7 Vet-Approved Games That Actually Work You just brought home an 8-week-old golden retriever. And right now, a tiny part of you might be panicking about that word — socialization . I remember the first night with ours. He was this little potato with too much fur, and I was reading all these things about "the critical socialization window" and worrying that if I didn't do everything perfectly by tomorrow, he'd grow up scared of umbrellas or something. And here's the thing I wish someone had told me earlier: those first two weeks at home matter more than the next two months. What you do in your living room right now will shape how your dog handles the world later. Here's what I learned pretty quickly: socialization isn't about throwing your puppy into crowded dog parks or dragging him to every loud street corner in town. Especially not before his vaccines are complete. At 8 weeks old, the best socialization happens right in your living room. Accordi...