DOG SOCIALIZATION: Helping our furry best friends feel safe in a hectic human world PART 2: Facing the World

        "Slow and steady wins the race" is a popular saying that applies not only to dog training but also to dog socialization! For this reason, I started this socialization series with a part focusing on engaging the dogs' individual senses before exposing them to the world at large. Beginning by simply engaging your dog's individual senses can be particularly helpful if you are in Covid quarantine or have a dog either with an unknown socialization background or a history of trauma. Once you have engaged your dog’s individual senses, you can focus on the 3 main components of the human-dog world: people, other animals, and various environments. 

Getting to know new people

         Especially if you live in an urban environment, it is important to get your dog used to people. If you have a young puppy, you can follow Vaterlaws-Whiteside and Amandine Hartmann’s guidelines to help get puppies accustomed to new people: Start off small by changing up your look while engaging your puppy in a variety of everyday tasks and activities. Do this by alternating between wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a backpack while picking up your puppy, bringing them to a pen or crate, gently examining their ears and teeth, playing one-on-one using soft, squeaky, and tug toys, and hiding a toy and encouraging your puppy to find it. Changing your appearance while doing simple activities will help simulate the experience of interacting with someone new for your puppy. 

        Based on their 2020 study on pet dog fearfulness, scientist Emma Hakanen and her colleagues stress the importance of having puppies meet unfamiliar men, women, and children between their 7th week and 4th month of life. Regardless of your dog’s age though, you can help them feel comfortable around people by turning the socialization process into a fun game with your friends, family, and neighbors! Set up encounters with individual people of various ages, skin tones, voices, weights, and heights. Set up encounters with individual people wearing hats, sunglasses, and funny costumes. Every time your dog looks at or interacts calmly with each person, talk to your dog in a calm, happy voice and deliver a yummy treat. If you feel nervous, you can replace the talking with the press of a clicker and follow up each click with a yummy treat. You can gradually increase the number of people you expose your dog to as they become comfortable with a variety of one-on-one meetings with diverse people. ​

        If you have a dog who is terrified of humans, introduce them to humans very gradually from a safe distance and with your dog’s favorite treats, toys, games, or activities. Build trust with your dog by avoiding surprise close encounters, as well. You can do this by having your dog wear a harness that says something like “Do Not Pet” so people do not just walk up to your fearful dog and interrupt your safe socialization process. Properly socializing your dog to humans will not only help them feel comfortable in a human world but will also improve your own relationship with your community and mental health. ​

Getting comfortable with other animals

        Chances are, if you have a dog, you live in a community with other people who have dogs. Therefore, it is important to make sure your dog feels comfortable being around other dogs. Pet dog socialization researcher Emma Hakanen and her colleagues note that parents of puppies younger than 4 months can actually prevent general fearfulness by having their dog meet unfamiliar friendly dogs. If you have a puppy, you can safely do this by signing up for a local positive reinforcement based puppy socialization class. If you have an adult dog or lack access to a good puppy socialization class, you can arrange a playdate with another dog around the same age as your dog, preferably one with a good reputation around other dogs. This way, you and the other owner can supervise both dogs without overwhelming anyone with too many dogs. ​

        If you have a dog who seems shy or uncomfortable around other dogs, form positive associations by watching other dogs from a distance at which your dog is comfortable. As your dog notices the other dogs, talk to your dog in a happy voice and give them yummy treats. Go closer to the other dog if your dog moves calmly towards them while still accepting treats. Move further away from the other dog if your dog starts dragging you towards the other dog, does not accept treats, freezes, or freaks out at the other dog. If you feel anxious or often caught by surprise by other dogs (i.e. in a crowded city setting), you can press a clicker whenever your dog looks at another dog and follow up each click with a yummy treat. 

        Go ahead and meet other dogs if both dogs have loose, relaxed body language and gaze; avoid contact if their body language and gaze are stiff and direct. If one or both dogs does not want to be friends with the other dog, some warning signs include a tucked or raised tail, growl, hard stare at the other dog, lunging on the leash, hiding behind you, turning away from the other dog, lip licking outside of snack or water time, or yawning when they are not likely to be tired. Some dogs prefer people and/or other animals over other dogs, so remember to respect their choice whether or not to engage with another dog. The goal of socialization is just to have a dog who calmly shares space with other dogs so you can relax and enjoy your adventures together, regardless of other dogs present. 

