5 Socialization mistakes That could Screw Up Your pet dog
The following are some pet dog socialization mistakes to avoid.
My lab mix Ace was a laid-back, well-socialized guy. I didn’t train him to be that way. It’s just how he was. I took him lots of places after I adopted him, but he was already a year old by then and normally calm.
Because Ace was born on a farm, he must’ve been around plenty of animals, noises and different people. Genetics were also a factor, of course.
Regardless, he wasn’t fazed by anything, which was really convenient.
I believe in ongoing socialization for all dogs – taking them out as much as possible to areas where they can be successful.
That’s different for every dog, obviously.
Visiting a pet dog friendly café was no big deal to Ace. It would’ve been a bit much for my previous dog. just walking around the neighborhood is challenging enough for others.
You want to challenge your pet dog a little, but not too much.
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5 puppy and pet dog socialization mistakes to avoid
1. Forcing the pet dog into stressful or scary situations is not ‘socializing’ him
Socialization must be about introducing the pet dog to something new in a positive way.
We hear about the value of bringing our dogs to new areas, so we think of “big picture” events like pet dog parks.
Really, we must be focusing on less-exciting examples.
New pet dog owners are told to socialize their dogs around other dogs, so they might think it’s a good idea to check out the pet dog park.
Obviously you wouldn’t want to take a pet dog with no dog-park experience and throw him into a fenced area with 25 other dogs on a lively Saturday afternoon. This would set a lot of dogs up for failure, right? The pet dog may be overwhelmed at best. a lot more than likely, he could act out aggressively.
See my post: policies at the pet dog park.
But, a walk with one other pet dog followed by a little off-leash play? This is a best way for lots of dogs to socialize until they get a lot more comfortable.
Another example: Bringing a puppy to a busy, noisy event like enjoying a marathon could be too scary. but a walk where you know you’ll be exposed to a small crowd – like walking by a kid’s soccer game – might be perfect. It’s less chaotic, and you can always step away calmly.
I recommend you wear a pet dog treat bag around your waist when out and about with your dog. That way you can always have quick access to high-valued treats to reward your pet dog for checking out something new. This keeps new experiences fun and positive for your dog.
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2. pet dog socialization mistake: Not investing in training
One of my favorite writers, Jon Katz, wrote that pet dog owners will typically spend hundreds of dollars getting an exotic purebred or designer dog, but then they won’t spend a dollar on training that dog.
People will also pay $400 to adopt a “rescue dog,” but are a lot of of them ready to spend money on training? probably not.
I’m not saying you have to invest a bunch of money into pet dog training, but you do need to invest your time. My favorite way to train my pet dog is to do it myself. I normally train my pet dog on walks around the neighborhood.
Still, I do find group obedience classes valuable, even to those who “know everything” about training a dog. classes are an easy way to work with your pet dog around other dogs. There are few scenarios in the “real world” that allow you to do this in a controlled way.
I know training classes can get expensive, but if you can swing even one six-week session of weekly classes per year, it is well worth it. They’re not for all dogs, of course. Hiring a private trainer for one-on-one instruction can also be very helpful.
My pet dog walking buddies, Ruby and Mack
3. Not having an exit plan when trying to socialize your dog
Some situations are just too stressful for certain dogs, and it’s up to the owner to always have a plan for what to do if it’s not going well. This is true no matter how well socialized the pet dog is.
Often, we humans set unrealistic goals and expectations for our dogs. maybe someone makes a decision to take his pet dog to a street fair, for example, because he’s seen other people walking their calm, easygoing dogs through the fair in the past.
This is fine, but if it’s not going well and the pet dog is lunging and barking at people or so afraid that his tail is tucked between his legs, you need to be ready to walk away or get in the automobile and go home.
As a less extreme example, I always had the goal of taking Ace to coffee shops on a regular, flat collar (vs. a training collar). often this went OK, but normally it was an unrealistic expectation and he pulled too much.
As a backup, I always brought his gentle Leader along in my bag so I had it just in case. another good option is a martingale collar.
See my post: easy socialization ideas for dogs and puppies
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4. ‘Correcting’ a fearful dog
One of the most common pet dog socialization mistakes is correcting a fearful dog.
It’s only natural for pet dog owners to want to tell a pet dog “no” or to jerk on the leash when the pet dog is barking or growling out of fear.
I’ve done this plenty of times. It’s nearly like it’s a way to acknowledge the other person. Like, a way to signal, “I’m sorry about my dog. I disapprove of the behavior. See?” At least that is the case for me.
Some will alert that correcting a fearful pet dog will make the pet dog a lot more fearful because he will associate the “pain” with the other dog. What I find is that it simply adds unnecessary tension, which might add a lot more fuel to your dog’s “outbursts.”
Either way, correcting him is unlikely to help him get over his fears.
When I’m working with fearful, reactive dogs, I like to define the point at which the pet dog tends to react. maybe he has no reaction when another pet dog is 40 feet away but starts to breathe heavily and stare when the pet dog is 30 feet away and then really starts to lose it within 20 feet. (There are other variables, besides distance, of course.)
With this example, I would start working with the pet dog on calming commands (sit, “watch me”) using highly valued treats from a distance of about 30 feet from other dogs whenever possible. The goal would be to gradually change his action to other dogs over time.
A professional trainer would be able to help you discuss a certain training plan for your pet dog if you need it.
A terrific book to help with this is “Feisty Fido” by Dr. Patricia McConnell.
See my post: Can you “reward” a dog’s fear?
5. forgetting the little things, like walking in new areas
One of the easiest ways to socialize a pet dog is to simply take him for a walk every day. I know we come up with all sorts of excuses not to walk our dogs, but it really is such a basic and useful way to supply daily socialization.
You can even have your pet dog on a long 15- or 30-foot leash to give him a lot more freedom to sniff explore new things at his own pace.
Dogs are exposed to so lots of new people, dogs, sights, sounds and smells on a walk. So if you want to expose your pet dog to something new, simply walk him down a different street than he’s used to or even walk him at a different time of day.
I know you all work very hard to socialize your own dogs.
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What are some other pet dog socialization mistakes you can think of?
Let me know in the comments!
Related articles:
Don’t judge people who have reactive dogs
Stop your pet dog from barking/lunging on walks
See all my training ideas here
Lindsay Stordahl is the founder of That Mutt. She writes about pet dog training, pet dog exercise and feeding a healthy raw diet.