Dog Socialization is often a misunderstood concept in dog handling. I started understanding dog socialization five or six years into my professional dog training career.
Our culture teaches us that a social dog is a playful dog. We are taught that a dog who accepts petting and is excited about seeing and interacting with a person or another dog is social. We are taught that dogs are social or antisocial. This is incorrect, and we can easily see that it is inaccurate if we know what to look for and how to recognize dog behavior.
Pro-Social Dogs
What did I learn through training dogs? Socialization is a spectrum. There are three categories to measure a dog’s social behavior and temperament. A pro-social dog is excited about interaction with a dog or a person. They want to interact, play with, be close to, and be touched by others. Many pro-social dogs practice leash reactivity. Their reactivity is excitement. Owners of these dogs say, “My dog gets excited because they want to meet or play with others.”
Social Dogs
A social dog is fine with other dogs, people, and objects. They do not get too excited about them. They may interact or not and are okay with either event. Social dogs are not afraid of, aggressive, or defensive toward other beings or objects. The owner of these dogs says, “My dog does not care about others. She is happy to be with me and is not afraid or excited about other dogs or people.”
Anti-Social Dogs
An anti-social dog is a dog whose behavior is governed by fear, anxiety, aggression, or defensiveness. This type of dog is not interested in meeting others, and it takes time for them to make friends. These dogs tend to snap at other dogs when they are on the leash. The owners of these dogs say, “When my dog sees another dog, she growls, refuses to walk, and tries to go the other direction. My dog bites without warning. He is anxious and refuses to walk on a leash”.
How Can I Improve My Dog’s Social Skills?
While dogs are born with their own temperament and personality, early socialization and clear expectations can help to manage their emotions and improve their behavior. The question is, “What should you do if your dog hasn’t developed social skills early on?”
First, we must teach the dog what we do when we want them to calm down. We must practice these calming routines when the dog is not triggered and when they get a little excited, until it is easy for them to achieve calmness. We should allow them to calm themselves before and after engaging in activities they enjoy.
Once it is easy to calm them in most situations, we must socialize them. Socialization allows them to be exposed to things that make them excited or nervous without those things coming in physical contact with your dog. We allow them to see dogs, people, or objects at a distance so that we can calm them reasonably quickly. As we practice this, it will become easier for you to calm your dog down, and you will notice that you can get closer to the things that trigger your dog. Finally, remember a social dog is a dog who does not get excited or nervous about others.
If you need help teaching your dog to be social, click this link, and we will reach out to provide our assistance. Thank you for reading, and Enjoy Your Dog!!!