infectious disease in young puppies, the fact is that behavioral issues, not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age. In many cases veterinarians contribute to these behavioral issues by recommending pets are kept away from possible germs until their vaccines series is complete.

Says E. Kathryn Meyer, VMD, President of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB), "Puppies go through a sensitive period of socialization when they are uniquely prepared to benefit from exposure to social opportunities. From the time the owner adopts the puppy until 3-4 months of age, it is critical that the owner get the puppy out to meet other animals and people, and experience many different kinds of environments."

If this window of opportunity is missed the consequences can be severe. Puppies can develop fear of unfamiliar people, dogs, objects, and environments. This fear can later develop into fear aggression. Meyer adds, "These puppies may also fail to develop coping mechanisms and grow up into dogs that are unable to adapt to new situations. This can severely inhibit the dog's quality of life as well as the owner's enjoyment of the pet."

The AVSAB has issued a position statement on early socialization in puppies, which recommends that the standard of care for veterinarians be that they routinely recommend puppies received socialization before the vaccine series is complete. The puppy guidelines state that puppies can start puppy socialization classes as early as 7-8 weeks of age. In general, they should receive a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class as well as a first deworming. Additionally, puppies should show no signs of illness during the classes and should be kept up to date on vaccines throughout the class.