Sometimes dogs can be our best friends, but are not always fans of the people who come around us. Dogs can get stressed out, have anxiety attacks, or become aggressive. The only way to fix these issues is through social training.
When we talk about social training, we don’t mean bringing your dog to a trainer, we mean bringing them into social situations that involve more than just yourself. Here are some tips on how to make your dog the neighbors favorite good boy.
Expose Them
Let your dog around men, women, children, etc. to mix it up so that they can get used to being around people of all sizes, which are bigger than your pet. Pedigree has a useful list of socializing tips:
Don’t reward or praise your dog for being scared of people—this encourages skittish behavior.
Ensure people pet your dog where their hands can be seen like their chest or chin.
Go back to basics. A dog who is confident with their training and routine makes for a well-rounded pooch.
Don’t Lock them Up
Let your pets run free, your friends will understand. Let him get to know the people you are close to so that each time they come around, they are more and more comfortable. Tip: don’t crate them when you have people over, it will make them afraid or have a bad sense of visitors.
Walk Your Dog Daily
Dog walks are great opportunities for your pet to be exposed to people in different environments that are not their own. Walks will create less pent-up energy due to the exercise, therefore, making your dog to be calmer and more submissive. A tip from Cesar Milan: remember not to pull back on the leash or yell at your dog if they bark or otherwise act up, because this increases their excitement level, makes the experience negative, and makes them associate that feeling with other dogs.
Start Them Young
It’s important to be timely with your socialization. Habits learned at a young age will stick with them throughout their life. Between 3 and 12 weeks of age is the sweet spot for socializing a puppy. Beyond 18 weeks (about four months) it becomes a lot more difficult to socialize a dog.
We hope this list helped and encouraged you to spend a little more time with your pup on a daily basis. Another great tip is to research places that allow non-service animals then consider going there for coffee dates or brunch! There are so many dog parks and opportunities out there that help a dog become more social! Take advantage of them all while the pups are young and it will help you develop a much stronger bond!