It doesn’t matter if you have an adult dog, or a puppy, training them to be friendly and social is a must. Unsocial dogs are not only hard to control, but they are also a threat to other dogs and people. This is why socialization is considered an important part of dog training.
Training your dog from an early age leads to a worry-free lifestyle. It makes them friendly around humans and other animals. Plus, you don’t have to worry about your dog’s bad temper when taking it to an emergency vet in Houston or someplace else.
Now you might wonder how to get your dog to socialize. Well, we have put together a few tips to help you out.
- Start at an early age
It’s far easier to train a puppy than a grown-up dog. You should start socializing them at an early age so; it’s easier for both you and your puppy.
Just like humans, young animals are more open to absorbing new experiences and information. Once they enter adulthood, they tend to become more apprehensive towards unfamiliar things. This makes socializing difficult for most adult dogs. For your information, the ideal time to start socializing your puppy is between 3 and 16 weeks of age.
- Introduce them to new people
Dogs that only stay around their owner find it hard to impossible to socialize with other humans. Many of them even become aggressive when they see new people. This is why you should make them meet more people while they are still young.
Let your dog around new people so, it can get used to the feeling. We are not asking you to introduce a lot of people at once. You can do it one or two people at a time. Make your dog meet and familiarize itself with your friends and relatives. One thing to keep in mind is to make them meet varied people like a person with a beard, someone in a wheelchair, and so on.
- Acclimate them to new sounds, smells, textures, and sights
The purpose of socializing your dog is to make them friendlier and less dangerous. For this, you must create a positive association with new things. This includes loud noises, smells, textures, etc.
Take them out on walks and allow them to explore the outdoors. As they experience new things, they absorb the information. Taking them on car rides, near waterbodies, or a dog park also helps.
- Reward their effort
Rewarding good behavior or positive effort encourages your dog to make it a habit. As they learn new things about their surroundings, give them treats. This way you appreciate their effort, causing them to develop a positive association with new things.
You should never miss rewarding them, especially if they learn something new. It helps them understand that you are happy and they did the right thing. Make sure to praise them verbally along with treats.
- Take your dog to public places
One great way to make your dog socialize is to take them to large public places. The more people they see around them, the more they get used to the feeling.
Exposing your puppy to new environments with varied people is an important experience for dogs. It helps them get accustomed and feel less uncomfortable. However, you shouldn’t take your dog out in public for ten days after vaccination.
- Go to dog training classes
If you think training your dog to socialize is a hard task, you have professional trainers to go to. Hiring a dog trainer is a great idea, especially if you cannot do it on your own.
When you take your dog to a training class, they meet other dogs there. This is a good kind of experience for them. Also, they are trained by a professional dog trainer so, it’s even better.
Why is it important to socialize your dog?
Socializing your dog has many benefits for both you and your pooch. It makes life stress-free and happier. A socialized dog tends to be less aggressive towards others. Whether it is people or animals, they maintain calm around them. It also makes them more friendly and approachable.
Dogs suffering from anxiety can also benefit a great deal from socialization. It trains them to better handle unfamiliar things and situations. Lastly, you don’t have to worry about your dog attacking somebody.
Final Words
A socialized dog is a good dog. Even if your pooch is grown up, you can still train them to be social. It might take more effort, but it’s possible. Just follow these instructions and you are good to go.
