Is Socialization Really That Important? What Most Dog Owners Get Wrong

Dog Works Radio® | Dog Training, Puppy Training, Dog Behavior & Service Dogs · Jul 7, 2026 · 12m

What does it really mean to socialize your dog?

Many dog owners believe socialization means letting puppies meet every dog, greet every stranger, and spend hours at the dog park. Unfortunately, those well-intentioned efforts often create the very behavior problems owners hope to avoid.

In this episode of Dog Training Unfiltered, Michele Forto explains what proper socialization actually looks like and why confidence, not popularity, should be your goal.

You'll learn why calm observation is often more valuable than constant interaction, how the critical puppy socialization period works, why dog…