Getting Your Dog Used to Social Situations

If you want to get your dog used to social situations you may have to work on it. The first thing you want to do is to start socializing your dog when he is as young as possible.

You will need to have close supervision with your dog when meeting new dogs. A dog is similar to a child when it comes to learning how to play and interact with other dogs.

If you notice your dog is being picked on or simply looks unhappy/uncomfortable remove him from the situation. You can always try later or another day. Do not force your dog to play with other dogs. If your dog becomes aggressive, tell your dog “no” in a stern voice. If this does not work, remove your dog in a “time out” and slowly enter him back into the situation.

If your dog is just too excited and jumping all over the place, remove him until he calms down. Re-enter him into the situation of interacting with other dogs.

You will notice that some dogs use growling, barking and wrestling when playing. Keep an eye on your dog to make sure he is okay. Some dogs do fine with this type of play while others do not know what is going on. Your dog may take this as a challenge and think he is in a fight.

You may notice that the dogs start to use crashing and running into each other when playing. Some dogs do not like this and feel threatened. If your dog looks fearful or upset, remove him.

If one dog mounts another dog or one dog holds his/her head above another dog as well as one dog biting the back of another dog’s neck are considered power play. You should correct this behavior immediately.

The key is to slowly introduce your dog to other dogs while keeping a close eye on your dog so you can intervene if need be to keep your dog safe as well as the other dogs.

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Socializing Your Dog

Before you begin to socialize your dog make sure that all of his vaccinations are up-to-date. It is very important that he is vaccinated against Rabies, Bordetella and all DHLPP vaccines.

If your dog is used to being around people, you can now introduce him to other dogs. Make sure your dog is on a leash as well as the other dog. If one of the dogs shows aggression, you can quickly pull your dog away from the other dog. The dogs should be able to smell and greet each other slowly.

It is very important for you to get your dog to be around other dogs. If you do not, in your dog’s later years he will most likely have behavior problems since he did not learn social skills.

If you find out your dog just cannot get along with other dogs, you can keep your dog entertained by playing with him. You can also take your dog to doggy daycare to be around a lot of dogs. Let the owner/employees know that your dog has difficult being around other dogs and you are trying to help him. This may or may not work for the fearful or shy dog but at least you tried.

Going to a dog park is another great way your dog can meet and play with other dogs. You will enjoy watching your dog socialize and make new friends. Another bonus is that your dog will be tired as he will get all of his energy out. If your dog is tired he will not become hyper around your house or even become destructive if he is normally hyper or simply needs to get some exercise and let out some steam.

If you can, start dog socializing early. The younger the dog the easier it is for him to learn to play with other dogs. If your dog is older and does not like to socialize with other dogs it may be too late.

Make sure you keep a close eye on your dog especially when starting to play with a new dog. Never force your dog to play with another dog.

Have fun with your dog at parks, doggy daycare, with family members and friends’ dogs.

The main purpose of Doggie-Corral.com is to provide dog owners with an entire line of dog supplies needed to care for their beloved pets. We ship to the entire United States and provide a one stop shopping experience. We offer dog-training aids, dog insurance, health care essentials, dog apparel (e.g. dog shirts, Dog Pro sports apparel, dog boots, dog coats, dog College Sports apparel, dog blankets, dog sweaters, dog pajamas),dog beds, plastic and wood doghouses, dog crates and kennels, dog toys, dog chews, dog treats, dog and puppy foods, dog grooming products and more. Feel free to check us out at Doggie-Corral.com.

We would also love to have you connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
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