Proper socialization is essential if you hope to raise a happy, well-balanced dog. Unfortunately, most pet owners have the wrong idea about how to socialize their dogs and inadvertently do more harm than good in this process. The moment you get a new puppy the importance of socialization is drilled into your head; you hear it from your veterinarian, at puppy class, and so on. You’re encouraged to expose your new puppy to all sorts of other dogs, animals, people, places, and noises during his critical developmental periods.