Staying social over the past year has been hard on all of us–even our dogs. Though they’re happy to have us home most of the time, many people have struggled to find ways to provide proper socialization for them. Puppies born and adopted during the past year are especially under-socialized in general. While things are starting to look up, we’re still limited in the places we can go and people we can see. There’s actually a remarkable amount of socialization you can do from home.
When socializing a dog of any age, it’s important to take it slow. For puppies especially, everything is a new and unfamiliar experience. Whenever giving them a new objective for socialization, allow them to explore and take everything in at their own pace – more time at home provides an excellent opportunity for this.
Meeting New Dogs: It’s unlikely that throwing your unsocialized puppy into a dog park will produce good results. A better approach that follows social distancing is to arrange for a neighbor’s dog to meet yours through your shared fence. Have your dog on leash as you slowly approach the fence, and let them take the lead. Be sure to give your pup lots of treats to create a positive association with seeing another dog. As you walk toward the neighbor’s dog, watch both of their behaviors. It’s up to you to read their body language and decide whether to continue or end the session; only continue if both dogs appear friendly and relaxed.
Strange Clothes Can Mimic Strange People: We aren’t going out and meeting many new people these days; however, you can put on strange outfits that are different from your normal everyday clothes. Wear different hats, throw on a puffy coat or put on a scarf in a bright color. Having you—someone you dog knows and trusts—wearing weird things will help desensitize them to these objects.
Pretend You’re at the Vet: Visiting the vet is a scary experience for many dogs. During the pandemic, most vets offices are not allowing owners in the examination rooms, meaning this is an even more stressful experience. You can help make it easier for your dog by showing them what to expect. Press or rub your dog’s sides and belly as you pet them, lift their eyelids or lips for brief moments, and use a capped pen to gently poke their legs and back to simulate vaccinations. When you’re relaxing together, play with your dog’s ears and hold their paws so that they are comfortable with being handled. As always, give them lots of treats afterward so they know they’re doing a good job.
For young dogs in particular, everyday objects are unfamiliar. Spend a couple minutes each day introducing them to a new object—a vacuum, cane, wheelbarrow, hairbrush, anything you can think of that they might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with initially.
Don’t Forget to Incorporate Sounds: Noises are often neglected as a part of socialization, but since dogs hear quite well it plays a large role in their daily experience. Play calming sounds like water, birds, or wind; contrast it with sounds like children at a playground, thunderstorms, the slam of a trash can lid, or fireworks. Work your way up to these noises, of course—keep the volume low at first, reward them with treats, and end the session if you observe they are uncomfortable.
Thankfully here in Sarasota and Manatee County we can get out and about pretty freely. Still, if your dog has not been properly socialized over the last 12 months, taking a little extra time to make sure that they are ready to meet the world (and other dogs) will help them to adjust.
Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training is dedicated to training Sarasota and Manatee dogs (and their owners) to live happy and healthy lives together.
