[Diane Heller-Vaccaro]

Since I don't have children and my husband and myself keep to ourselves for the most part, I have to make a big effort to socialize my pup with kids. I have found it fairly easy the children in the neighborhood run up to him and he does his "Rottie Lean" they love all over him and I watch very carefully for anything that might resemble rough housing or teasing. I don't mind if they get loud or scream abit I want him to understand a screaming child is not a threat, I don't want a reaction to everything. I'm just careful that they don't do anything that might hurt him. They close our downtown and the vendors from all the little stores bring their merchandise out on the streets and he had great fun there, who can resist a 10 week old bear cub. He greets everyone the same like he is about to make a new friend. I love how social he is. I want to introduce him to new dogs but he only has 2 shots til next week. So his animal socialization consists of the family animals. I take him food shopping and he sits in the shopping cart. We went to have my tire repaired so he heard the airgun and strange noises and he was curious but not frightened. I pay more attention to recovery then the initial response. He can be cautious but I want to see him still curious and willing to approach. Last Sunday I was invited by Work-n-Show to watch them training and I met Sherrie from the board and we had a good time. Mary from Western Oregon Rottweiler Klub took the time to show me how to start Asa tracking and we have been practicing. I started with a puppy that has good genetics and I will do everything to make sure he grows into a well-rounded dog.