Socializing Your Dog
Whether you have a new puppy, recently adopted a dog, or have an older dog you’re having some challenges with, you might be wondering how to properly socialize them?
A lot of people will recommend taking your new puppy or dog all over the place, to see, smell, and interact with as many different things, people, and dogs as possible. Before you go ahead and do that, keep reading and learn about safer and more effective ways to socialize your dog.
What is “socialization?”
The American Veterinary Medical Association defines socialization as “the process of preparing a dog or cat to enjoy interactions and be comfortable with other animals, people, places, and activities.” The key words here being “the process of preparing.” Bringing your young puppy along with you to super busy environments, or tossing them in the dog park are not preparing them to enjoy and feel confident in the world around them.
Properly Socializing Your Dog
Building a Dog Training Foundation at Home
Developing a Communication System With Your Dog
Before you hit all the Bay Area dog friendly spots with your new pup, it’s important to have an established or growing communication system with your dog. For me, before I take a new pup out into the world, I want them to know their name, that “yes” means they are getting a reward, and that “good” means to keep doing whatever they are doing (and will also get a reward). Training my dog to understand these words means that when I go out into the world with them, I can communicate behavior of theirs that I like, and I can more likely get their attention if I need it.
Teaching Your Dog “Engagement”
“Mambo” is in my Fully Trained Dog Program, and learning how to focus on me around distractions. He has historically been reactive to dogs.
After I train my dog to understand “yes,” “good,” and their name, I use these words to build “engagement” with them at home, first—before taking them out. I define “engagement” as sustained focus on me. If my puppy or dog can’t focus on me in a sustained way inside my house, it’s going to be really hard for me to get their attention out in the world around distractions! Through a series of fun games, I teach dogs in my training programs that listening to me and interacting with me is fun and rewarding.
Gradually Socializing Your Dog
Once my dog and I have a shared communication system, they can focus on me in the house, and they have their vaccines, I start taking them out into the Bay Area for very intentional socialization outings! Initially, I want to go to places that have a lot of space (distance from potential distractions), where I can do my socialization outing right by my car (in-case we need to end quickly), and where the distractions are predictable and controllable enough. Example— Going to a spacious, quiet parking lot of a park, like the parking lot of the Lafayette Community Center, where passerby’s are likely going to have leashed dogs and supervised kids, as opposed to taking my dog to the entrance of an elementary school at dismissal time, when there are going to be a lot of rambunctious kids running around. If you live in an urban part of the Bay Area, it might feel harder to find quiet locations to begin your dog’s socialization, but I assure you, they are there! It might just mean driving to a quiet street a few blocks away, or going to a little park during a time of day when it’s less occupied.
“Lula” is very dog-reactive. She had a hard time giving me focus, so instead of trying the food chase game, like with “Mambo,” I am letting her search for food around a lot of dogs. This will help her build confidence, and develop positive, calmer associations with dogs she encounters out in the world.
As my dog shows me they can focus on me in quieter, novel locations, I will gradually start taking them to more distracting places. The point is not for them to focus on the distractions, but to focus on me, and learn that the distractions in the environment are nothing to fear, and not that exciting. When I can easily get and sustain my dog’s attention, then I will also start taking them out to places and letting them engage more directly with the environment, use their nose, and gain confidence through exploration and curiosity.
Socializing Your Dog Through “Proximation”
A lot of people think that your dog getting pet by lots of people and having lots of play time with other dogs is the best socialization. For most dogs, this is not the best way to socialize them. In fact, if you have an anxious or shy dog, you can exaccerbate their fears of people and other dogs by overwhelming them, and accidentally teach them that you wont protect them out in the world. If you have a shy or anxious dog, it’s super important they learn that you will protect their space and not let them be violated by other dogs or people. If you have a super friendly dog, letting them play with every person or dog they meet can quickly create a dog who is super over-aroused out in the world, and gets way too excited to greet everyone.
Socializing your dog through “proximation” means that you are teaching them to engage with you in proximity to other people and other dogs. This will teach them that other people and dogs in the environment are not to be feared, and also not walking treat dispensers. If you have a social puppy who does love other people and dogs, socialization through proximation will not change this! It will just mean they don’t go completely bonkers when they see people or dogs out in the world. But in all seriousness—one of the biggest reasons I see so much dog reactivity is because people let their dogs greet every dog they see on leash, (and because their dog doesn’t actually know how to walk on leash). The Bay Area is such a dog-friendly place to live, but it can be really hard if you have a dog who is afraid of everything or way to excited by everything.
