Friday, July 6, 2012

Tips on how to socialize a dog

By Jerry Welsh


Proper socialization is necessary to turn a dog into a well adjusted pet that can get along well with people and other pets in any given situation. By socializing the pet an owner is assured to have an ideal and well behaved companion for life. A well socialized dog is a happy and well behaved member of the family as socialization prevents the development of unwanted behaviors. A first time dog owner may have heard about the necessity to socialize the pet, of the benefits of socialization but how is a dog socialized.

In spite of the fact that dogs are acclaimed to be social creatures, some individuals would not interact well with people and with other animals as dogs too have different personalities. Expect a nervous or shy dog to react with fear or aggression when exposed to new faces or situations. A dominant dog would always want to control not only other animals but humans as well. Providing the basic needs of the dog is not the only responsibility of a pet owner. It is the responsibility of the pet owner to ensure that the pet is properly socialized so that it will grow into a well adjusted pet that can adapt to any situation and can interact with people and animals.

Socialization must take place when the puppy is between 8 to 16 weeks old. This does not mean that it is futile to socialize older dogs. Making an older dog less sensitive to fear would take more effort. The curious nature of puppies and the fact that young dogs have not yet formed habits make socialization younger dogs a lot easier.

As soon as the puppy receives a clearance from the vet socialization must be started. Start by regularly grooming your dog so that it can get used to being touched. By grooming the dog it will get used to being handled so that it will not be aggressive if petted by unfamiliar people.

Taking the dog to the local dog park or enrolling the dog to an obedience school will give the pet a chance to interact with other canines. The dog must be introduced to as many people and exposed to as many situations as possible. A puppy would be more manageable so you can take the pet to the mall, to the pet supply store or to the neighbor's. Entice the dog to respond well to socialization by using treats as rewards. All these extra efforts will be all paid up by having a well adjusted pet.




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