This mini-guide discusses how to best socialize your dog - i.e. how to get it used to socializing with other dogs in a good and sensible way.
The guide is in 3 parts and was created in collaboration with professional dog trainer and behaviorist Maria Wittrup, owner of happy-hund.dk.
The first part is about the purpose of working on good socialization of your dog.
It is our job as dog owners to ensure that our dog can move safely in our society. It is very important for our dog that it is comfortable with other dogs. Not only is it nice that we can go for a walk with our dog without it acting up and pulling away every time it sees another dog, it is also a great freedom for the dog itself that it can participate in the many everyday activities without being stressed.
To get a dog that can do these things, it is important that your dog is socialized well.
What does socialization mean?
Socialization generally involves introducing your dog to as many situations as possible, so that it gets used to being in all sorts of places, and meeting both dogs and people, without reacting inappropriately or becoming stressed.
Socialization is best done on the dog's own terms, and should result in our dog having positive expectations of other dogs.
Socialization is not necessarily about letting your dog loose with every dog you meet. It's more about introducing your dog to new situations, people, and dogs, at a pace that makes them have a good experience.
In my work as a behavior therapist and dog trainer, I have met many dog owners who experience that their dog has problems when meeting other dogs. They would like help with what to do when they are in a situation where their dog exhibits behavior towards other dogs that they think is inappropriate. At the same time, they would like to have a dog that is friendly towards other dogs and that can also relax in the company of other dogs. This is precisely what can be achieved through good socialization.
It is our responsibility as dog owners to understand the things our dog communicates to other dogs and to us, so that we ensure that the dog actually gets good experiences from encounters with other dogs.
This way we can make sure we know what the dog thinks about a given situation. Is it happy when it meets another dog and wants contact, or is it insecure and prefers to watch the other dog from a distance?
If you ensure these things, it will meet other dogs and the world with positive expectations.
Socialization is all the encounters the dog has with other dogs, even if it is on a leash on a walk.
It is also socialization if your dog walks behind another dog while they are on a leash, and it has time to observe the other dog without the other dog making direct contact with it.
It can also be socialization if you meet two dogs on a leash at a distance and let the dogs look at each other without contact, but are rewarded for contact with their owner, so they learn to relax around other dogs.
All the good encounters and experiences your dog has with other dogs help to give the dog an expectation that other dogs are friendly. However, if you, for example, let your dog loose with other dogs that are too wild, it does not provide good experiences and helps to show the dog the opposite of what you want.
So it can end up that your dog does not want contact. Then you are on your way to establishing inappropriate behavior.
It is therefore very important that the dog has good socialization experiences, both as a puppy and throughout its life.
About the author
Maria Wittrup is 39 years old and has run her own dog school in Hjørring since 2008.
At happy-hund.dk we always work with positive reinforcement and training on the dog's terms. We offer group training, individual lessons and behavioral treatments.
In 2023, Maria published the book:
The world's best socialization about appropriate socialization
Her passion is the appropriate socialization of dogs, taking into account their different needs and ensuring they have lots of good experiences with other dogs.
In general, she tries to ensure that socialization can also take place where dogs meet on leashes, and not only when they are let loose with other dogs.
Mini guide – part 1: Good socialization of your dog
This mini-guide discusses how to best socialize your dog - i.e. how to get it used to socializing with other dogs in a good and sensible way.
The guide is in 3 parts and was created in collaboration with professional dog trainer and behaviorist Maria Wittrup, owner of happy-hund.dk.
The first part is about the purpose of working on good socialization of your dog.
It is our job as dog owners to ensure that our dog can move safely in our society. It is very important for our dog that it is comfortable with other dogs. Not only is it nice that we can go for a walk with our dog without it acting up and pulling away every time it sees another dog, it is also a great freedom for the dog itself that it can participate in the many everyday activities without being stressed.
To get a dog that can do these things, it is important that your dog is socialized well.
What does socialization mean?
Socialization generally involves introducing your dog to as many situations as possible, so that it gets used to being in all sorts of places, and meeting both dogs and people, without reacting inappropriately or becoming stressed.
Socialization is best done on the dog's own terms, and should result in our dog having positive expectations of other dogs.
Socialization is not necessarily about letting your dog loose with every dog you meet. It's more about introducing your dog to new situations, people, and dogs, at a pace that makes them have a good experience.
In my work as a behavior therapist and dog trainer, I have met many dog owners who experience that their dog has problems when meeting other dogs. They would like help with what to do when they are in a situation where their dog exhibits behavior towards other dogs that they think is inappropriate. At the same time, they would like to have a dog that is friendly towards other dogs and that can also relax in the company of other dogs. This is precisely what can be achieved through good socialization.
It is our responsibility as dog owners to understand the things our dog communicates to other dogs and to us, so that we ensure that the dog actually gets good experiences from encounters with other dogs.
This way we can make sure we know what the dog thinks about a given situation. Is it happy when it meets another dog and wants contact, or is it insecure and prefers to watch the other dog from a distance?
If you ensure these things, it will meet other dogs and the world with positive expectations.
Socialization is all the encounters the dog has with other dogs, even if it is on a leash on a walk.
It is also socialization if your dog walks behind another dog while they are on a leash, and it has time to observe the other dog without the other dog making direct contact with it.
It can also be socialization if you meet two dogs on a leash at a distance and let the dogs look at each other without contact, but are rewarded for contact with their owner, so they learn to relax around other dogs.
All the good encounters and experiences your dog has with other dogs help to give the dog an expectation that other dogs are friendly. However, if you, for example, let your dog loose with other dogs that are too wild, it does not provide good experiences and helps to show the dog the opposite of what you want.
So it can end up that your dog does not want contact. Then you are on your way to establishing inappropriate behavior.
It is therefore very important that the dog has good socialization experiences, both as a puppy and throughout its life.
About the author
Maria Wittrup is 39 years old and has run her own dog school in Hjørring since 2008.
At happy-hund.dk we always work with positive reinforcement and training on the dog's terms. We offer group training, individual lessons and behavioral treatments.
In 2023, Maria published the book:
The world's best socialization about appropriate socialization
Her passion is the appropriate socialization of dogs, taking into account their different needs and ensuring they have lots of good experiences with other dogs.
In general, she tries to ensure that socialization can also take place where dogs meet on leashes, and not only when they are let loose with other dogs.