Social, Civil, and Savvy: Training & Socializing Puppies to Become the Best Possible Dogs

by Laura VanArendonk Baugh, ZJ Bickel (Illustrator)

You want a dog who is confident and happy, able to immediately distinguish between friend and threat, capable of intense focus on her work, and able to relax and play with you when you need some puppy love. But these attributes are not born in our puppies; they are created through proper socialization.

So much can be done in a puppy's first few months of life to equip her for our human world and expectations. A well-socialized puppy is not only a happier puppy for her own sake but is also a better-mannered and more reliable pet. Learn how to raise a puppy to be:


More comfortable and confident Upbeat and bold from family life to excursions to vet clinics Less reactive and excitable A better learner with better memory A more creative thinker and better training partner This practical approach to socialization, with plenty of detail and easy-to-follow steps, will help you to prepare your puppy for her best approach to life and social success. Material is included for the older dog as well!

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Animals, Audiobook

171 pages, Paperback

Published March 13, 2017

About the author

Laura was born at a very early age and never looked back. She overcame her childhood deficiencies of having been born without teeth and unable to walk, and by the time she matured into a recognizable adult she had become a behavior analyst, an internationally-recognized and award-winning animal trainer, a costumer/cosplayer, a chocolate addict, and of course a writer.

Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.

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Reviews

[Samantha J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched and well laid out book for new puppy owners who want to get their dog started off on the right foot. Would highly recommend the read pre puppy purchase or at least before puppy comes home.

[Lani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise and practical guide to puppy socialization. I love that the author doesn’t just say “do x” she tells you HOW to do it simply, and using a positive training approach.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It explains that "socialization" is not just meeting people and other dogs. It is normalizing all sorts of sensory experiences. It is not an obedience book teaching you how to train sit, stay, etc. but instead introduces concepts and related commands. Some chapters go over targeting, recall, meeting humans and critters, NOT meeting people, and confidence building. Some subjects were in the "yeah I know this" category but there were so many nuggets that were a combination of epiphany and common sense. "Now that you mention it, why wouldn't I do that..."

NOTE: It kind of jumps right in there like you knew it was a clicker-training book but later leaves that idea behind. It is not necessary to use a clicker, but timing a "yes!" type sound is a skill to build instead.

[Stephanie Croaning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides the knowledge that owners need to raise and train a puppy to be able to navigate the human world in a manner that is considered socially acceptable. Baugh provides the reader with the research and steps to take to raise a puppy that is confident and well-adjusted.

This is not a book that teaches potty training and basic commands, although there are resource links provided that will help you located reliable information in those areas.

I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about adding a puppy, or adult dog, to the house.

[Benji · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very helpful resource for anyone who has or is planning to bring a puppy home. It’s all about early socialization and includes helpful exercises and training games. I had a pretty good idea about socialization plans but this book helped fill in the specifics and I loved the section about socializing puppies NOT to greet humans or dogs, that’s such a vital skill that people tend to overlook. I have plans to bring home a Belgian Shepherd sport prospect in the next couple years so I figure it’s never too early to do my research.

[Jennifer Holzapfel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad book about training puppies, but I prefer a different approach, while the author seems to be training puppies to become show dogs. It would be good for a young family that want a puppy to behave around their children.

[Hypsypops · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good book for people who are getting a new puppy and have no concept of socialization. None of the information is wrong, exactly, and it will produce good results.

Personally, I prefer BAT 2.0 by Grisha Stewart for its dog-dog socialization protocol, so I took off a star.

[Dixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about getting a puppy as well as new puppy owners.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had this book before we got our puppy! She does a great job explaining how a dog learns and how to help facilitate the learning process as a handler.

[Piritta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to digest short book about proper socializing.