An important step in your dog’s development are his socializing skills, as a dog owner you want him to interact with other people and other dogs in the best possible way, so he can become a good citizen.
Form Positive Associations
Play time – even something as simple as fetch – helps your dog with his socializing skills and promotes positive associations with people. That is why in many shelters in order to get dogs and puppies ready for the adoption floor they have their staffers and volunteers play with them.
Socializing with Other Dogs
When the time comes to socialize your dog with other dogs is very important to proceed with caution. Usually puppies love being around other puppies, however for adult dogs that haven’t been socialized adequately from an early age the pressure to play with other dogs might be stressful. When bringing your dog to a place full of other dogs, it might be best to keep her close to you and reward her for sitting quietly as other dogs walk by.
Avoid Stressful Interactions
Always remember that playing with other dogs should be a fun experience for your dog, if your dog shows any signs of stress, it might be best for her to have her enjoy other activities.
The process of socializing your dog might be a gradual one, but is definitely well worth the effort.