After a dog is 3-4 months old the ‘socialization’ window in its brain is closing. It doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t continue to give their dog opportunities to practice social skills or broaden their social network after that age, but a dog that didn’t get ‘socialized’ during those early months often needs more than just exposure to the creatures, human or otherwise, it’s suppose to be social with.
Forcing a scared dog to interact with people or other dogs in attempts to ‘socialize’ it can lead to trouble. A dog that is not comfortable in social situations needs rehabilitation and training.
