Socialisation & Exposure

Socialisation is very important for primitive breeds and requires a significant commitment, particularly during the first year of life. This initial period involves frequent and thoughtful exposure to a wide range of environments, sights, sounds, and everyday situations. The time and effort invested during this stage lays the foundation for a confident, stable adult Xolo.

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After the first year, the intensity of socialisation can ease, but it should never stop entirely. Xolos still require regular environmental exposure to maintain their confidence, as they can regress if meaningful experiences are removed from their routine for long periods.

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It is also important to understand what socialisation is and what it is not.

Socialisation does not mean taking your dog to a dog park or forcing them to accept physical interaction from strangers. For a Xolo, this approach can be overwhelming and counterproductive.

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True socialisation & exposure is about calm, controlled exposure. It means including your dog in everyday life and allowing them to observe the world at their own pace. Early on, this may involve simply watching from a distance, with interaction only occurring if and when the dog chooses to engage.

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We generally do not recommend dog parks for any breed. All it takes is one negative experience during a dog’s critical developmental period to create long-lasting fear or fear-based reactivity toward other dogs. Unfortunately, owners at dog parks are not trainers and often miss the early body-language signals that indicate a situation is about to escalate if they are watching their dogs at all.

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Undoing the effects of a dog attack or negative interaction can be both lengthy and expensive. For this reason, we strongly recommend avoiding interactions with dogs that are not known to be safe, stable, and appropriate around puppies during their critical developmental periods.