T R A I N I N G
Socializing Our Dogs It’s not only about saying hi WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE DOLCE MASTER TRAINER FOR STRONG MIND K9
Socialization is crucial for all our dogs and puppies. This is the common phrase we hear when we get our new puppy or dog; “you must socialize!” We often think of socialization as our dogs meeting as many people and dogs as possible, but this is not the case. We must think of socialization in a much broader picture: environments, sounds, visual, texture, etc. What level of socialization is going to create the highest level of confidence in your dog? Non-Contact Socialization is something that tends to be overlooked. This is simply sharing space with people and dogs but not making direct contact. This is something I start right away with puppies to introduce them to what’s out there. As soon as I can I apply structure out and about, even if it’s just eye contact and name recognition exercises. Let distractions pass by and remember that it is okay to gently tell people “no, we are training!” Sometimes we introduce too many dogs and people, leading our dog into thinking they need to say hi to all. The value of you, as your dog’s handler, comes first. Is it important for our dogs to meet others? Of course, but on your terms in a balanced manner. Be picky on who your dog greets. If we let our dogs go to everything and everyone, this could easily turn into what is called over-socialization. This can create a higher chance of introducing them to negative experiences. Focusing on non-contact socialization limits mistakes when we choose to look into contact socialization. When we choose to have our dogs say hello, we are able to spend more time focusing on
balanced and appropriate behaviors during doghuman and dog-dog interactions. Be protective but not overprotective. Make every experience positive and structural consistently. Socialization is also putting our dogs in different environments and situations. Environment exposure includes experiences of loud sounds or distractions. Car rides are a common one where I see a lot of dogs fearful or overly anxious in more ways than one. Texture of the flooring is another example of environment exposure. This could be walking through wet grass, bridges or sandy beaches. Exposing our dogs to different environments is what will create positive experiences and decrease the potential of being under-socialized. We want to generalize all environments so our dog can have a calm and balanced framed mindset. Usually with socialization it is better to start dogs when they’re young. I highly recommend consulting your vet on when to start exposing your puppy, typically after their first series of vaccines. That doesn’t mean don’t socialize; I pick environments where there aren’t a lot of dogs that pass through and, if I need to, I carry the puppy around. Older dogs, although harder to train due to habitual behaviors, need exposure and socialization too. When socializing an older dog that has been over or under exposed there may be exhibiting behaviors that need to be addressed (reactivity, fearfulness, pulling on the leash, are all examples of negative
