Socialization is critical for dogs and humans.
With exposure, humans become accustomed to a wide variety of people and environments and gain confidence in their abilities to cope with life’s challenges. Our socialization can be stressful at times. Think of the first time your parents dropped you off at school or the time you got lost at the grocery store and felt a rising panic when you realized you were lost. Learning to cope with people, environments and stress all factor into making us confident, well-rounded adults.
Becoming socially adept is critical to the development of a dog, too. In fact, statistics show that more dogs are surrendered to shelters for behaviors associated with the lack of socialization than for any other reason. Statistics also tell us that more dogs are euthanized because of the lack of socialization than for disease or medical issues.
Think about that. We are well aware of the need to spay or neuter dogs, and we all know that health care is fundamental, but socialization still is a relatively new concept to many dog owners.
Lack of socialization can leave a dog with fears and insecurities that sometimes lead to aggressive behavior. A well-socialized dog enjoys life to the fullest being comfortable in most situations and with almost all dogs and people.
I often have wondered why domestic canines are prone to social ineptitude, lack of confidence and fear aggression. A seminar by renowned psychologist and dog trainer Stanley Coren answered this question for me. Coren pointed out that socialization for wild canines like coyotes and wolves is far less challenging than it is for domestic dogs.
Wild canines grow up in an environment that is fairly stable, and they are helped greatly by the guidance of older canines throughout their lives.
Life is different for domestic dogs because they are taken from their litter at a young age and thrust into a human environment that is astoundingly varied and stressful. Without a conscious effort to socialize, we set up our dogs for failure.
Cornell University identifies a puppy’s first year as the most important time for socialization, with weeks 3 through 12 being the most critical. Puppies quickly and easily learn to accept handling, noises, unknown dogs and low-level stresses. Older dogs that were not socialized when young still can play catch-up, however, the process is more difficult because an older dog no longer is a “blank slate” but rather may have learned fears to overcome.
Organizing your socialization efforts can help keep you focused and prepared. Carry treats to help turn scary situations into positive ones. Be sure your dog is handled by a wide variety of people and that introductions to dogs are absolutely positive. Don’t be afraid to remove your dog from a situation you are uncomfortable with, and don’t force your dog into challenges that are too intimidating. Instead, allow him to investigate at his own pace and reward him for any progress toward confidence. You are your dog’s best advocate.
While socialization is critically important, you also can have a lot of fun while doing it. Think of it as a “behavioral vaccination” without the painful needle prick.
For a comprehensive socialization handout, e-mail retinc@frontier.net.
Julie Winkelman is a certified pet dog trainer and a certified dog trainer. Reach her at www.retinc@frontier.net.
