Dog socialising is an important process of a dogs training whilst in their puppy stage. Socialising teaches your dog to behave with and without you. Your puppy will need to understand what behaviour is acceptable and how to handle situations without being aggressive and fearful.
Dog socialising isn't about taking them everywhere with you, or making them do tasks that scare them. During their socialisation training, you must remain thoughtful and take into account their fears, personality and their level of confidence.
It’s important that this form of training remains fun for both the dog and owner. If you’re both becoming frustrated, then you must take a break and approach the task when both calm.
Why is socialisation training important? Your dog’s behaviour will affect everything you do and your stress levels (if they’re naughty) If your dog misbehaves and does not listen to commands; then this will result in an unhappy dog and owner.
To help you train your dog on how to be sociable; listed below are 5 top tips on how to socialise your dog.
Stress-free vet visits
Visiting the vets doesn't have to be so stressful if your dog is trained correctly from an early age. During your regular visits to the vets, your dog should form a bond and allow the vet to do their necessary checks and handle the dog without them becoming aggressive or snappy.
If your dog is fearful of the vets, this will make each visit rather difficult and could cause issues with the vet doing their job. In some severe cases, your dog may need sedation for simple procedures.
If you socialise your dog with strangers and new places, then they are less likely to be fearful of people and places they're unfamiliar with.
Travel without fear
All dog owners love to take their beloved pets on UK vacations. Anything from a short drive to the nearest beach or train ride to another city. With this, it is very important that your dog is introduced to travelling from a young age.
To start the process you can take them for a short car ride to the park and reward them for good behaviour. Make their surroundings comfortable by bringing along their favourite toy or blanket. It's also important that you offer them regular refreshments by bringing along a dog water bottle and bowl.
Some dogs can suffer from travel sickness just as humans do. If you notice that your dog is suffering from this, then speak to your vets and they can prescribe something suitable to calm them and their nerves.
Improve their mental stimulation
Just like humans, dogs have a better quality of life if their mental well-being is healthy and provided with enough stimulation. Providing your dog with adequate mental stimulation will allow for a healthy, happy dog and also better ambience in your home. To achieve this you must play games and teach your dog new tricks and experiences. Introducing them to new scents and meeting new people and their dogs will enrich their lives. You will find that your dog is happier and sleep better at night if they’re provided with the right levels of stimulation.
Bring your dog to work
Taking your dog to work has to be one of the best benefits an employee can have. Not only does bringing your dog to work make your beloved pooch happier; it also helps reduce stress levels and improve productivity.
To be able to bring your dog to work, you must ensure they are trained correctly. As they will be meeting lots of new people and introduced to new environments and smells, you must ensure they handle this correctly and that there is no aggression shown and no naughty behaviour.
Maintain relationships with neighbours
There is nothing more annoying than a barking dog in your neighbours garden. Depending on the dog breed, the bark can be overly loud and aggressive if they’re aggravated. Dogs should be trained correctly when strangers approach your home and that the dog should only react if there is some kind of threat.
Providing the correct training will help your dog better understand that the local neighbours or postman mean no harm and they do not need to react.
As previously explained, dog socialising is important and should be introduced from an early age. You should expose your puppy to as many new experiences as possible and provide adequate support and training along the way. If this is done within the first six months of their lives, you will find your dog will become better adjusted and happier as they grow into an adult dog.
Finally, it is never too late to provide socialisation training for your dog. Yes, there are lots of benefits in starting the training early on, but you can still teach an older dog new tricks.
Training an older dog will make them more confident and better understanding of boundaries. It will also improve their confidence and make them less fearful.
