The German Pinscher is a breed that needs to have regular, structured socialization right from the first day that you bring the new puppy home. Socialization can be as simple as learning who is a member of the family and how to play with people without biting or nipping, right through to older dogs learning how to interact with other dogs, pets and visitors. Since a German Pinscher is a natural protector and hunter, not socializing the dog correctly can lead to significant problems for the owner as the dog matures.
German Pinschers can also be very dominant and possessive of their things, toys and food. With proper early and consistent socialization the dog will learn to share without becoming possessive. Possessive behavior is a real problem, especially if children are in the house or family. Often a possessive dog will snap or bite at kids that are just trying to play, resulting in the dog being sent to a shelter or rescue after there is an injury to a child. Most of the time this can be prevented by the adult owner working with both the dog and the child to develop good socialization skills.
One of the best ways to socialize younger German Pinscher puppies and older dogs is to get the dog enrolled in an obedience class. For young puppies there are puppy kindergarten classes that are as much geared to socialization as they are to obedience. In these classes owners will be able to let their German Pinscher puppy play with all the other puppies in the class while still teaching them the basic commands. This is great for the owner that is somewhat nervous about taking the puppy to a dog park or off leash area. The worst case scenario is where the puppy is isolated from other dogs, which leads to a greater likelihood of dog aggression and territorial protection throughout the German Pinschers life.
Older dogs in obedience, agility, tracking or training classes tend to have less socialization time within the class; however they are still exposed to working in the same area with all different types of dogs. In addition the owners can network with other owners to plan activities outside of the class where the various dogs can interact. This is great for both the dogs and their human companions as owners tend to be more trusting of dogs that they know, allowing the German Pinscher more freedom to interact.
If the German Pinscher is very protective of the house and yard, don't try to start the socialization at your location, go to somewhere neutral such as a dog park or a rural area. This will minimize any protective tendencies your German Pinscher may have. There are also private trainers and animal behavioral specialists that can help rehabilitate German Pinschers or other dogs that have become territorial or possessive. Keep in mind that a dog can change its behavior given the right motivation and training. Through early and continued socialization the need for this type of retraining can be completely eliminated, making early obedience and socialization well worth the effort.
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