Hill Rag | July 2007 | Happy, Friendly Pups

Happy, Friendly Pups

Tips for Socializing Your Dog at Any Age

by: Rebecca Bisgyer

Socializing a dog means exposing them to different stimuli such as other dogs, people, groups (of dogs or people) busy environments, highly-controlled environments or anything that might help them develop a comfort level in a majority of situations. Well-socialized dogs are friendlier to all people and dogs, and it’s a joy to take a socialized dog just about anywhere.

Socialization is important at all stages of life. It’s easiest to start at puppyhood, and you absolutely should socialize any puppy you get. However, it’s possible to socialize any dog, and this can start at anytime, no matter what age; socialization should also continue throughout the life of your dog to prevent regressing into fearful or even aggressive behaviors later.

For adult dogs that have never been socialized or whose backgrounds are unknown, like many shelter dogs, it’s important to start slowly. Be informed and realistic in your expectations if your dog hasn’t been socialized; however, this will develop in varying degrees with different dogs. Some dogs will never be comfortable in certain situations, based on their background, age and other factors. Don’t force them; it will just put your dog in a situation that will be difficult – for both of you.

Like training, socializing your dog is ultimately about the work YOU do to ensure your dog is well-behaved and comfortable in different situations. Your dog will be by your side for the rest of its lifetime, so don’t expect a trainer to “fix,” train or socialize your dog by themselves – in any period of time – (especially away from you) without your active participation/reinforcement every day. It’s about training you as much, or more, as it is your dog!

Keep socializing your dog throughout its life. I’ve seen the mistake of stopping socialization at one to two years old (in fact, before I started Dog-ma, I made it myself), or when the dog doesn’t seem to need as much exercise after reaching adulthood. Many times dogs start becoming less comfortable, or even fearful or aggressive when confronted with dogs or situations in which they used to be comfortable. This can even happen around people, so please make sure your dog continues to join you and experience as many places and situations as possible.

Don’t just take your dog out…take your dog OUT! Take it to stores (I have found that many will allow dogs.) Eat at an outdoor table at a restaurant – once the dog learns not to jump up or be grabby, of course. Start slowly – your puppy should begin early with puppy training and obedience classes – and once it’s vaccinated, you can “step up” to more stimulating environments, such as dog parks and group-play facilities, to teach your dog how to interact in a “pack” of other friendly dogs, as well as people, all day long. (This is a good option for socialized dogs when you travel, as well, so your dog doesn’t have to stay sequestered in a traditional type of kennel but can play all day instead.)

Some dogs are naturally too dominant for certain dog-intensive environments, however, particularly off-leash group-play environments. Also, your dog’s breed can definitely influence behavior, and in a pack in particular, these behavioral traits can become more pronounced. However, it’s often more about the individual dog and how they naturally fall into the dominance spectrum. Remember that you cannot change a dog’s natural rank with other dogs, and it will confuse the dog if you try. However, you should ALWAYS be “alpha” with your dog, and all humans should outrank him/her. I cannot stress this enough.

If your dog is social, be aware that healthy “pack” behaviors can include physical displays of various types: wrestling, limited humping, audible communication, including warnings. Every social dog should, however, be able to read and heed the healthy signals that other dogs give. That dog may be tired of playing with, or feels overwhelmed by, your dog (especially if it’s being mounted continuously). If your dog is unable to break off in these situations once “told” by a dog (or by you), it means your dog is not well-socialized or is too dominant to play with other dogs in groups.
Watch for problem signals, like:

Fearful reactions: running away or hiding
Dominant behaviors: excessive mounting, charging, bullying
Toy possessiveness: lunging or snarling over toys
Agitated, wild barking at play
Snarling or snapping when approached

Be realistic about your dog’s history and socialization levels, and watch to make sure it’s comfortable. If your dog has any history of dog- or people-related aggression, please forgo a highly social or busy environment of any type.

However, if your dog is friendly, interested and curious, by all means, let it go with you…and play! Remember that puppies, adolescent and active dogs require lots of exercise and attention, daily behavioral reinforcement, and opportunities to socialize (and…can wreak havoc in various ways if bored, lonely or unattended for long periods of time). So make every option available to your dog to ensure it is well-socialized. Now that dogs are more popular than ever as members of the family, these options are growing every day.

Rebecca Bisgyer is the owner of Dog-ma Daycare for Dogs, located at 821 Virginia Ave. SE. For more information, call 202-543-7805 or visit www.dog-ma.com.


