There鈥檚 nothing like heading off to the dog park to let your pooch pal around with some new canine buddies. But not all dogs are a fan of making friends with their own kind. Some dogs may be reactive or hide when faced with a new potential canine friend, avoiding other dogs at all costs. This kind of antisocial behavior is especially problematic when adding a new pup to your household.
If your dog seems to hate other dogs, don鈥檛 lose hope on your four-legged friend bonding with another pup. Read on to see how to train your pooch to make new furry friends and to聽be more comfortable around other canines.
When to Socialize Your Dog to Other Dogs
Without proper socialization as a puppy, your dog won鈥檛 know how to interact with other dogs, leading to fearful, anxious, or aggressive behavior around them later in life. According to Chandra Vail, dog trainer and 蜜桃视频 Canine Good Citizen Evaluator in Las Vegas, Nevada, puppies should ideally be socialized from birth by their breeder.
During their first couple of months, dogs learn how to interact with other canines by playing with their siblings and learning from their mom. 鈥淥nce owners obtain a puppy, they should continue to socialize them around other dogs starting at 8 to 10 weeks of age,鈥� she says. But, she cautions that up-close and personal socialization with other dogs shouldn鈥檛 take place until the pup is fully vaccinated.
How to Socialize an Older Dog to Other Dogs
For those dealing with older dogs who didn鈥檛 have proper socialization as a puppy, the process could take a bit longer. 鈥�Socialization for an older dog聽should go slow and steady, based on the severity of their聽fear聽of other dogs.鈥� One of the ways to do this is to participate in聽basic dog obedience classes. 鈥淏asic obedience classes build up their confidence level and having them around other dogs in a class while focused on learning helps acclimate them to other canines in a positive environment.鈥�
Why Reward-Based Training Yields Positive Results
No matter what your dog鈥檚 age or background, positive reinforcement of calm, non-aggressive behavior around other dogs is the key to helping your pup overcome any fear or dislike of other canines. 奥丑颈濒别听聽provide a good form of positive reinforcement, Vail doesn鈥檛 always recommend using them exclusively because this can lead to overfeeding and overweight dogs. 鈥淯se behavioral markers like the phrase 鈥楪ood,鈥� along with lots of love and play as rewards during socialization,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n addition, dogs who are fearful around other dogs may not want to take a treat but a toy is a good reward for them.鈥�
Where to Socialize Your Dog to Other Dogs
奥丑颈濒别听 can be a good option (if done responsibly) for dogs who are friendly around other dogs, Vail doesn鈥檛 recommend them for most dogs. 鈥淚鈥檓 not a fan of dog parks because I鈥檝e seen too many accidents. You don鈥檛 know the status of the other dogs in there, their behavior, or their health history,鈥� she says. Instead, she says that play dates聽in your yard or in enclosed tennis courts with other dogs who you know won鈥檛 behave aggressively around your dog are best.
Another option she endorses are聽doggy daycare facilities. 鈥淎ll dogs who are in these facilities are usually required to have all of their vaccinations and there are several people around to monitor the dog鈥檚 behavior,鈥� she says. 鈥淒og are also typically grouped by size, energy, and personality, ensuring a good experience for your dog.鈥�
How to Introduce a New Dog to Your Household
It鈥檚 one thing to get your dog acclimated to the occasional visit from another dog, but it鈥檚 quite another if the goal is to聽get your dog a permanent canine companion. Vail advises that initial introductions be done outside the house. 鈥淭he home is the current pup鈥檚 territory and an outside location like a park or a friend鈥檚 yard provides a neutral location,鈥� she advises. 鈥淎n initial introduction can last up to an hour and you鈥檒l want to take your time.鈥�
Once you鈥檝e brought the dogs home, she says that they shouldn鈥檛 go unsupervised together until you know that they are compatible. She also recommends that all the toys and bones go away so that there is a clean playing field in the home for several days or weeks as the dogs get used to each other. This way, the pups won鈥檛 engage in聽resource guarding聽and fight over ownership of these items.
How to Ensure that Dog Roommates Get Along
Once your dogs are together in the home,听regularly reward them with praise, play, and treats for good behavior around each other. 鈥淢onitor your dogs around each other and remember that when a dog is first in your home, they are getting used to you and getting used to your dog. It takes at least three months for them to acclimate and get situated,鈥� she says.
Teaching pups to get along takes time and patience. Plus,听younger dogs may have more energy than older ones聽and this can cause discord. You may need to exercise your younger dog more often to calm them down. With time, your dogs should fall into a routine and set their pack status, says Vail.
How AKC Activities Help with Dog Socialization
罢丑别听, the聽蜜桃视频 Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program,听and activities like聽agility,听tracking, and聽scent work聽are great ways for your dog to learn new skills and socialize with other dogs. 鈥淭he CGC program is what I consider level two of obedience where a dog has to have the basic obedience skill set already. It helps build their skill set a bit more and exposes them to different settings and environments, increasing their confidence level,鈥� says Vail. She has even seen very聽anti-social聽and fearful dogs enter her CGC classes and end up with聽therapy dog certifications聽down the line.
When to Seek Further Help for Antisocial Dogs
If your pup is showing severe aggression around other dogs within your home or during walks, it鈥檚 time to seek the help of a professional trainer or聽animal behaviorist, says Vail. 鈥淓very case is different and behavior modification can take weeks, months, or years. Sometimes it鈥檚 good to seek a professional trainer to get a new set of eyes on the situation.鈥