Content
- Why is socialization so important?
- What happens if you don't socialize your dog?
- dog socialization
- How to socialize the dog?
- Details to be taken into account:
- adult dog socialization
- How to socialize an adult dog?
THE socialization it is the process by which your dog learns to relate to other dogs and to humans. Through socialization, your dog will also learn to get along with other animals and to differentiate children from adults. On the other hand, habituation is the process by which the puppy learns to ignore environmental elements that are not dangerous. In this way, a dog used to a city environment will not worry about traffic noise or the presence of many people on the streets.
Although socialization and habituation are conceptually different, in this PeritoAnimal article we consider both within the dog's socialization process. Therefore, for practical purposes, the dog's socialization it is the process by which you will get your pet used to react in an appropriate way (without fear or aggression) to different environments, people, other puppies and other animals.
Why is socialization so important?
The dog's socialization is essential in their education as this will prevent aggressive and fearful behavior in the future. Also, a well-socialized dog is easier to train and more easily accepted by other people and animals.
What happens if you don't socialize your dog?
If you decide not to socialize your puppy, in the future you will have a dog with clear social deficiencies at your side, whether it's being scared or aggressive. Clearly unadapted to its surroundings. Also, it will be very difficult to take your dog for a walk, to the vet or anywhere else, because will be afraid of everything and you will not be able to trust in an everyday situation. How can you tell if your dog is well socialized? A simple rule of thumb for evaluating this one day: if the owner isn't scared of something, then the dog shouldn't either.
dog socialization
As with other animals, including humans, the dog's socialization is a lifelong process. However, the critical period is from birth to the twelfth week (third month). In other words, your puppy will have a hard time adapting to its surroundings if it is not properly socialized before three months.
Keep in mind that the critical period of a puppy's socialization may vary for each individual. In fact, many experts consider that the critical period ends at week 16 (four months). The important point is that the faster the dog starts socializing, the more success guarantees it will have.
How to socialize the dog?
Socializing a dog is very simple: it should introduce it to different people and pets on a regular basis. Receiving visits at home or simply taking a walk where they cross paths with other dogs are good options to start this process. It is important that you understand how the dog sees its owner.
Contrary to what some people think, you shouldn't worry so much about the size of other dogs but about their character. secure a positive interaction and a play environment will help your dog realize that bonding is positive and fun.
It will also be very important to resort to different environments for example, woods and cities, both are very different and your puppy must learn to be comfortable in both if he is going to have to go through both on a regular basis.
Details to be taken into account:
- All puppies that play with your puppy must be healthy, in order to avoid any possible contagion of diseases.
- Don't forget the importance of bite inhibition.
- All these dogs have to be sociable dogs. This is normal with puppies eight to 12 weeks old, so it shouldn't be a concern. However, if you get an older playmate, make sure they are sociable. To do this, observe how this puppy interacts with other puppies before pairing it with yours.
- Don't socialize your dog in parks or other public places without having all his vaccinations up to date. You can organize healthy dog meetings at your home or at the home of someone you know. This will prevent your puppy from catching any disease.
- Supervise all of your puppy's interactions with other dogs.
adult dog socialization
As explained above, adult dogs that have not been socialized often show fear-related behavior, either by hiding or barking in an intimidating way to other dogs and people. Unknown situations provoke them fear and insecurity.
You should know that socializing an adult dog is a very complicated task since adult dogs have a deep rooted fear and discomfort caused by a situation in an unknown environment. THE patience is the key to help our puppy understand the environment in which he lives and must be progressive and treated with great care.
At PeritoAnimal we always recommend carrying out the adult dog's socialization process under the hands of professionals, since they are able to correctly identify the physical signs of our dog.
How to socialize an adult dog?
The process can vary infinitely depending on the degree of discomfort the dog feels when faced with certain stimuli. A dog that has serious problems relating to other dogs, barking excessively and even biting, should in no case be forced to relate, and it may be considered a success to prevent him from barking.
Behaviors that are deeply ingrained are complicated to deal with and should always be monitored by an ethologist or canine educator who is expert in this type of situation. The ideal, if we do not have enough resources to turn to a professional, is to help the dog using positive reinforcement, rewarding situations in which it is receptive and trying to avoid encounters that cause it obvious discomfort and nervousness.
Although many dogs can modify behavior that makes them fearful, it is certainly very complicated to treat and even more so for a person with no previous experience in animal behavior. Especially in these types of cases, we must make sure that encounters with other dogs and people are always very positive and rewarding for the dog.
Having treats on hand, watching over the animal's safety (put on a muzzle if you think it's convenient), understanding its situation and treating it with patience are key. Never force a dog to do something he doesn't want and don't expose him to situations that make him uncomfortable. Practicing basic obedience daily can be a good tool to help you overcome your fears and improve your communication. Discover some canine training tricks for a better understanding.
