Do you have a timid dog? Chances are, it is an unsocial dog. If not given proper socialization, your pet may be aggressive to humans, animals, and other dogs, dangerous.
Dog can be aggressive because of fear. With that, you must know how to socialize your dog with humans. The following ideas will help you with their socialization.
Provide Them With Daily Walks
One of the most effective ways to improve your pet’s socialization skills is to offer them with daily walks. Walk around and expose your pet in a public place. It can help her or him to feel comfortable around people and his or her surroundings.
According to studies, unsocialized dogs tend to be more aggressive because of fear. You must help them overcome this fear by walking them every day. It can slowly build their confidence and easily adapt to their surroundings.
As they walk, they can encounter unfamiliar dogs and humans. They can be fearful on the first days of their walk, but it can eliminate their fear as you take them to walks regularly.
Aside from improving their health since they can exercise, it can also boost their confidence around unfamiliar faces and animals. You can walk with your dog on different routes. It allows them to enjoy different sights and meet new friends.
Take Them To A Dog Park
You can also take them to a dog park wherein they can interact with other dogs. There, they can also encounter humans. By regularly taking them to the dog park, they can reduce or even eliminate their fear while being surrounded by people.
Dog parks are also a great place to provide them enjoyable playtime with other dogs. It can offer them mental and physical stimulation, which is good for their overall health.
Expose Them To Different Kinds Of People
Another effective way to socialize your dog with humans is to expose them to various kinds of people. Expose them to women, men, and children. With this, they can have an idea about people. For example, they can identify between bigger people and smaller people.
In case your pet gets scared in front of other humans, just stay calm. You can also get a pet sitter or dog walker so that they can be familiar with various caregivers. You can give them treats to motivate them while having a positive association with new experiences and humans.
Give Them Early Socialization Training
If you have a puppy, you must give them early socialization training. You can socialize your puppy between its 3 and 12 weeks of age.
During this age, you can expose them to urban surroundings, unfamiliar people, vehicles, unfamiliar dress, woods, beaches, bodies of water, parks, cats, neighborhood objects like bicycles, street signs, benches, other dogs, and more.
Dog Classes
It is also a good idea to take your pet to dog classes. It can be a local dog socializing opportunity that can help you and your dog.
If you want to meet people and other dogs safely, dog classes are the best option. It has a controlled environment, so your dog can have the chance to interact with other dogs and improve their socialization skills.
Perfect Timing
Make sure to know the perfect timing of socializing your dog to humans. If your pet is stressed, anxious, or fearful, their brains can be in fight mode. It can’t help them to learn easily with other people. Therefore, you must help them to be in good condition first.
You can provide them with anti-anxiety treatments, supplements, or medication that can help them to feel relaxed.
Once they feel good, that is the best time to socialize with other humans. Keep in mind that not all dogs are the same, so it is about trial and error in helping your dog adapt to their environment.
Seek The Assistance Of A Professional Vet
If your methods don’t work for your dog’s anxiety, you can seek help from a professional vet. With this, they can socialize with other humans and dogs in a comfortable way.
You can also get help from certified coaches who have experience in the temperaments and breeds of dogs.
Be Patient
You must understand that the progress of your dog will have setbacks. With that, you must not give up. You can evaluate your approach when it comes to the socialization of your pet. Just remind yourself that socializing your dog can benefit you and your pet.
You must be consistent and patient. You must check for the comfort level of your dog. You can determine the best approach to help them adapt easily to a new environment and people.
You must not pressure your dog too much. Instead, offer them understanding, patience, and guidance to improve their performance.
Take note that being consistent and repetition are important for the success of your dog’s socialization training. Apply positive reinforcement to keep them confident and happy.
Be Realistic
You must be realistic when it comes to training your pet for socialization. Set realistic expectations to prevent disappointments in the end.
Make sure to make your dog feel secure, comfortable, happy, and safe in their environment. Don’t lose hope even when things are not in your favor.
Socialization is not a race, so don’t push yours too hard. What’s more important is that they’re healthy and happy.
Monitor Your Behavior
It is also important to monitor your behavior as you train your dog. Your pet can also observe your emotions. So, if you are a little bit stressed or upset, it can also impact them.
Ensure that you apply a confident and relaxing tone and language when socializing your dogs with humans and other dogs. You must not play to the nervous or fearful reaction of your dog. Instead, teach them to stay calm.
Make It Rewarding
You can train your dog for socialization by finding what they love. You can give rewards to them, which can serve as their motivation.
