Socialization is the process by which your dog learns to relate to other dogs and humans. Through socialization, your dog also learns to get along with other animals and to tell children from adults. On the other hand, habituation is the process by which your dog learns to ignore environmental elements that are not dangerous. In this way, a dog used to a city environment will not worry about the noise of urban traffic or the presence of many people on the streets.
Although socialization and habituation are conceptually different, in this article on our site we will consider both within the puppy socialization process. Thus, for practical purposes, your dog's socialization is the process by which you will accustom your pet to react appropriately (without fear or aggression) in the face of different environments, people, other dogs and other animals.
Why is socializing so important?
The socialization of the dog is essential in its education since this will prevent, in part, the appearance of behavioral problems in adult dogs, such as aggressiveness or fear. However, in some cases, genetics will play a decisive role and may have an influence, even in properly socialized dogs. Thus, this process is fundamental if we want to have a balanced adult dog by our sideAlso, a well-socialized dog is easier to train and can be more easily accepted by other people and pets.
What will happen if you don't socialize your puppy?
If you decide not to socialize your puppy, in the future you will have at your side a dog with clear social deficiencies, either showing aggressive or skittish. Clearly maladjusted to his environment. Also, you will have a hard time taking your dog for a walk, to the vet or anywhere else, because he will be afraid of everything and won't be able to trust in a usual situation. How can you tell if your dog is well socialized? A simple rule of thumb for evaluating this is: if the owner isn't scared of something, then the dog shouldn't be either.
Puppy socialization
As with other animals, including humans, dog socialization is a lifelong process However, the critical period is from birth to the twelfth week (third month). In other words, your dog will have a lot of trouble adjusting to his environment if he hasn't been properly socialized before three months
Note that the critical period of puppy socialization may vary for each individual. In fact, many experts consider that the critical period ends at week 16 (four months). The important point is that the sooner you start your puppy's socialization, the more guarantees of success you will have.
How to socialize the puppy?
Socializing a puppy is very simple: you need to introduce him to different people and pets on a regular basis. Hosting visitors at home, going to a pipi-can or simply going for a walk are good options to start this process.
Unlike what some people think, you shouldn't worry so much about the size of the other dogs but rather about the character they have. Ensuring a positive interaction and play environment will help your dog understand that socializing is positive and fun.
It will also be very important to go to different environments for example, the forest and the city, both are very different and your dog must learn to feel comfortable in both if you are going to have to go through them on a regular basis.
Details to be considered:
- All the dogs your puppy plays with must be he althy, so you will avoid any possible contagion of diseases.
- Don't forget the importance of bite inhibition.
- All those dogs have to be social dogs. This is normal with eight to 12 week old puppies, so it shouldn't be a concern. However, if you get an older playmate, make sure they are sociable. To do this, observe how that dog interacts with other dogs before putting it together with your puppy.
- Do not socialize your puppy in parks or other public places until he has all his vaccinations completed. Instead, host he althy puppy meetings at your home or at another puppy owner's home. This way you will prevent your puppy from catching any disease.
- Monitor all your puppy's interactions with other dogs.
The socialization of the adult dog
As explained above, unsocialized adult dogs often display fear-related behaviors either by hiding or barking intimidatingly at other dogs and people. Unknown situations cause them fear and insecurity
You should know that socializing an adult dog is a very complicated task since dogs have deep-rooted fear and bewilderment caused by an unknown situation or environment. patience is the keyto help our dog understand the environment in which he lives and must be progressive and treated with great care
On our site we always recommend carrying out the socialization process of the adult dog in the hands of professionals, since only they are capable of correctly identifying the physical signs of our dog.
How to socialize an adult dog?
The process can vary infinitely depending on the degree of discomfort the dog feels when faced with certain stimuli. A dog that has serious problems interacting with other dogs, barking excessively and even biting, should never be forced to interact, and avoiding barking can be considered quite an achievement.
Behavior that is deeply ingrained is complicated to treat and should always go hand in hand with an ethologist or canine educator who is an expert in this type of situation. Ideally, if we do not have sufficient resources to go to a professional, we should help the dog using positive reinforcement, rewarding situations in which he is receptive and trying to avoid encounters that cause obvious discomfort and nervousness.
Although many dogs can modify a behavior that causes fear, the truth is that it is very complicated to treat and even more so for a person with no previous experience in animal behavior. Especially in these types of cases, we must ensure that encounters with other dogs and people are always very positive and rewarding for the dog.
Having treats on hand, ensuring the safety of the animal (putting a muzzle on it if you think it's convenient) and understanding its situation and treating it with patience are the key. Never force a dog to do something it does not want and do not expose it to situations that cause discomfort. Practicing basic obedience on a daily basis can be a good tool to help you overcome your fears and improve your communication. Discover canine training tricks for a better understanding.
