All pups need to be gently exposed to lots of different sights, situations, experiences, people, sounds, etc. It's called socialization. The more socialized your pup is when he's 5 months old or younger, the better adjusted and less flighty/scaredy he'll be when he's all grown up. It's not hard to socialize a pup, it just takes some planning, some very good tasty food, and the willingness to leave if your pup's not having a good time.
Last week, Ike got to visit a federal building and rode on a freight elevator, saw some really strange looking staircases, and experienced a long, shiny hallway. He was unaffected by most of what he saw – watch the video below and take note of his waggy tail and happy demeanor.
If the video is cut off on the blog, click here to view it on YouTube.
What a confident boy! It looks like you’re in for a really easy time introducing him to new experiences.
We worked hard to socialize Honey and expose her to a wide range of noises and activities–power tools, boats, sirens. But after being calm with everything, Honey surprised me by fearing flapping tarps. It’s taken a couple months, but I think she’s over it now.
Hopefully Ike will keep being such a brave dog!