When you bring home a puppy, you hear a lot about socialization. Take them places, introduce them to people, let them experience new things while they’re young. And yes, those things are important, but I think the word socialization can sometimes make new puppy families feel like they need to fit as much as possible into those first few months. Suddenly you’re wondering if your puppy has met enough people, seen enough places or played with enough dogs, and it can start to fee

Bringing a puppy home changes the rhythm of family life almost immediately. Suddenly, everyone wants to help fill the food bowl, choose a toy, or be the first person the puppy greets in the morning.