I Want My Dog to Be Socialized!

I frequently get calls from clients, wanting their dog to learn how to socialize, which often translates into “I want my dog to be good at the dog parks.”

In reality, the term “Socialization” actually refers to the brief time in a young animal’s life where they are particularly open, so to speak, to learning about their environment. So for example, we can take a human infant and introduce her to a swimming pool and she is likely to not show any fear. However, take that same child at about 3 years old and put her in the pool, and she may be resistant. 

With puppies, their socialization window is open from about 3 to12 weeks old, and it is vitally important for them to have positive interactions with a vast amount of environmental stimuli. Once that window closes, Pup is not likely to be as keen on novel stimuli, and when she matures, you may start to notice she is apprehensive of, for example children, men, sounds from traffic, etc.  Often times, when we adopt an adolescent or adult dog, that growls at men, unfamiliar dogs or refuses to go on walks in the city, we imagine that the poor dog must have been abused. And while that is a possibility, the other thing to consider is that the puppy may not have met a lot of men, dogs or perhaps was raised in a rural area where there was little exposure to city noises.

Just like humans, dogs too are very much impacted by their childhood, and while there’s certainly help for adult dogs and humans to overcome issues, there are no childhood do-overs! 

Our dogs’ personalities are shaped by the expression of genes and experiences. Similar to humans, some are outgoing, love crowds and parties and on the other hand there are those who prefer a few friends, quiet times and perhaps intimate gatherings. We see these traits in dogs too, and while there are plenty of “party animals” at the dog park, there are also “wallflowers” who do not appreciate being forced into a crowded dog park where they are put in a position to defend themselves and or become overly aroused!

In my experience, things have changed, for the better in a lot of ways from when I was growing up. Back then there were “dog owners”, but today many consider themselves “dog parents” and with that distinction there are more opportunities for dogs to engage in activities, once reserved for just children. So we have parks, swimming, agility (gymnastics) and such. And because of all these new opportunities, today’s dog parent wants their little Fluffy or Bruno to play nicely with the other “kids”. The problem is that most dog parents do not have the skills to interpret dog body-language, and are often mortified when Fluffy is being “bad” when she growls or snaps at other dogs in the park! After all who wants to lay claim to the little pariah “acting out” at these social venues?

My story is different because I had the social butterfly that I could take to the dog parks, swimming pools and agility classes, however what I didn’t consider is that while he was not snapping at other dogs, he was not a welcome visitor in these places as much as I though he was. At the dog park he spent his time grabbing other dogs’ toys and “squabbling” when the other dog tried to get their toy back. In the agility ring he was energized by all the other barking dogs, and one such time he had zero interest in the equipment because he was having much too much fun running around the room showing everyone the package of hotdogs he pilfered from someone’s bag that was on a shelf! And as far as swimming, it turns out that I was wrong about him. He liked standing in the kiddie pool, because his paws reached the pool floor, but NOT as adventurous in a regulation type swimming pool! 

The point of all his is that I learned to listen to what my big social butterfly dog was telling me, and instead of dragging him from activity to activity to fulfill my need to be a social dog mom, I learned  to provide him with activities that he really enjoyed such as letting him play in his inflatable kiddy pool, socialize with a few friendly dogs that would share toys, and I enrolled him a Nose Work class where he could excel at what nature game him which was the ability to seek out hidden scents!

So to those dog parents who are insistent that their dog becomes a social butterfly, I would say, that ship sailed before he became an adult, and if his “puppyhood” was lacking in experience, then it’s not likely that he will find enjoyment in places like the dog park, just because you think he should. My recommendation is that you learn to love your dog for who he is and who he is not. Find things that he enjoys and remember that he loves you, so find things that you can do together. Believe me, taking him on a walk and letting him sniff to his heart’s content is a FUN activity that many dogs are deprived of.

HAPPY TRAINING & ENRICHMENT!

© Fran Berry CPDT-KA, UW-AAB all rights reserved 2021