I picked up Buster from the breeder thinking he’d be this instant perfect family dog. Golden Retrievers are supposed to love everyone, right? Well, nobody told Buster that.
But of course, not all puppies are like this. He spent his first week at home hiding under the coffee table every time someone walked past our front window. The UPS guy might as well have been a serial killer based on how Buster reacted.
My mom kept saying “he’ll grow out of it,” but after a month of watching him tremble at the sound of kids laughing next door, I figured I better do something.
Turns out, even the friendliest dog breeds need help learning that the world isn’t scary. Although some breeders do their best.
PLEASE KEEP READING THINGS GET BETTER
Golden Retriever Family Enjoying Outdoors
You’ve Got About Three Months to Get This Right
Here’s what sucks – puppies basically decide what’s normal and what’s terrifying before they’re four months old. After that, changing their mind about stuff gets way harder. I wish someone had told me this before I spent Buster’s first month just trying to keep him from peeing on my carpet. Start training your puppy as soon as possible.
My neighbor’s Dog is now three years old and still goes nuts every time a motorcycle drives by because she never heard one as a puppy. My friend Dave’s dog won’t go near anyone in a baseball cap because the first person he met wearing one accidentally stepped on his tail. These aren’t things you can just fix with a few training sessions later.
Buster was lucky because I figured this out early, but it was close. For the first few weeks, his whole world was just me, my apartment, and whatever he could see from the living room window. Everything else was foreign territory.
The tricky part is not overdoing it. My cousin got so paranoid about socializing her puppy that she dragged him everywhere – the farmers market, kids’ soccer games, busy downtown areas. The poor dog was so overwhelmed he shut down completely. Now he won’t leave their backyard without having a panic attack.
The Vaccination Catch
Your vet says don’t take the puppy anywhere public until he’s fully vaccinated. But by the time that happens, the critical period is basically over. So what are you supposed to do?
I got creative. Buster and I spent a lot of time sitting on our front steps just watching the neighborhood. I’d carry him to different places so he could see and hear new things without his paws touching anything sketchy. Friends came over to hang out in our yard. I drove him around just to let him see different areas through the car window.
The goal was exposing him to as much as possible without putting him at risk. It’s a pain, but it’s doable if you put some thought into it.
More Than Just Meeting Dogs
Everyone thinks socializing a puppy means dog parks and puppy classes. That stuff’s important, but Buster needed to learn about people too. Little kids move differently than adults. Old people sometimes use canes or walkers. Some people wear uniforms, some have beards, some talk loud, some are really quiet.
I made a mental list of all the types of people and situations Buster would encounter throughout his life and tried to expose him to as many as possible. The mail carrier, delivery drivers, people on bikes, joggers, people in wheelchairs. Each positive interaction made the next one easier.
The key was keeping everything positive. When Buster met someone new and nothing bad happened, he learned that strangers weren’t automatically dangerous. When he heard a new sound and I stayed calm, he figured it probably wasn’t worth worrying about either.
Getting Them Used to Being Touched
Golden Retrievers are naturally cuddly, but Buster still needed to learn that being handled wasn’t something to stress about. I spent time every day touching his paws, ears, and mouth while giving him treats. Sounds weird, but it made vet visits and grooming so much easier later on.
I’d have visitors practice the same thing – gently touching different parts of him while he got treats. Now he actually falls asleep during nail trims because he associates having his paws handled with good things happening. Although most good breeders will do this from the time they are born till the day they go home with their new family.
Making Everything a Good Experience
Just showing Buster new things wasn’t enough – I had to make sure he actually liked the experience. A scared puppy doesn’t learn that something is safe, he learns that it’s something to be afraid of.
I started carrying really good treats everywhere we went. When Buster saw something new, I’d immediately start feeding him while he checked it out. Pretty soon he started looking at me expectantly every time we encountered something unfamiliar, like “okay, where are my treats for being brave?”
Some puppies are naturally more confident than others. Buster was pretty cautious, so I had to be patient and let him approach things on his own timeline. Pushing him too fast would have backfired completely.
It’s Worth the Effort
Buster’s five now, and people are always commenting on how well-behaved and confident he is. He loves meeting new people, gets along with other dogs, and handles unexpected situations without falling apart. The effort I put in during those first few months set him up for success for the rest of his life.
But I see other dogs who missed out on proper socialization, and it’s heartbreaking. They’re stressed by normal everyday situations that should be no big deal. Their owners can’t take them places or have people over without drama.
If you’ve got a Golden Retriever puppy, don’t wait to start working on this stuff. Those first few months are your only real shot at raising a confident, happy dog who can handle whatever life throws at him.