We sometimes assume that if dogs are afraid of men, hats, brooms and baseball caps, that they must have been abused by them in the past. This may be the harrowing case but in many instances it is a socialization issue. Puppies need early stimulation from programs such as ENS, and puppy culture to expose them to noises, touches, sights, textures and sounds to be confident. Exposure to children and men’s voices are also very important. Lots and lots of daily exposure to these things creates an environment that develops a strong and confident puppy. In the early months, it’s also important to continue this socialization with other dogs that are not exposed to harmful diseases. Noises, sights and sounds are also very important and especially to the thing like men, beards, ballcaps, brooms and things that typically scare puppies and doggies. Expose all of these things in loving ways of course!