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Happy, Friendly Pups
Tips for Socializing Your Dog at Any Age
by: Rebecca Bisgyer
Socializing a dog means exposing them to different stimuli such as other dogs, people, groups (of dogs or people) busy environments, highly-controlled environments or anything that might help them develop a comfort level in a majority of situations. Well-socialized dogs are friendlier to all people and dogs, and it’s a joy to take a socialized dog just about anywhere. Socialization is important at all stages of life. It’s easiest to start at puppyhood, and you absolutely should socialize any puppy you get. However, it’s possible to socialize any dog, and this can start at anytime, no matter what age; socialization should also continue throughout the life of your dog to prevent regressing into fearful or even aggressive behaviors later. For adult dogs that have never been socialized or whose backgrounds are unknown, like many shelter dogs, it’s important to start slowly. Be informed and realistic in your expectations if your dog hasn’t been socialized; however, this will develop in varying degrees with different dogs. Some dogs will never be comfortable in certain situations, based on their background, age and other factors. Don’t force them; it will just put your dog in a situation that will be difficult – for both of you. Like training, socializing your dog is ultimately about the work YOU do to ensure your dog is well-behaved and comfortable in different situations. Your dog will be by your side for the rest of its lifetime, so don’t expect a trainer to “fix,” train or socialize your dog by themselves – in any period of time – (especially away from you) without your active participation/reinforcement every day. It’s about training you as much, or more, as it is your dog! Keep socializing your dog throughout its life. I’ve seen the mistake of stopping socialization at one to two years old (in fact, before I started Dog-ma, I made it myself), or when the dog doesn’t seem to need as much exercise after reaching adulthood. Many times dogs start becoming less comfortable, or even fearful or aggressive when confronted with dogs or situations in which they used to be comfortable. This can even happen around people, so please make sure your dog continues to join you and experience as many places and situations as possible. Don’t just take your dog out…take your dog OUT! Take it to stores (I have found that many will allow dogs.) Eat at an outdoor table at a restaurant – once the dog learns not to jump up or be grabby, of course. Start slowly – your puppy should begin early with puppy training and obedience classes – and once it’s vaccinated, you can “step up” to more stimulating environments, such as dog parks and group-play facilities, to teach your dog how to interact in a “pack” of other friendly dogs, as well as people, all day long. (This is a good option for socialized dogs when you travel, as well, so your dog doesn’t have to stay sequestered in a traditional type of kennel but can play all day instead.) Some dogs are naturally too dominant for certain dog-intensive environments, however, particularly off-leash group-play environments. Also, your dog’s breed can definitely influence behavior, and in a pack in particular, these behavioral traits can become more pronounced. However, it’s often more about the individual dog and how they naturally fall into the dominance spectrum. Remember that you cannot change a dog’s natural rank with other dogs, and it will confuse the dog if you try. However, you should ALWAYS be “alpha” with your dog, and all humans should outrank him/her. I cannot stress this enough. If your dog is social, be aware that healthy “pack” behaviors can include physical displays of various types: wrestling, limited humping, audible communication, including warnings. Every social dog should, however, be able to read and heed the healthy signals that other dogs give. That dog may be tired of playing with, or feels overwhelmed by, your dog (especially if it’s being mounted continuously). If your dog is unable to break off in these situations once “told” by a dog (or by you), it means your dog is not well-socialized or is too dominant to play with other dogs in groups. Watch for problem signals, like: Fearful reactions: running away or hiding Dominant behaviors: excessive mounting, charging, bullying Toy possessiveness: lunging or snarling over toys Agitated, wild barking at play Snarling or snapping when approached Be realistic about your dog’s history and socialization levels, and watch to make sure it’s comfortable. If your dog has any history of dog- or people-related aggression, please forgo a highly social or busy environment of any type. However, if your dog is friendly, interested and curious, by all means, let it go with you…and play! Remember that puppies, adolescent and active dogs require lots of exercise and attention, daily behavioral reinforcement, and opportunities to socialize (and…can wreak havoc in various ways if bored, lonely or unattended for long periods of time). So make every option available to your dog to ensure it is well-socialized. Now that dogs are more popular than ever as members of the family, these options are growing every day. Rebecca Bisgyer is the owner of Dog-ma Daycare for Dogs, located at 821 Virginia Ave. SE. For more information, call 202-543-7805 or visit www.dog-ma.com.