Socializing Your Puppy
One of the most important parts of socializing a pup is leaving him with his mom and littermates until he is eight weeks old.
Socializing an Adult Dog
If you have rescued an adult dog, you may not know what his experiences have been as a puppy. It is therefore even more important that you start socializing him as soon as he’s settled into your home.
You may fi nd that he is particularly fearful of one group of people, such as children. If that’s the case, invite a few sensible children to your home on a regular basis. Keep your dog on a leash, and ask the children to throw a favorite treat to your dog. If he is comfortable with that, then ask the children to off er a treat on an open hand. Take it slowly and it won’t be long before your dog is looking for children to say hello to, because they may give him a treat.
If he is nervous around other dogs, help him get used to them in a controlled way. You’ll need help with this, so ask a friend with a friendly dog to come and visit. Have your dog on a leash and reward him with treats for staying calm when the other dog is nearby. Over a period of weeks, gradually bring the other dog closer,
while giving your dog treats. Over time, he will learn to be relaxed when another dog comes close to him.
Steps to Socializing Your Dog
1. Take your dog to a dog obedience class that uses positive training
methods such as food rewards or clicker training. He will
meet other dogs and their owners and it will also strengthen his
relationship with you. If he has confi dence in you as his leader, he
will feel less stressed in new situations because he will feel certain that you are in control.
2. Grab a bag of treats, and go walking with your dog in a variety
of environments. Keep him on leash so he stays safe, and walk
past noisy schools and alongside busy roads. Reward him with
treats for staying calm, and ignore any anxious behavior such as
barking or pulling on the leash. Use the treats to keep his attention
on you, and distract him from anything he is nervous about.
3. Introduce him to other dogs, and when he’s comfortable with
them, allow him to play with them off leash. Th is may mean
starting out by having play dates in your backyard with dogs belonging
to friends and family. You may, if he’s comfortable, graduate
to meeting unfamiliar dogs in off leash dog parks, but don’t do
this until he has met a lot of friendly dogs and hasn’t shown any
sign of fear or anxiety. You have no control over the dogs that run
loose at a dog park, and an interaction with an aggressive dog can
undo all your good work.
4. Invite your friends to visit, and ask them to bring their children.
Make sure that the children are sensible around dogs; children
who shriek and run are only going to startle him. By taking
the time to introduce your dog to children, you’ll reduce the risk
of him becoming frightened by them when he bumps into them
during his walks.
5. Take your dog with you as often as you can. Some cafes allow
you to sit outside with your dog while you have a coff ee. Th is is
a great way to expose him to people, as many of them will stop to
say hello to him.
If at any time you’re concerned about your dog’s socialization, particularly if he is aggressive, seek professional help. In most cases, your dog can be helped by a specifi c training program and perhaps
medication to help with any anxiety. Although it sounds like a lot of work, socialization isn’t that diffi -
cult. It is a vital part of being a responsible dog owner, and something that can make the world of diff erence to your dog’s enjoyment of life.
If you take him away too early, he misses out on learning about dog
communication and behavior from his doggy family, and is more
likely to have difficulties interacting with other dogs later in life.
There is a specific period between the ages of four and twelve
weeks of age when socialization is particularly important and
eff ective for your pup. If you can expose him to as many pleasant
experiences with other people and animals as you can during
this period, he will grow up to be friendlier and less afraid of new
experiences.
Puppy pre-school classes are an important part of socializing your
pup. While these classes do teach him basic obedience exercises,
they also allow him to play and interact with other young dogs in
a safe environment.
Even if your pup is outgoing and relaxed, continue to work on
socialization. Adolescent dogs can become cautious and nervous
in new situations, even if their owners have done everything right
when they were young. Take him to obedience classes, and introduce
him to lots of people and other dogs, while making it a positive
experience for him.
