How to Socialize Your Dog With Other Dogs
So you’ve made the big decision to bring a dog into your home. Congratulations! One of the most crucial
steps you can take as a new dog pawrent is socialization training for dogs from the get go. Without dog
socialization, your dog can be set up for failure in various ways. If you want to know how to get dogs to
get along, the answer is dog training and socialization. Your dog could become fearful of people, children,
differently abled persons, other dogs, new environments, etc. Proper socialization will ensure your dog is
happy, friendly and confident.
Socialization for dogs is essentially creating situations so your dog can have various experiences. By
going through these experiences, your dog will become more familiar with their surroundings and feel
more at ease. Having a comfortable understanding of the human world helps your dog live a happier life.
A crucial time to socialize a dog is when they are young puppies, between 3 to 20 weeks. By safely and
slowly introducing your pup to new things, you will help prevent our pup from developing anxieties, fears
and possibly even aggression down the road.
So how to socialize a puppy? From the start, get your puppy comfortable with being handled by different
people and in different places. Touch their paws, face, mouth, ears, etc. Expose them to novel sounds,
like the TV, telephone ringing, music, vacuums, noisy traffic etc. Get your puppy comfortable with you
handling their food. When feeding, place your hands in their bowl as they eat. Hand feed them for a few
bites. You can also approach them as they are eating and place a high reward treat in their bowl, then
leave. Then for one meal, walk up and take the bowl away, add a high reward treat, then return their
bowl. This exercise will teach your dog to be comfortable having you around valuable resources and
prevent the pup from developing resource guarding habits. Separation anxiety is another result of poor
socialization. You should teach your pup how to comfortably be alone without you. Play biting is common
in all puppies, so teach your pup not to bite when they play. Say “ouch” loudly when they nip and stop
playing.
Try not to overwhelm them with too many new sounds, new people and new events all at once. Never be
aggressive, use dominance tactics or punishments with your dog. These tactics usually increase the
negative behaviors in your dog. Always opt for positive reinforcement and reward desirable behaviors.
While the puppy age is crucial for socialization, the process should never stop! In adolescence, your pup
may start to react more negatively to new things. This is a result of fear. Never punish your pup for
reacting this way! Simply redirect your pup’s behavior: ask them to sit, give them a treat, help them
associate this new “scary thing” with something positive. Yelling or punishing your dog will only reinforce
that the thing they are reacting to is, indeed, something to be feared. Continue to introduce your pup to
new people and make sure the interactions remain positive.
Set up puppy playdates with friends and family so your dog can play with other pups. Allow your dog to meet
other friendly dogs while on leashed walks, so long as the other dog and their owner are friendly and consenting
to the interaction. You can also try sending your dog to a reputable doggie day care so your dog can have a day to
play with new canine friends. Switch up the walking locations and take your pup to explore new places and terrain.
It is never too late to start dog training for socialization! You can successfully socialize your older pup and
“teach your old dog new tricks”, despite what the old adage says. While it might be more difficult, since
an adult or senior dog may have some negative past experiences to work through.
Older dogs are also less receptive to new experiences. The best approach is to star slow and ease them in.
Go on leisurely walks in a calm environment. Invite a trusted friend or family member to your home to meet your pup,
then start to expand the circle to more people. Have your dog interact with only one other dog at a time,
particularly one that is calm and non reactive themselves. Repetition and continuation is the key to life long success!
So you may be asking yourself, how to get your dog to socialize with other dogs? How do you socialize
your dog with people?
Training Tips for Successful Dog Socialization
1. Practice Patience
Properly socializing dogs takes time. Ease your pup into each new situation and experience and make
sure to not overwhelm your pup by doing too much too soon. Incremental exposure is key. Socializing
dogs is not a race to the finish line!
2. Time Training Appropriately
Young puppyhood is a crucial time for socialization. Pups are more susceptible to new things when they
are 3 weeks up to 4 months old. After that, it can be trickier to socialize you rpup (but not impossible).
Make sure you are spending their younger years experiencing new people, pups and situations. While
your puppy is going through their course of vaccinations, make sure to only socialize your pup with dogs
that are up to date on their vaccines and in good health in order to prevent your puppy from getting sick.
Do not take an unvaccinated puppy to a dog park!
3. Start with a Single Dog
Keeping in mind Tip #1, dog socializing should be a slow process. Start by having your pup meet one
single pup at a time. Make sure this first pup is a very friendly, calm and relaxed pup rather than a high
energy or nervous dog. Don’t bring them immediately to a dog run or a play group at a doggie day care.
Those environments can be overwhelming.
4. Monitor for Aggressive Situations
Not all pups will be best friends. When you socialize dogs in large groups, be mindful of their body
language at all times. Become familiar with dog body language so you can watch your dog, and the other
dogs, for cues that the situation might be escalating into something negative or aggressive. Make sure to
remove your dog immediately.
5. Avoid Punishment for Barking or Growling
When a dog barks or growls, it is because they are feeling heightened emotions of fear. Do not
reprimand your dog when this happens or you may end up feeding the fear. Simply remove your dog
from the situation and offer comfort.
6. Use Positive Reinforcement
Instead of punishment, you should always opt to use positive reinforcement. Always keep treats handy so
you can treat your pup for good behavior. For example, you can give you dog a treat when they greet a
human or another dog calmly. You can also use treats to help your dog overcome their fears, where you
expose your dog to the negative stimuli and offer treats so they start to associate the scary things with
the good things.
7. Observe Your Dog’s Body Language
As mentioned in Tip #4, being fluent in dog body language is helpful for ensuring your dog goes through
the socialization process smoothly. Watch your dog’s body language for cues on how they are feeling in
these new situations and act accordingly.
8. Incorporate Regular Walks and Variety
Keep your dog on a regular schedule of walks. Every now and then, spice it up by taking your dog to a
new location to explore areas and meet people and pups not from their own neighborhood. This way your
dog can branch out and learn how to meet new people and new pups.
Remember, socializing a dog is a commitment that will take time, patience, love and understanding.
Enlist the help of friends and family, so long as they are fellow animal lovers and supportive of being part
of the socializing dog training process. You can also look into hiring a professional who has experience
specifically with socialization dog training.
