Socializing Your Dog
Socialization. What does it entail? What does it mean for my dog(s)? Why is it important? These are questions we get asked regularly. Here at 4 Pawz, we offer and encourage our “group play” option when it comes to our guests free play and exercise time. The reason being, we believe “socialization” for your pups is a key factor in their overall development as well-rounded and “good” tempered dogs.
In the interest of addressing some of the questions and concerns raised by our clients when it comes to socialization and group play, we have compiled a list of the top 3 reasons we believe it is important to socialize your dog.
Better Coping Skills
While socialization can be done at any stage of your dogs life, similar to how it is with us humans, early socialization is ideal. As puppies, our furry best friends are at a stage of life when they are more receptive to the unknown and more willing to adapt to new scenarios through repetition and training. Socialization early in life will help your dog better cope when they are exposed to a wide variety of sights, sounds, smells - and of course people and other dogs, without becoming fearful. Exposing your pups to all kinds of scenarios early on will set them up to be more comfortable and confident later in life when they encounter or are introduced to unfamiliar “things” or scenarios.
Decreased Fear and Aggression
Dogs without proper social skills, or proper socialization, are often fearful of new and unfamiliar situations. This is understandable, as anything new would not yet be learned and therefore a potential threat. This means that when they encounter a new situation, person, or dog, adrenaline hormones are secreted which can lead to a dog instinctively entering “fight or flight” mode. Unfortunately, this can also result in stress related conditions in poorly socialized dogs who are frequently exposed to new and thus, stressful situations.
Now, with any adult dog who has never been properly socialized, we always suggest starting small and slow when it comes to introducing them to unfamiliar dogs and people. It is also very important to know your dogs body language and to always introduce them in a controlled and positive environment.
Increased Exercise Opportunities and Better Quality of Life
We know first hand what it’s like to have high energy and very active pups who aren’t great at socializing with other dogs and don’t understand the social cues of a pack. Our dogs become our family members, our fur babies, and our best friends. It is only natural to want to be able to bring them along with us wherever we go as much as we can. Whether that is hiking, biking, walking, running, vacations, parties and more! We also know that our pooches loves nothing more than being where we are and getting out and being active. However, in every one of these scenarios our dogs will most likely encounter other humans, dogs, sights and sounds that are new and unfamiliar to them. An un-socialized dog will most likely find these encounters stressful. To avoid anxiety, that can lead to fear aggression, it is important to socialize your pups so that you and he/she can enjoy these adventures to the fullest. Not only this, but socializing your pooch will make visits to the vets, groomers, and even your neighbors house more enjoyable and easier on your best friend. That being said, we aren’t suggesting that your pooch will have a horrible life if he/she doesn’t play with others. Some adult dogs are just people pups and prefer to stay set in their ways and simply do not enjoy “playing” with other dogs anymore.
While socialization early in your dogs life is important and a key factor to how they develop their “personality” and ability to cope with new situations, we do want to stress that older dogs CAN learn new tricks and all is not lost if you have an older dog who you want to socialize. Dogs are instinctual pack animals. That is why we believe so strongly in our Group Play option. It is an opportunity for your dog(s) to meet other dogs in a safe, supervised, and positive environment, while learning how to cope and understand the social cues of a pack. It should also be noted that we do not believe in simply throwing an “un-socialized” dog into a pack before learning it’s background, behavior and temperament.
What has your experience been like when it comes to socializing your dog? What tips or tricks can you share that have worked well for you?
Stay tuned for our next post which will be our first installment of our Happy Tails series! We will be featuring two pups who have come to us with severe social anxiety and little to no experience with other people and dogs. Both of these pups came from very different backgrounds, stages in life and were happy and successful endings! We can’t wait to share with you!