        Do you have another animal species in your home or community? It is wonderful to socialize your dog to other animals as well, not just dogs. Allow your dog to meet other friendly animals via see-through barriers like baby gates. Over time, you can safely transition to on-leash meetings and finally off-leash meetings. If you have a cat at home, you can also implement a permanent partial barrier to set consistent boundaries. Simply lean a baby gate up against the door frames to any rooms that contain the cats’ belongings so the cat can enter the rooms, but the dog cannot. This way, the cat can exit their room(s) to interact with the dog (on leash at first) as they please and then return to their room(s) when they have had enough interaction. This setup teaches the dog the cat’s boundaries regarding interactions and prevents problematic games, like chase. Boost the socialization experience by offering both your dog and the other animal yummy treats or playtime whenever they are around each other. Get your dog accustomed to as many species as needed, keeping all introductions safe and positive. ​

Getting accustomed to new environments

       Many dog parents do not realize that socialization includes not only interactions with the same or other species but also with the environment! If you live in an urban setting or plan on traveling with your dog, prioritize socializing your dog to as many different environments as possible. Scientist Emma Hakanen and her colleagues recommend puppy parents visit a city center and travel by car or bus with their puppies during their first 4 months of life if possible. Following Helen Vaterlaws-Whiteside and Amandine Hartmann’s socialization program, puppy parents should also carry their puppies around outside and, when inside, gently place a towel over their puppy and let them find their way out of it. They should also have their puppies walk on concrete, grass, and rubber surfaces. Additionally, they should encourage their puppies to go through doorways as well as climb over carpet, a reusable shopping bag, and an obstacle (i.e. small incline). ​

       It is important to make sure the environment in your control does not incorporate aversive elements (i.e. electric fences) so most of your dog’s associations are positive, especially those involving you. Exposing your dog to aversive tools, particularly during sensitive periods of development, can trigger serious behavior problems, including aggression. In her 2016 article on fear periods, certified dog trainer and behavior specialist Liz Palika indicates that dogs are most vulnerable to being influenced by fear at 8-10 weeks of age when they wean off their mom, 4-5 months of age when puppies’ teeth drop, adolescence (somewhere between 6 and 18 months) when hormones rage, and early adulthood (2 years on average). If you have a dog that is in a constant state of anxiety or stress, alter your environment or routine to allow the dog to relax for a while before reintroducing stressors in a slow, controlled way. For example, if you have a dog who freaks out on walks, temporarily walk your dog in your backyard or on quiet, wider-set blocks instead of busy intersections and parks. When introducing your dog to new, unusual, or stressful situations or textures, take a deep breath, go slow, and never underestimate the power of potent treats, like cut up hot dogs!  

Have fun and believe in yourself!

        Just like training, socialization is most effective when it is fun! Turn it into a game by playing Fear Free’s Puppy Socialization Bingo: 

       As you socialize your dog, remember to believe in yourself! Dogs are highly sensitive to our emotional state. This means that having confidence in ourselves actually helps our dogs succeed! How cool is that? 
     Do you have an especially shy or fearful dog? You may need some socialization boosters. Click on the button below and scroll down to the "Take it slow. You can do it!" section for booster options. 

Socialization article Part 1

        If you are struggling to socialize your dog on your own, feel free to go to my “Contact” page to schedule your free phone screening today. Facing the world with your dog can be stressful but having professional help can turn it into the fun bonding experience it is meant to be! ​

Sources

Hakanen, E., Mikkola, S., Salonen, M., Puurunen, J., Sulkama, S., Araujo, C., & Lohi, H. (2020). Active and social life is        associated with lower non-social fearfulness in pet dogs. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 13774–.

Palika, Liz (2016, May 12). Fear Periods are Upsetting but Normal. [blog post] Retrieved from https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/blog/fear-periods-are-upsetting-but-normal/.
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Vaterlaws-Whiteside, & Hartmann, A. (2017). Improving puppy behavior using a new standardized socialization program. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 197, 55–61.