I once owned a sweet, little Chihuahua but I was younger at the time and was more interested in my social life than my dogs. The fact of the matter is that I did not socialize him. This resulted in a little dog who was afraid of people and other dogs. He would try to nip at anyone who would come into my home. This was very difficult when friends and family visited. He would violently bark at the gas station attendant every time I would stop for gas. He was afraid of other dogs when I would take him to the park. This was not the dogs fault but it was my fault. I wish I could do it over. Now that my dog is gone, I sometimes look back and reflect on ways that I could have made his life better. I learned a lot since then.

All dogs should be socialized,  especially at an early age, get your dog out into the world and expose him to as many things as possible: children, adults, sights, sounds, places and other dogs. One important thing to remember  is that it’s not enough for your dog to see these things but your dog should have positive experiences with each and every one of them. As I described earlier,lack of socialization can cause behavior issues for any type of dog. Also, don’t forget to spend lots of quality time with him.

Remember, your pets count!

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