Having a social and well rounded dog is an important part of pet ownership. Giving your dog new experiences improves his personality andy can help him have a full and happy life. Here are 3 tips on encouraging the development of a social, well rounded animal.

The best time to buy a puppy is between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks. This is time enough for the puppy to have been completely weaned from its mother and be ready to begin bonding to you. If you delay this process by waiting or keeping the puppy in a kennel, he or she will become more dog oriented, will generally not make as good of a companion and will be more difficult to train and less obedient.

Make sure your dog meets and interacts with a wide variety of different people at an early age. If you keep your dog at home all day or have him chained up in the back yard, he will become very attached to you, but will be shy of strangers, which can create problems for you when you have friends over or need to leave him with a petsitter.

Make sure your dog experiences lots of different places. If you keep your dog in an apartment all day, it will be harder for him to adjust to changes he may go through in your lifetime. The best time to start taking your puppy out and about is from about 12 to 16 weeks of age. (Never take an unvaccinated puppy to public places.) Take your dog with you everywhere you go, allowing him to experience busy, loud, quiet and crowded places. This will also conquer and prevent many fears your animal may experience.

Follow these steps and you and your dog will be well on your way to a happy, healthy, friendly life. Remember, a good relationship with your animal is easy and will give you both a friend for life.

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