For example, if your pet loves food, you can reward her or him for any accomplishment. You can allow them to play with other dogs to make them comfortable while enhancing their confidence in front of other humans and dogs.
Important Reminders When Socializing Your Dogs
Socializing your dogs is essential to avoid them from being fearful and aggressive. However, you must also consider important factors to keep your pet safe.
- Identify the signs of the discomfort of your pet while exercising.
Training your dog to improve its social behavior is important. Meanwhile, you must also consider if they are still comfortable or not. Some signs of discomfort may include yawning, excessive panting, tail between legs, and more.
- Make sure that the other party is friendly.
Before you decide to socialize with others, make sure that the other party is friendly. So, it will not cause fear to your pet.
- Keep your pet in good condition.
You can allow your pet to make interactions, but not to the point that your dog is already tired.
How to Socialize Your Puppy
You can begin socializing your puppy at its three weeks of age. You can expose them to different smells, sounds, sounds, and sensations in a relaxing way in this stage.
If your puppy doesn’t experience it, it can make them uncomfortable with unfamiliar things. Moreover, it can also lead to aggression, fear, and anxiety later on in their lives. To help you avoid these problems, consider the following tips:
- Handling
Your puppy must be handle by various humans as possible. You can cuddle her or him pleasantly and gently. Hold your puppy in various positions. Stroke her sides and back, rub her muzzle and finger her feet.
- Food bowl exercises
You can train your pet to adjust to other humans approaching his or her bowl while eating. It can reduce their anxiousness if others are taking their valued resources. You can walk up, pick their dish, place a treat, and give their dish back.
- Sounds
You must help them familiarize themselves with various sounds like a ringing telephone, kitchen sounds, kids playing, TV sounds, buses moving by, and other sounds. However, you must not overwhelm them with so much noise.
- You must also train them to be alone
You can train your puppy to be alone, so they will not develop separation anxiety in their later years.
- Avoid biting
You can offer your puppy with the right toys for their biting. Don’t squeeze the mouth of your dog, hold him down, or yell at him. It can make your pet more fearful, which can worsen the biting.
- Avoid aggression
You must not show that you are dominant over him or her. Observe your behavior and avoid actions that can make your dog aggressive. You must try to establish a trusting relationship with your puppy. Train him or her about human rules.
- Expose your pet to new people
Expose your dog to new people daily. It can help them to adapt even at an early age easily. Make sure to have unthreatening and pleasant interactions.
Socializing Your Adolescent Dog
Once your dog becomes adolescent, you must continue their socialization training.
- Continue to introduce your pet to unfamiliar humans
You must still expose them to unfamiliar faces. It can provide them that strangers are not harmful.
- Introduce them to other dogs
Keep introducing them to other dogs. You can do this through playgroups, going to dog parks, play dates with your friends’ pets, or just through simple daily walks. It will help them to behave nicely in front of other dogs. It also let them make new friends.
- Take them to different walks
You can take them to different walks every day. With this, they can be familiar with new environments. It can make them feel comfortable and avoid being fearful. Additionally, it can also provide them with mental stimulation.
- Continue to handle your pet
Always keep your dog feel comfortable in its adolescent stage. If they are comfortable in handling, it can reduce their biting.
Socializing Your Adult Dog
If your dog is late when it comes to socialization, don’t worry. Help them to socialize with humans and other dogs in a happy and relaxing way.
- Give your adult dog lots of playtimes
You can introduce your adult dog to other dogs. You can do this by inviting your friend, who is also a dog owner. You can walk with your friend and his or her dog. If your pet is comfortable with it, they can interact and have some playtime.
- Keep calm in every situation
If your adult dog became fearful, stay calm so they can understand that it is not a big deal.
By applying these socialization techniques, you can have peace of mind that your pet can progress on their socialization skills with humans and other dogs.
Conclusion
To sum it up, socializing your dog with humans is both beneficial for you and your dog. It will help them reduce or even eliminate their fear while surrounded by other people and other dogs.
Take note that if your dog lacks socialization, they can be aggressive because of fear. With that, you must be patient and dedicated to helping them feel comfortable with other people.
By simply following the above tips, you can make sure that you can help your pet to behave nicely with strangers.
Meanwhile, you must not push them too hard on their socialization training. Always prioritize their safety, comfort, and happiness. One step at a time, they can slowly learn to adapt to their new environment.
With that, you can relax while having a walk with your pet. Thus, they will not be aggressive and cause some trouble that can give your headaches.
Do you want to enhance your dog’s abilities? What are you waiting for? Start training them to socialize with humans!
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