The Importance of Dog Socialization

Zelda is the perfectly trained dog of Daniel Makara.

Everyone from the veterinarian to the pizza delivery guy seems to tell the new owner of a puppy or dog that he or she needs to get the dog “socialized”. In the dog world, socialization is in every doggy magazine, training advertisement and Website. The message is absolutely right - socialization is very important.

While the message is clear, the how-tos and the dangers of improper socialization are usually not discussed. It’s a point that I often cover many times in my in-home dog and puppy training.

To see an example of improperly socializing a dog, you don’t have to go very far. Just head to the local dog park. What you will typically see is a new owner watching his dog run around with other dogs. Sometimes this works out perfectly, other times this may be the beginning of dog aggression.

For example, if a dog is a little more timid and less comfortable or outgoing than other dogs, the worst thing you can do is to put him or her in a pen full of other dogs! The more energetic playful dogs will run and jump on the timid puppy, thus creating a host of negative experiences. Unless someone familiar with dog stress signals such as a dog trainer is supervising and puts an immediate end to these negative experiences, the situation can turn ugly.  The result can be the foundation for a dog-aggressive puppy.

Imprinting

Imprinting is the reason these negative experiences can make a dog-aggressive dog. Imprinting is a process that takes place from the time a puppy is born to until he is about 12-to-16-weeks old. Everything that happens during this timeframe becomes super important in establishing later routines and patterns. Ever seen a dog afraid of thunder? That dog was probably scared by a thunderstorm early in life and the owners mishandled the situation.

For this reason, people are quick to recommend socialization. If things go well, you have a dog-friendly dog! People always ask me during home consultations, “So what do I do then? How can I ensure that my puppy has good experiences with other dogs during this critical period?”

The answer is simple: Let your dog be around other dogs. However, keep him leashed and out of unsupervised play. Go to the dog park but don’t go inside it on the first visit. Jog around the outside of the fence. Your dog will see other dogs inside the fence playing; those dogs will run to the fence and smell him without jumping on or intimidating him. If your dog has a fearful or negative reaction, increase your distance from the fence until your dog finds his comfort zone.

Eventually you will want your dog to interact with other dogs, and I highly recommend controlling the environment when this time comes. That means letting your dog interact with only one dog at first (not tossing him into the dog park to roam). Both dogs should be leashed in case things get rough, so that they can be separated easily. This “introduction“ should be done in a secure area where there aren’t a lot of distractions - like squirrels or other dogs.

After this goes well, you can keep increasing your dog’s interactions with other dogs until you have the friendliest, happy-go-lucky, dog-loving dog around! Socialization isn’t simple…it’s a time-consuming process.

In my in-home training lessons with a dog-aggressive dog, one of my favorite sessions is when we go to a grassy area outside a dog park and practice basic obedience commands. The dog learns that even though other dogs are nearby, he doesn’t have to react defensively or aggressively. Learning to have self-control in the presence of other dogs is particularly important for older dogs with anxiety- related aggression issues.

If you would like to learn more about my in-home dog training or my in-home puppy training, please email me at daniel@rockstardogtraining.com or visit www.rockstardogtraining.com. Aside from specializing in dog aggression and anxiety, I also offer in-home dog sitting (perfect for holiday vacations!) and dog walking. For more details, call 800-649-7297.