Understanding Dog Socializtion

Dogs are naturally social animals, so they have a need for social interaction the same way they need physical and mental stimulation in order to be psychologically healthy. Interacting with other dogs is definitely about having fun, but there’s a lot more to dog socialization than just playing.

First of all, dogs who only ever interact with other dogs through play tend to be highly excited to the point of fixation around other dogs, resulting in rude/potentially dangerous behaviour, and often leash reactivity.

Also, allowing dogs to socialize in the different ways I’ll describe below teaches them impulse control, cooperation, and the ability to regulate their excitement levels.

I usually define dog-dog socialization as having 4 components (in no particular order):

1. Play - When properly done, in addition to being fun, teaches dogs about polite boundaries

2. Work - Teaches dogs about cooperating together, and fulfills their instinctive drive to work together - (For example, a pack walk)

3. Coexistence - “Ignoring” each other, being in the same area but not interacting - (For example, one dog is lying down, one is sniffing nearby)

4. Rest - Sleeping (or relaxing) in the same vicinity - (It counts if one or both dogs are in crates)

When socializing your dog with other dogs, be conscious of these different aspects of socialization, aiming for at least 2 of the above each time your dog interacts with another dog for an extended period of time.

If your dog has a bite history, and you aren’t sure if they’re ready to play or interact with dogs, there are still 3 ways to work towards socializing your dog to start moving towards a place where they can be confident in social situations. In the meantime, you can acclimate your dog to a secure muzzle to prevent future bites when they interact with other dogs.

And finally we often recommend hiring a dog walker or daycare to help you socialize your dog!