Socializing Your Adolescent Dog

Although the critical period for socializing a dog is usually from birth to about four to five months, a dog is never too old to introduce aspects of dog socialization. Socialization training is a type of dog training that helps to ease your dog into interactions with other animals and people, whereby you instill a sense of friendliness that usually comes with confidence. If you are rescuing a dog, they might have encountered very little socialization, if any, but with patience, you can work together to create a safe space for mutual respect and growth.

Introduce Your Dog to New People

The best way to socialize your dog is to introduce them to a variety of new people. Dogs who are rescued might be lacking in the skills and confidence to interact with people, and socialization is an ongoing process. Make sure that the people you interact with early on have the necessary skills to make the interaction positive. Most will have the misconception that they should put their hand out to ease their entrance, but to animals, that is often felt as an act of aggression. The best way to approach a dog is to come up beside it and wait for the dog to initiate interaction. By training both the dog and those you put in your dog’s path, you will have the best likelihood of success. Try to continually find ways to pleasantly expose your dog to friendly people to increase confidence and decrease stranger anxiety. 

Some rescue dogs not only come with very little socialization, often they have insecurities and fears from previous experiences. Taking your dog to places where they can interact with other animals and dogs like playgrounds, or even forming a dog play group, will help your dog learn to be around other dogs and behave appropriately. Again, always try to put your dog in situations where you are most likely to have a positive interaction. Not everyone understands your dog’s needs or how to approach them, so being protective of them is not only okay; it is necessary.

Although humans are creatures of habit, it is a good idea to break those habits when you are trying to socialize your dog. When you go a different route, your dog will experience different smells, sights, other dogs, and different people. When your dog is continually stimulated, they are mentally acute, which helps your dog grow in many ways socially and emotionally.

Your rescue dog might experience a high degree of anxiety once they start to build a bond with you. The best way to socialize them and give them the skills they need to grow is by teaching them that being alone is not only okay; it is good. Take time every day to schedule alone time so that they can learn to deal with feelings of separation anxiety. If they follow you around all day, gate them to provide some distance, or even consider asking a friend to sit with them while you are away to provide a bit of comfort. If you are rescuing a young or smart dog, they can tend to get destructive when they are left alone. Consider crateing them while you are away, or signing them up for a doggie daycare or dog walker. The point is to plan ahead to head up poor behaviors before they happen.

A rescue dog has likely been through trauma before they found your happy home. Try to remember that dogs aren’t like humans, and that fear might come in the form of aggression. Many rescue dogs might have a difficult time with new experiences, places, and people. If you punish their reaction, it might actually intensify that fear. It is much better to remove your dog from the fear-provoking stimuli and consider what is driving it rather than creating a bigger problem by showing aggression as a response in terms of punishment

Another way that you can socialize your dog is to desensitize them to different forms of touch. By handing your dog in various areas instead of just a pat on the head, you will help to desensitize those parts that can lead to perceived threats. If they stiffen, show the whites in their eyes, have a closed mouth, or try to escape, those are signs that they want you to step back, and you should stop handling them. Inoculating them to situations and circumstances that can be jarring, will help to ease anxiety and unpredictability that can often lead to aggression and negative reactions and behaviors. 

When you rescue a dog, remember they don’t know you anymore than you know them. Socialization is greatest in the first couple months of life, but socialization training can be effective at any age. Patience and persistence are going to be the keys to helping your dog assimilate to their new space with you and gain the confidence they need to reduce anxiety and feel comfortable in their new home.