Good socialisation doesn’t just mean your dog mixes well with other dogs. It’s much more than that.
A well socialised dog is comfortable in all the situations it comes across in its ‘society’. To socialise a dog well means your dog is safely and competently exposed to and led through as wide a range of situations as possible. That helps him function confidently and calmly in the world.
So how do you socialise a dog well? Here are our top 4 tips for socialising your dog:
- Make your dog’s world huge. Take your dog to as many places as possible – to pubs and cafes, on trains, in cars, to forests, beaches and different parks. The more situations the better. Regularly lead your dog into new, challenging situations in a safe way.
- Fear is a learned behaviour – for humans and dogs alike. Show your dog how to deal with situations. Don’t offer your dog what humans think is ‘reassuring’ – what do you do when you walk past a lamppost? Nothing right?! Do that!
- Don’t rescue your dog, like by picking him up; don’t ‘solve’ their ‘problems’ or avoid new or challenging situations because your dog reacts in a way that you interpret as ‘fear’ the first time he meets them.
- Stop stopping. When you stop in the street typically on a lead, you create more stressful situation and one that the dog cannot control. He is now ‘trapped’ and denied self-determination, and so will more likely resort to behaviour that you think is ‘aggressive’. Instead, just silently keep going.
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