Socialization vs Counter Conditioning
I find that these two terms are often used interchangeably (I’m guilty of that myself), but it’s important to note that they are not the same thing.
This afternoon I took SunMi out with me to run errands in town. We went to five different stores together, saw some new suspicious things she didn’t know how to feel about at first (she saw her first electric wheelchair ever), and met a lot of different people. Old me would have said that I took her out on a “socialization outing”. The more research I do, the more I realize that that’s actually not the case.
Socialization is the process of positively introducing a puppy to new things so that when they grow into adult dogs, they’re able to adapt to new situations and environments without fear or anxiety. The socialization window for puppies is only open for a short period of time they’re very young - usually starting at 3 weeks and through the age of 16 weeks; beyond that, that “window” of opportunity to create positive first impressions has likely closed. That’s why it’s so important for breeders to work hard while the puppies are stilly very young to give them quality socialization while their brains are still forming, and especially before they hit their “fear periods” around 8 weeks of age. When puppies are in their fear periods you have to be very careful with the type of exposure you give them. Something that truly scares a puppy when they’re in a fear period can leave a lasting impression on them that lasts a lifetime, and they might never be able to overcome that fear.
Introducing a 7 week old puppy to a tall person in a bright yellow hat and sunglasses and making it a positive experience would be considered “socialization”. At that age, puppies typically still don’t have fear responses, and recover quickly from being startled - so it’s a great time to (carefully) socialize them to lots of new things. Dropping pots and pans, slamming doors, running the vacuum, hearing doorbells, introducing them to other (neutral) dogs, meeting children, meeting people of different ethnicities etc.
Counter conditioning refers to changing the dog’s emotional response/feelings/attitude toward something. When SunMi saw the electric wheelchair today and I praised her for staying calm about it, and offered her reassurance and praise when she sat down and watched it. That type of training would be considered counter conditioning. SunMi has benefited significantly from the early socialization she experienced while still in her breeder’s care, and the constant counter-conditioning training that we’ve continued to do into her adulthood. I take every opportunity I can to bring her out with me into the “human” world so she can get exposure to all sorts of people, scent, sounds, and sights. It’s made her into a well-rounded dog that doesn’t spook, rarely reacts, and doesn’t startle easy when out in public. She’s content to wander around by my side in the hardware store, just the same as she’s happy to lay under the table in a pet-friendly restaurant.
I strongly feel that a strong combination of early socialization and counter conditioning makes for a rock solid dog that knows how to handle itself in a world built by humans that isn’t always dog friendly. I’m so excited for this upcoming litter and can’t wait to work with them. The world needs more wellbred dogs that have been set up for success by their breeders with quality socialization, and educated owners that can hit the ground running and continue the work to train their new puppies that the world might be big - but it doesn’t have to be scary.
