Hello,

I have a question, in the article, http://leerburg.com/whopetspuppy.htm "Who pets puppy" he advises that no stranger pets the puppy, but in the video 8 weeks to 8 months, he says you should socialize the puppy with strangers, and give the strangers treats to give to the puppy. In the article, he says you don't want the strangers to be the "treat machines". I'm just confused here.

Thanks,
Kevin

Really, it depends on the pup and what your goals are.

A confident, outgoing pup doesn't need treats from strangers. I followed that kind of advice and ended up having to spend a year and a half training my dog not to approach everyone she made eye contact with.

A very shy, young puppy might benefit from this if the "strangers" could be people to set up situations where you are a thousand percent sure they won't do anything freaky and upset pup.

IMO, treats from YOU around new people are the best bet.

Perfect, he is exited already without treats when he see's other people. So ill make sure treats only come from me still. But should i still continue to socialize every week?

Its always good to get the puppy out in the world whenever you can. Think more about socializing to environments. Take him everywhere!

Socializing doesn't have to include people at all, except to be around them and see them and not freak out. To me, it is more about different sounds, sights, things to climb on (we used playgrounds alot), grocery store fronts were good for people with shopping carts, bags, etc...

Labs are generally such great dogs people-wise anyway - you will probably have more of an issue to train him to NOT be so social! If you are okay with people petting your cute pup, that isn't a problem. (I couldn't not ask to pet him if I saw him... ) But as you've heard... I didn't want treats coming from anyone but my husband and me.

The treat recommendation is for dogs that are afraid of people.
A dog who is friendly and focused on strangers should be taken to public places and taught to ignore them.

Engage the dog with treats, toys, etc, to encourage him to focus on you and not the strangers. Expose him to strange sights, sounds, and smells. As has been said, socialization doesn't necessarily equal meeting and interacting with strangers. Just learning to feel comfortable around them, and understanding that the rules apply even in strange places.

make sure to include, when you can, to get him around buses & try to somehow work in Sirens (ambulance, firetruck etc etc., fireworks etc.

Tucker was not socialized to those things as a pup (he is a rescue), and his reaction to them later in life was not good.

It was definately my bad, i didn't even think about it until he had already reacted. And it took awhile to de-sensitize him to those things.

Yup.

Other things that can be on the list are wheelchairs, walkers, shopping carts, joggers, and people playing sports.

The list of things to potentially socialize a puppy to are practically endless. Think about it this way: imagine all the things your dog might be exposed to in his life, and try to introduce him to those things as a young pup, so that when he encounters them later he's been there, done that.

It will vary depending on where you live, and your lifestyle.

I live in a city, so things like motorcycles, people with wheeled luggage, baby strollers, roller bladers, car washes, toll booths, drive-through banks and restaurants, car hops, sirens, ice cream truck, crowded parks, etc. etc. etc. were all on my list. Along with the usual list of different colors and ages of people. The pup doesn't have to stop and meet a person in a wheel chair or a black man or a lady in a hat---but they need to have seen one, and see that it doesn't freak you out.

Your dog might have a different list. Elevator? Horse? Gunfire? Motorboat?

Different kinds of surfaces to walk on is another area of socializing. Make it a point to introduce your pup to walking on concrete, blacktop, tall grass, mowed grass, wood chips, wood planks, slick tile--you get the idea, as well as stairs covered with different surfaces, open stairs, etc.

And don't forget "socializing" around your own home too--especially to sounds. Lawnmower, vacuum cleaner (this is a big one), power tools, whistling tea kettle, banging pots and pans, door bell, car horn...

Socialization is all about what you want with your dog.
For me it means they have to accept whatever I expose them to.
The don't have to play with strangers or other dogs.
I train my two GSDs with my brother and his Presa. They can be side by side while we walk them, even bumping into one another. All loose during training. Out of site sits and downs within feet of one another. Passing other dogs and walkers at the park, etc.
They accept one another because that's what we want but they have never played together. No nose touching, no butt sniffing and, with three unaltered males, no marking over one another's spot. There is no need!
A simple "leave it" or "AHHH" for any of the three dogs is all that's needed to take their focus off of.....anything!