As much as puppies and adult dogs love their fur dad and fur mam, they need to spend time with other dogs. This allows them to learn how to interact, play, and communicate with other dogs. They also need to get used to other people, so they don't get scared and anxious when meeting new people inside their home or outside on walks.
Puppies should be socialized as much as possible throughout their first year. Between this time, dogs are at their most sensitive and receptive. Therefore the sooner you socialize your dog with other dogs and humans, the better.
Regrettably, not all puppies are appropriately socialized within this timeframe. "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," some say, but this isn't true. Whatever the cause for your pet's lack of socialization as a puppy, it doesn't mean they can't learn how to interact with others and make new furry friends.
There are many ways to socialize your dog to new experiences. Here are my favorites:
Taking your dog out for a stroll in a public area will help him feel more at ease with the world and the people around him. Once you've gone out and about a few times, the world gets a little less intimidating, whether it's automobiles driving down busy roads, bikes, children playing, other dogs, or other people.
Keep your dog on a short leash and go for a walk, and allow your dog to see, hear and smell everything. Take a range of routes to allow your dog to meet new people and visit various sites.
Invite people over, particularly dog-loving friends, and host them in a setting where your dog will feel at ease, such as your living room or garden. Make sure your pals don't get too close to your dog, crowd them, or overwhelm them. When your guests are ready, you want your dog to make the first move and approach them. Your guests can toss a treat from time to time to demonstrate that they come in peace if your dog does not go over to explore. To keep your dog relaxed and help them link new individuals with pleasant experiences, maintain the setting friendly and laid-back.
Is your puppy or doggie at ease in your garden, but when you take them out into the street, they freeze and become tense? Begin with that! At the start, focus on the garden and confidence-building exercises. Establish a foundation of simple cues, like name recognition and touch, to allow you and your dog to bond quickly.
After establishing a solid foundation and gaining trust, the next phase is to gradually and methodically develop those areas. Don't make the mistake of attempting to acclimate your dog to everything at once. Consider taking minor moves and building on your successes.
Dog parks are ideal for socialization because they are specifically designed for dogs and are usually enclosed and secure.
Please keep your dog on a leash and gradually introduce them to new situations. This can be accomplished by taking them around the fence's perimeter and allowing them to observe the other dogs. Pay attention to how your dog reacts to the other dogs and ease into the dog park gradually.
Enrolling them in doggie daycare once a week is a great way to complement the social setting at a dog park. This should become a habit, and it will help them improve their social skills. You never know when your dog will make a new acquaintance with whom he will become best fur buddies.
Doggy daycare is ideal since the individuals in charge love dogs and know how to care for them. As a result, your dog will become accustomed to following directions from other humans and spending time with them. Then, of course, your dog will become accustomed to socializing and spending time with other dogs.
To begin, look for a small doggy daycare facility with a limited number of pets.
Dog classes are a tremendous dual-purpose activity. They teach and train your dog in a secure environment but then also because it is a group class, your dog will spend extended periods close to other dogs.
This will lessen the chance of your dog becoming anxious or overly excited each time they meet other dogs.
If you work long hours and can afford it, hiring a dog walker is a terrific alternative; they will be familiar with dogs of all shapes and sizes and will be excellent at introducing a new dog to their existing pack. Just make sure they have a group that he can join that can be trusted off-leash to receive that much-needed playing.
The disadvantage is that his new group of buddies will not change much from week to week, so he will not meet many new dogs, but that is still better than none at all.
Whichever method you choose will depend on where you live, what time of year it is, the breed of dog you have, and its personality.
Whatever you do, remember to start small and be patient, then slowly increase the duration and intensity of the socialization.
It is important to remember the socialization is for their benefit, so if at any point they seem to be not enjoying it and they look stressed… then you should take them home immediately.