Have you ever heard a breeder or a trainer say “Socialize, socialize, socialize, take your new addition everywhere with you”? Or perhaps you have heard a veterinarian preach from the opposite side of the fence, warning you not to take your new puppy anywhere until he has completed his entire vaccination series. Yet studies have been shown that the critical periods of socialization are between three and sixteen weeks. Does it stop at 16 weeks? A few dog professionals will tell you that a dog needs to experience new things and new people at least weekly until they are closer to two years old. Which is correct? If we look up the word “socialize” on www.dictionary.com, the first definition given is: “to make social; make fit for life in companionship with others.” Let’s use that as our goal, the goal of socializing a dog is to make him social, fit for life in companionship with others (other dogs and other people). In order to do this, ideally we first developed a bond with our puppy...

Mostly this blog posts light-hearted, Poodle related articles. But occasionally a dog training issue is addressed. After just seeing the 2012 dog fatality statistics on www.dogsbite.org , I thought some of my readers might find it helpful to meditate on the REAL reasons that dozens of children (and adults) are killed by dogs in the United States and Canada each year. The numbers have not gone down since I started researching this issue in the early 90s. Here is a quick recap for you, of the reasons I believe these tragedies continue to happen: 1. Lack of knowledge, or being brainwashed/bombarded with incorrect information. Many would assume that since bookstores and on-line stores are full of dog-related books, and the internet full of dog related websites, whole television stations are devoted to animals (with primarily dog related shows)--every dog owner would have access to, and would gain knowledge of, basic canine behavior before purchasing a dog as a pet. Actually, the exac...