Socialization
The goal of Socialization is to expose dogs to novelty, and key parts of their life in a positive, enjoyable way. Careful exposure minimizes the chances of fearful responses as they mature. Puppies take in new stimuli much more quickly, and more readily than adult dogs, so make a socialization plan as soon as you can.
Prioritize exposing your puppy to people, places, other animals, and objects which will be most relevant to your life over the next 12-18 years. For example if you don’t currently have kids, but plan to in the future, now is the time to seek out some low-pressure, positive exposure to the sights, sounds, and smells that come with kids.
When giving your puppy socialization opportunities emphasis should be placed on quality over quantity. Physically interacting with something isn’t necessary for beginning socialization, and requiring interaction with someone can quickly do more harm than good if your pup is worried.
S.P.A.R.K.
To help your pup have a positive socialization experience, remember to Socialize With S.P.A.R.K. :
SPACE
To keep from scaring your pup, start with plenty of space between them and their socialization opportunities. You can always move closer if your pup seems confident, and is displaying desirable behavior (quiet, relaxed/loose/wiggly body, checking in with their people). Never force your puppy to approach things they are scared of.
PASSIVE
Practice Passive Socialization by allowing them to observe with sight, sound, and smell, and without interaction. Most of your puppy’s socialization should be passive so you can set good patterns for adulthood.
Active
Practice Active Socialization by allowing your puppy to approach and interact with their socialization opportunities. If they are on leash, keep the leash relaxed, and be sure they have the option to retreat if they become overwhelmed.
Reward
During Passive or Active Socialization reward any of your pup’s decisions that you like. During your puppy’s socialization time, you can use food, praise, and pets as long as your puppy enjoys them.
Know When to Help
Observe your puppy’s body language. It’s okay if they are initially unsure and just soak everything in. However, if they become concerned (growling, retreating, barking and lunging, or hiding) help them feel safe again by giving them more space from the thing they’re worried about. They may need more exposure to that stimulus in the coming months; proactively adjust your space, or what you’re asking of them next time you attempt that socialization so they don’t have two bad experiences with the same thing.
Tips for Passive Socialization:
- Passive Socialization should make up the majority of their socialization time. Consider a 10:1 ratio of Passive to Active, then adjust from there.
- Set your distance from new things close enough for them to notice, but far enough they do not become scared or frantically excited.
- Give your pup other activities to do while they observe. Options: treat toss games, chewing on a bone/chew, sniffing for treat scatter out of grass.
- Reward desirable behaviors as your puppy offers them. Smart behaviors to reward are: checking in with you, noisy puppies being quiet, cautions puppies being brave, and excited puppies being calm.
Some ideas for Passive Socialization: Quiet pet friendly patios, people watching at public transportation stations, dog watching from a dog park parking lot (not going in the park itself), town squares, neighborhood parks, playgrounds at a distance, outdoor malls, home improvement stores, and parking lots especially where people are preoccupied like grocery store parking lots.
Tips for Active Socialization:
- Remember quality over quantity. A couple good interactions with people or dogs is much more beneficial to their socialization than lots of good experiences and lots of bad experiences.
- For first interactions use trusted people who can follow your instructions in case your puppy needs you to curate a calmer or less pressured interaction.
- Be selective about which strangers and new dogs get to interact with your pup. Well-intentioned but overwhelming experiences will set most dogs back.
- Allow cautious puppies to approach your selected people, dogs, or objects instead of having them approach your puppy. Avoid holding your shy puppy in one place during interaction, so they can leave should they get overwhelmed.
- Have boisterous, and overly friendly puppies on leash around new people so they don’t rehearse rude and pushy greetings. Don’t let them greet while they are pulling, jumping, or barking; instead use praise and food to reward them when they are still, calm, or quiet. Allow them to greet with, “Go say hi,” when they are at their calmest.
- Keep interactions with new people short, so your puppy can’t get worked up or overwhelmed. 3-5 seconds is a good starting point. You can always let them great again if all parties enjoyed it.
- Give all pups (shy and social) breaks away from novelty to rest and process, especially if you have guests over at your house.
- If you want your puppy to make a dog friend, try to find a friendly, calm, adult dog who can go on a walk or to a patio with you and your pup. One of the best ways to teach puppies adult-dog-skills is by getting them around dogs who act the way you want your puppy to act.
Some ideas for Active Socialization: All of the locations listed in Passive Socialization plus stores where you are more likely to have people to ask to pet your puppy. Our favorite stores are pet friendly stores which are not pet supply stores, as they can have dogs and germs you don’t want to expose your puppy to. Have friends over and allow your puppy short times out with them. Take your puppy on walks with friends’ dogs whose behavior you like.