Obviously socialization is crucial to having a great dog. I was curious as to some of the odd places you take your dog, places that you normally wouldn't think of. Make a list of what you think are the top five places/situations you put your dog in when socializing. Thought this would be a good subject to get unusual ideas from people. Go to town everyone.

Anyplace that you can think of.. the crazier the better. As a puppy I took my dog everywhere I could think of...& still do. She is now just 2 yrs old. Playgounds, ( take her on the equipment),shopping centers (I pop her out of the truck & work her on the grassy areas), home depot( she has been in there about 10 times when busy & noisy ), stores, boat docks (walk out on them when it's raining & windy & they are bouncing around) the beach, parades, the fields at the barn where my horse is, I work her while the horses run in the field next to her, in fact they usually run over to the fence & watch us, schools( use a school field all the time for working her & often enlist the kids on bikes, skateboards, scooters, playig all kinds of ball to help act as distractions while I work her), fire escape stairs, etc. etc. etc. I think that you get the idea. My dog will work for me in the middle of a school field with soccer going on in one cornor, softball in another, & cricket (yes cricket) in another & not pay a bit of attention to anyone but me !!The other day when I was there some men were there running remote control cars in figure 8's around my dog within 6 feet, while she was in a down stay & doing heeling & she didn't even look at the noisy cars...& they where NOISY. It takes time to get to this point, but I have been doing this with her since she was 9 weeks old. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Good luck & the more creative you can be the better.

Well, with the time of year, an obvious answer for this month is taking your puppy/dog Trick-or-Treating....

I love taking my young pups to a daycare. I am lucky enough that my wife owns one and it also gives me to chance to teach some young kids about dogs.

I also like pet stores, Working obedience up and down my kennels with other dogs there, parents house during a family gathering, anywhere in the city where there is lots of people and different sounds like buses going by.

in the end there is tomany places to list

talk soon
Dave

Okay my question didnt really hit home. I understand basic socialization. Everything mentioned so far is nothing out of the ordinary, except of Will's idea. I was hoping for some wacky and crazy spots that are also great for socialization. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the afore mentioned posts and suggetions, I am just a little bored with the norm and am looking for the unique. Please don't take any offense, those who have posted already.

Hmmm, are you getting a cut off those bee costume sales?<br>
http://beedogs.com/index.htm

I have never met Will and his dog Fetz and have never had any direct contact with him, but after reading this board for a few years and learning what type of guy he is and how strong his dog is, I would pay good money to see the two of them in matching bee outfits for Halloween. Got say, I am laughing right now just thinking about it. Good times.

I like the car wash. there's alot of noise and people, kids, etc. If you take your dog on your normal routine of errands on a weekend, you'll give it plenty of everything. I bring my dog into the bank once in awhile. I get the full gamet of responses.

Jake,
Here's one place that's a little out of the ordinary where I actually took Fetz for socialization when he was younger - the County Library.

The children had a "Kid's Reading Hour", and different groups would go to read to the kids ( mostly disadvantaged kids, they were so hungry for some type of contact with normal adults ). So we at the Animal Control Board/ Shelter would take dogs with us and read dog-related stories to the kids. It was a hoot, and since I don't have or want children, it was a rare chance to socialize Fetz with kids. He was surprising gentle for the big lug that he was, and it remains a fond memory of mine.

Try it, it's a win-win situation. Good for the dogs, and good for the kids. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Besides the normal Petco and farmers markets, I have not been able to find a store that will allow me to bring my dogs in. I would like to take them into more places than I do but can not find many that will allow me in with a dog. I would like to take my dog to work with me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Two men and a GSD crammed into a truck would look kinda funny.