How and where to socialize my german shepherd puppy?

Where do I got get my german shepherd socialized with other dogs, humans, and others (cats, etc.) and how old should I wait to start this process. She is currently 8 weeks old.

As soon as she's had her shots take her out anywhere and everywhere. If she gets nervous act positive, don't try to reassure her this will reinforce her behaviour but most Shepherds I know are very sociable with people and other dogs.

Once the puppy is fully vaccinated go ahead, when socialising with other dogs it's best to find someone who's dog you can trust, you don't want to end up with a traumatised puppy at such a fragile age.

Don't wait. Typically the last shot comes after puppies quit accepting new things. And then it is still a week or 2 before it is safe. The period between 6-12 weeks is a dangerous time. One sniff where a sick dog relieved itself in the last 6 months can bring on parvo or another life threatening disease. Fail to expose it to strangers, including men, women, children, noise, etc. and you could end up with a misfit you can't take out in public. They also need continuing contact with other dogs, but it must be limited to ones you know are getting good care. The dangers of infection continue after 12 weeks, but the best time for socialization is ending. http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/oct08/081001c.asphttp://www.apdt.com/veterinary/assets/pdf/Silvani_JF05.pdfhttp://www.akc.org/enewsletter/akc_breeder/2008/winter/puppy.cfm

Hey! Aren't German Shepherd puppies the greatest? Whats her name? It's great that you're concerned about this, and you're definitely right to be. The socialization process should be continuous starting now until she is at least four months old. It's a little bit of a tricky issue because, as others have said, the most important socialization time comes before the puppy has had all her shots. I usually recommend that people take puppies out in public as much as possible, but not in areas where dogs relieve themselves, or around dogs who are not vaccinated. For example, skip the dog park but go to an outdoor mall instead and just walk around. You could take her to friends' houses, which is an especially good idea if they have vaccinated pets. Also, at 8 weeks old, she's still small enough for you to carry her around new places; she'll get the experience of new things without touching anything contagious. I guarantee that it's worth the effort to socialize now, but it will certainly be easier to continue after the shots are done! Good luck and enjoy your puppy!