Is It Okay If Your Dog Doesn’t Interact With Other Dogs?
This all depends on how your dog responds to the presence of other dogs. If you can tell based on your dog’s body language that he appears uncomfortable around other dogs, you should intervene and call him away.
Placing your dog in situations in which he is forced to be around other dogs can cause him to be more stressed and anxious. Imagine how you feel when you are forced to make small talk with total strangers that you have nothing in common with.
As long as you provide your dog with both mental and physical exercise and provide plenty of social interactions with you and other people or animals that he cares about, it can lead a very fulfilling and happy life.
Dog socialization is the process of exposing a puppy to members of their own species in order for them to become more interactive. Humans have taken advantage of the socialization period in dogs to expose them to other people, other animals, new environments and experiences.
The best time to socialize a dog is between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. Sometimes this dog socialization period can extend to 16 to 20 weeks depending on the breed and the individual tolerance of each dog.
During the dog socialization period, the exposure to new people, dogs, environments and experiences should be a pleasant, therefore increasing the chances of the dog wanting to interact with other dogs and people in the future.
Positive exposures when young help decrease a dog’s fear of new places and experiences when he is older. A dog’s temperament develops due the interplay between his genes and the amount of exposure he receives when he was a puppy.
Clubs Offering:
There’s 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’t 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 be more comfortable around other canines.
Why Reward-Based Training Yields Positive Results
No matter what your dog’s 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. While edible treat rewards provide a good form of positive reinforcement, Vail doesn’t always recommend using them exclusively because this can lead to overfeeding and overweight dogs. “Use behavioral markers like the phrase ‘Good,’ along with lots of love and play as rewards during socialization,” she says. “In addition, dogs who are fearful around other dogs may not want to take a treat but a toy is a good reward for them.”