Socialization

Socialization Tips

One of the best ways to help socialize your dog is to enroll in a training class that supports you and your dog and teaches you both how to manage various situations.

• It is important to make socializing a positive experience for your dog.
• Your dog should have time to bond with you and family members first.
• Don’t go too fast, especially if your dog lacks confidence or is shy.
• While socializing, it is important to remember that all dogs are individuals. Take your cues by watching your dog’s response.

Socializing a Puppy

There exists a window of time during a puppy’s development where he is curious and open to new experiences. During this period, it is important to introduce your pup to new situations, even if he is reluctant or scared, so he can develop the ability to deal with stress. This will increase his overall confidence as an adult. 

This starts with you the owner from as early as possible to desensitize your dog to touch and allow the entire body to be handled. Paws are often a sensitive area especially when being groomed and so working on handling the feet and toe nails from an early age is a must. The use of food/treats is a great way to desensitize sensitive or ticklish areas by rewarding after the touch. 

Also controlling your puppy’s excitement is also important. Impulse control at an early age is very helpful.

New surfaces
An aversion or fear toward surfaces and objects is very common during your dog’s life especially during puppyhood. Encouraging your puppy to walk and play on every surface from concrete to wet grass, frost or snow. 

The use of treats and plenty of encouragement with fun play, may well be what your dog needs to either show no fear to the surface/object or counter condition the fears. Work on teaching your dog to interact and play on all different surfaces using food and play as a reward for a positive experience and association.  

Environment
Teaching your puppy that new environments are fun and to be enjoyed not feared is essential. Change from quiet suburbs to loud cities can be stressful. Inside a new building or at an event or festival can be a tough challenge for most puppies. Some useful tips to remember when your puppy is about to partake in a new environment.

1. Keep the session short and fun
2. Use lots of high value treats to reward good behavior
3. Keep an eye out for stress signals like cowering, lip licking or heavy panting or trying to escape and avoid the situation.
4. If it’s not working, don’t force it.

Socializing with People

Positive experiences with people is the most important type of socialization:

Expose your dog to a variety of people. It is a good idea to socialize your dog with people of different ethnicities and ages, as well as people wearing or using items such as baseball hats, costumes, wheelchairs, bicycles, skateboard, big coats and glasses. Exposure to children playing, toddlers squealing and infants crawling is important, too.

Start by bringing high-value treats or your dog’s favorite toy. This helps your dog associate meeting new people with something pleasant.

Teach your dog to “hand target” or touch his nose to your outstreached hand. This can be done by standing in front of your dog and holding out an open hand, about two inches from his nose. When he moves forward to sniff, say “Yes!” and immediately reinforce with a high value treat. Repeat until your dog touches your hand 9 out of 10 times. You can then add a cue or verbal command. If you want to use that hand target to help introduce your dog to strangers, you can use a cue such as “say hello!” and reinforce him for touching other hands. By giving a treat, this may help to teach your dog that approaching people brings good things. 

Set up meetings with other people. Have helpers approach sideways at first in a nonthreatening way. If your dog becomes overaroused, avoids or freezes, try creating a bigger distance and have the person toss some treats. Remain patient and calm. It’s important to teach your dog that good things happen around people.

Translating Canine Body Language

While dogs cannot speak our language, they do communicate through body language and signals.

Understanding these physical signals can tell you if your dog is feeling tense and stressed or calm and relaxed. It is equally important to be aware of the environment around your dog to get more information about his frame of mind.

Displacement Behaviors

Displacement behaviors are normal behaviors that indicate conflict or anxiety when they appear out of context. These behaviors are the first indication that your dog is uncomfortable or uncertain. Examples of displacement behaviors include:

• Licking lips when food is not present
• Sniffing the ground or a certain object
• Scratching when not itchy
• Looking or turning away
• Shaking from excitement, stimulation or adrenaline
• Moving slowly
• Yawning when not waking or when tired

Remember that displacement behaviors are behaviors that dogs do anyway so it is important to look at the context. Recognizing these signals gives us time to intervene and help the dog out of the stressful situation. Stress Reactions

When a dog’s efforts to communicate conflict are not recognized or are misinterpreted, stress increases. At this point a dog may lose his ability communicate. The following physical stress reactions may occur:

• Freezing with a closed mouth
• Hackling (Piloerection)
• Panting
• Pupil dilation
• Whale or half-moon eye (white rim is visible around the eye)
• Trembling
• Sweating paws

Under extreme stress, a dog may feel the need to take action. He may growl, snarl, show his teeth and finally, lunge or bite.

It is important to recognize the signals or language of dogs so you can understand and respond correctly. Safe management involves helping your dog out of a stressful situation before an unwanted act occurs.