We learn from an early age that cars are dangerous, it is polite to hold open a door and to say “bless you” when someone sneezes. How do we learn these things? From our parents, teachers, peers etc. we encounter people and situations of all shapes and sizes. It is explained to us how to behave in each new circumstance. Our lives and environment exposes us to different people and situations on a daily basis. Why should it be different with our dogs?
Watching dogs interact allows us to see through the window into their world. They jump, paw and mouth each other; often sniffing areas that embarrass even the toughest of men. These behaviors are generally accepted by other dogs, even welcome, but they are usually frowned upon by strangers that we meet in the park or at our children’s soccer games. How are our four-legged family members to learn what acceptable social human behavior is, if they are relegated to our homes? If we do not allow them to frequent the places where they are to meet new people, how are they to learn how to act around them?
Your dog’s socialization begins early. At around day ten, a puppy’s eyes and ears are open and begin to let them see and hear the world around them. Early exposure to people, children especially, is a great way to prepare the pups for their future life. But what are you to do since 99% of us do not raise our dogs from birth?
From the day you bring your new dog or puppy home, you are in control of their encounters, good and bad. It is important that you bring your dog out places with you, the pet store, hardware store, even out to the mall; anywhere that you might encounter people who will be happy to greet your pup and spend a few moments saying hello. Don’t be afraid to bring some treats with you to sweeten the encounter.
A good and responsible owner will allow this to blossom throughout their dogs’ life. It is definitely a case of the sooner the better, but believe me, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. A well socialized dog will be friendlier and less fearful of people, places and things; keep things on a positive note, allow your dog to decide the speed at which to approach each new situation, don’t force the issue or “flood” your dog with exposure. And example of flooding is to bring a new puppy to soccer tryouts where 200 screaming children see an adorable puppy and fight to see who scores more petting time. Be reasonable, sit off to the side and be proactive about limiting the amount of people who are around your dog or pup at any one time. If things get too much, either for you or your dog, back off even more until you both feel comfortable with the situation.
Do this early and often, starting your new puppy in a puppy class is a wonderful beginning, but remember as with training, socialization must be continued into adulthood for proper results. Just because you took three years of Spanish in high school, does not mean that you will be fluent when you travel to Spain in your forties. Try an advanced obedience class or even an agility or fly-ball class. The commitment to a class is often what people need to ensure their set time with their dog.
You are the key to your dog’s success, if you are tense and rigid your dog will feel this and react accordingly. Be sure that you are comfortable where and when you decide to open your dog’s eyes to the outside world. And if you are not, be sure to seek assistance from a professional. Dog trainers and behaviorists have seen thousands of dogs and are able to access their needs and successfully socialize even the most timid of dogs.
I encourage you to make your dog an active member of your family, plan outings to dog friendly places, go for a hike, and plan a picnic on occasion. Our dogs don’t ask for much from us, yet give us their world, let’s give them a piece of ours.
Watching dogs interact allows us to see through the window into their world. They jump, paw and mouth each other; often sniffing areas that embarrass even the toughest of men. These behaviors are generally accepted by other dogs, even welcome, but they are usually frowned upon by strangers that we meet in the park or at our children’s soccer games. How are our four-legged family members to learn what acceptable social human behavior is, if they are relegated to our homes? If we do not allow them to frequent the places where they are to meet new people, how are they to learn how to act around them?
Your dog’s socialization begins early. At around day ten, a puppy’s eyes and ears are open and begin to let them see and hear the world around them. Early exposure to people, children especially, is a great way to prepare the pups for their future life. But what are you to do since 99% of us do not raise our dogs from birth?
From the day you bring your new dog or puppy home, you are in control of their encounters, good and bad. It is important that you bring your dog out places with you, the pet store, hardware store, even out to the mall; anywhere that you might encounter people who will be happy to greet your pup and spend a few moments saying hello. Don’t be afraid to bring some treats with you to sweeten the encounter.
A good and responsible owner will allow this to blossom throughout their dogs’ life. It is definitely a case of the sooner the better, but believe me, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. A well socialized dog will be friendlier and less fearful of people, places and things; keep things on a positive note, allow your dog to decide the speed at which to approach each new situation, don’t force the issue or “flood” your dog with exposure. And example of flooding is to bring a new puppy to soccer tryouts where 200 screaming children see an adorable puppy and fight to see who scores more petting time. Be reasonable, sit off to the side and be proactive about limiting the amount of people who are around your dog or pup at any one time. If things get too much, either for you or your dog, back off even more until you both feel comfortable with the situation.
Do this early and often, starting your new puppy in a puppy class is a wonderful beginning, but remember as with training, socialization must be continued into adulthood for proper results. Just because you took three years of Spanish in high school, does not mean that you will be fluent when you travel to Spain in your forties. Try an advanced obedience class or even an agility or fly-ball class. The commitment to a class is often what people need to ensure their set time with their dog.
You are the key to your dog’s success, if you are tense and rigid your dog will feel this and react accordingly. Be sure that you are comfortable where and when you decide to open your dog’s eyes to the outside world. And if you are not, be sure to seek assistance from a professional. Dog trainers and behaviorists have seen thousands of dogs and are able to access their needs and successfully socialize even the most timid of dogs.
I encourage you to make your dog an active member of your family, plan outings to dog friendly places, go for a hike, and plan a picnic on occasion. Our dogs don’t ask for much from us, yet give us their world, let’s give them a piece of ours.
I love your blog - good advice and information. Would you like to guest post on my blog with a link back to you? I'm www.doggiecare.blogspot.com. If you agree, I could send you a guest post for All About Dogs as Well.
ReplyDeleteSusan LaDue
Owner, The Doggie Den