Socializing Your Dog

One of the most important aspects of bringing a new dog in to your home is training. Training not only teaches your dog what type of behavior you will come to expect but it also allows your dog to understand his place and purpose in your family and his new pack. While many people already know the importance of house training, not many people are aware of the importance of socializing their new dog.

What is Socializing?

When it comes to dogs the term socializing encompasses a variety of different situations and stimuli that a dog should be exposed to in order to create a well adjusted dog that will be able to thrive as well as behave in public. Socializing is generally a lifelong process for most dogs but with a good start a well socialized dog will take to new stimulus like a duck to water.

Why is Socializing Important?

Socializing is an incredibly important part of training your new dog because it exposes your dog to a variety of situations and objects that they may encounter in everyday life and teaches them that these things are not to be feared. When a dog is not adequately socialized they can become both fearful and aggressive when exposed to new situations, objects or even individuals. Implementing socialization training in the early months of your dog’s life will begin to desensitize them to the shock of new situations so that they can easily adapt to other new situations that are likely to occur later in your dog’s life. Before socialization training dogs can be much like human children, they try to hide behind their pack leader when exposed to fearful stimulus and it is your job as your dogs pack leader to refuse such behavior and to push your dog towards the stimulus in a gentle manner to discourage hiding and fearful behavior.

Why is Fearful Behavior in my Dog Such a Bad Thing?

Dogs respond to fear in a variety of ways but one of the most undesirable ways for a fearful dog to respond is with destructive behavior or with aggression. A fearful or aggressive dog results in an unpredictable dog that can likely damage both property and individuals inadvertently in a fit of fear.

So Where Do We Start With Socialization Training?

One of the best ways to begin with socializing your dog is to enroll in a basic obedience class which will not only allow you time to bond with your dog but it will also expose your dog to other strangers and strange dogs at the same time. Utilizing obedience classes for socialization training is merely a jumping off point and is not enough to expose your dog to a wide variety of situations so it is important to look in to other types of socialization training as well.

What Are My Socialization Training Options?

Obedience Classes – As mentioned above, obedience classes are a great place to start in introducing your dog to other dogs as well as strangers.

Dog Parks – Once you have ascertained that your dog is not aggressive towards other dogs and once your dog has been fully vaccinated, dog parks are a great way to introduce your dog to other dogs. It is important to keep in mind, however, that not all dogs at dog parks are well trained and you should always keep a close eye on your dog when visiting a local dog park. Dog parks also allow your dog to freely investigate strange dogs as well as their owners.

Human Parks – Human parks are a great way to expose your dog to a variety of stimulus including wildlife, strangers, strange dogs, children and noise. It is important to keep your dog on its leash at a human park and to always be vigilant of your dog’s posture and behavior. A vigilant dog owner can tell when their dog is behaving strangely as a result of stress and if this type of behavior occurs it is important to take your dog home and try again another day perhaps when there are less people around. When in a situation such as a human park where strangers may frequently approach your dog, it is helpful to teach your dog to sit before being petted and if you are unsure how your dog will react you should never be afraid to refuse permission to touch your dog with an explanation of their lack of socialization at the current time.

Pet Stores – Dog friendly pet stores are a great way to expose your dog to a different environment in which they may experience strange smells, strange animals, strange people, and loud noises. The large machinery that some of the bigger pet friendly pet stores utilize in stocking shelves are a great way to expose your dog to loud noises and strange machines without them being in danger. Many dogs grow in to adulthood without being exposed to such large machinery and as a result they are fearful of this new type of stimulus.

Doggy Daycare – Doggy Daycare is another great way to expose your dog to other dogs in a group atmosphere as well as allow them to burn off any excess energy. When picking a doggy daycare make sure that the facility that you choose interviews their prospective dogs to make sure that no aggressive dogs are permitted in to the daycare, this is simply a matter of your dog’s safety. Doggy daycare will provide your dog the chance to experience life away from you as well as experience a wide variety of other dog breeds, ages and sexes.

The More Stimulus the Better!

Socializing your dog may seem like a never ending process that drains your energy and your time; however, it is a process which is invaluable to a healthy life for your dog as well as a safe life for the people around your dog. A dog that grows up without being well socialized can be aggressive, skittish and generally unhappy, and these dogs can be extremely stressed out and destructive. Prevent future problems by ensuring that you enforce a good program of socialization from an early age and expose your dog to as many different stimulus and situations as possible. A well socialized dog is a happy dog. A well trained dog is also a well behaved dog and if you are dedicated to giving your dog the best life possible invest some time and money in to both socialization training as well as a canine training system.