How we look after our dogs has changed, and so have the reasons for bringing a dog into our lives. Not too long ago, people brought dogs into their lives to fulfill a particular duty, whether that's guarding the house, herding sheep, or hunting livestock. Things have slowly started to change, and although there are still a few getting dogs for those reasons, the majority get a dog as a companion or an added member of the family with whom to share laughs and life. This is what makes socializing your dog more important now than ever before.
What Happens Without Socialization?
Think of it like having a person who is always at home, and doesn’t get to interact with people or outside surroundings. This will make going outside and interacting with people an excruciating task for that person. Everything will be new and unfamiliar, causing feelings of fear and apprehension. Dogs feel the exact same way, and while some of them will simply live in fear and walk around with their tails tucked between their legs, hoping nothing will harm them, other more serious cases result in dogs lashing out at unfamiliar dogs and/or people. Less severe cases result in dogs barking their head off at the sight of another dog, or pulling like there’s no tomorrow, which makes it very difficult for you both to enjoy your time outside in peace. This might result in you opting to leave your dog behind more often, which continues to worsen the behavior due to less exposure and having too much unspent energy. This brings us to the essence of today’s topic, “How can I prevent this and socialize my dog ?.” Alternatively,” My dog is an adult already and has gotten some behavioral issues already due to lack of socialization, what can I do? Let’s start with :
Puppy Socialisation
Since everything is new for puppies, they still don’t have a baseline built on past socialization experiences. This makes it both easier, as well as more critical, as their experiences earlier on will help shape their future beliefs around dog socialization. If their first encounters are positive, they will gain confidence and look forward to further socialization, while if they are negative, they might start to develop behavior problems, whether that’s aggressiveness, timidness, excessive barking, or otherwise. To ensure the first experiences and thereafter are positive during this sensitive time, we suggest :
Schedule Playdates with Other Puppies
Download the WagsUnite app and find other dog parents in your area with puppies who are up to go for a play date. This is a perfect way to start slow. Although puppies have different characters and you’ll find that some will be more dominant than others still, they are best socializing with each other, similar to how kids play best with other kids.
Introduce Calm, Well-Socialized Adult Dogs
Alternatively, find a calm adult dog to socialize your puppy with, which you can also find on the WagsUnite app. The key point here is that the adult dog is calm and patient, ensuring that the puppy will have a positive experience, even though there is a difference in hierarchy and energy levels.
Join Puppy Training Classes
Attend puppy classes. This could be a good way to socialize your pup whilst training it, and having the added support and supervision from an experienced trainer who can help provide further insight into micro-movements to look out for in your puppy to decipher what they are feeling and thinking.
Adult Socialisation
If you’re reading this article and you have an adult dog, it’s either because they’re very timid and you’d like to find a way to grow their confidence and socialize them, or it’s because they’re already showing some behavioral problems, like excessive barking or leash-pulling, which further encourages a lack of socialization. Let me start by saying that my dog was an unsocialized puppy due to being sick for months on end, resulting in him being an extremely timid adult dog, seemingly unable to play with other dogs. But with time, I started to learn what works for him and what doesn’t, and this inspires my writing to you.
For Timid Dogs
If like my dog Rodrigo, your dog is extremely timid and shy and seemingly unable to socialise with other dogs, get that WagsUnite app and find a dog similar to him. These dogs tend to enjoy the company of other dogs, but feel overwhelmed when they’re given direct attention by other dogs. What you want is another dog that is also timid, and that enjoys playing similar games, most especially things like : frisbee catch, ball catch and swimming. You’ll see them racing eachother, seemingly putting all that apprehension behind them ad they are laser focused on the toy, and enjoying the moment and the challenge of who can get to it first.
For Dogs That Bark Excessively If your dog barks excessively when they see another dog across the street on your walks, it’s good to try and decipher whether they are barking in an aggressive manner or because they are excited and want to play. If they are aggressive, they’ll generally growl as well and feel quite stiff and tense, generally raising the hair on their backs. If their bark is less tense but full of energy, they just might need a friend and some running around. It’s ideal to get on the WagsUnite app and find a dog parent to meet up that has a dog with matching energy. They will love running around after eachother , playing tug of war and probably eventually even getting on each other's nerves. If the bark is more aggressive, it is advisable to get professional help from a trainer to try and understand the root cause of it and how to address it.
For Dominant Dogs If your dog is dominant, it is best to avoid dog parks, wherein it is very common to find other dominant dogs, and find a more suitable match for him to play with through the WagsUnite app. For example, some dogs are only dominant male on male, while others dogs are dominant in general and conflict with any other dominant dog, so whoever you message for a play date, make sure they’re dog doesn’t trigger your dog’s domination.
If your dog is mostly normal and easy going, and probably already well socialised, you can probably get by with just taking your dog to a dog park, wherein you’re bound to atl east encounter one other dog for him to play with.
Broader Socialization Through Experiences
Socialization is not just about your dog interacting with another dog, but it is also about experiences. Taking your dog to many different places and experiences will help them get exposed to more things which helps them grow their confidence and calmness. Although at first, this might not always elicit the perfect behavior from your dog, the more you do it the more calm they become, as it’s now become a routine rather than a one-off case that makes their energy jump through the roof. This means next time you are planning to do any of the below , consider if it’s dog friendly, and if it is, consider taking your dog with you, ideally starting slowly from less busy environments. You can also find a few of these on the WagsUnite app !
Going for coffee
Going for breakfast, lunch, dinner
Going to a flea market
Going on vacation
Going on a hike, cycle, walk
Going to the beach
Going to visit friends or family
Going to work
Conclusion
Socializing your dog is essential for their well-being and your enjoyment as a pet parent. Whether you’re working with a playful puppy or a shy adult, the key is patience, consistency, and understanding your dog’s unique personality. Rodrigo to this day still remains quite timid with other dogs, but he’s mostly resilient and confident with any other scenario and experience that he goes through, and I still love to get to see him play around when he finds his perfect match.
We hope you found these tips helpful! If you have questions, challenges, or your own advice to share, let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear from you.
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