How to Socialize a Dog

Whether he’s a puppy or perhaps a rescue that needs some TLC, the process by which your dog becomes accustomed to animals, people and other situations without become fearful or aggressive is what’s called socializing your dog. Here are a few tips to make the process a little easier.

Instructions

1. • Take your dog to the vet. Whether he’s a puppy or a rescue, you must make sure that your dog is in good health and is up to date with inoculations before introducing him to other people or pets. This is for both the safety of others and your dog.

   • Enroll in obedience classes. Are you afraid that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Don’t be. Puppies to elders can all benefit from professional training. By teaching your dog to be attentive to commands, you’ll be able to control and relax him in almost every situation.

   • Practice! Just because class is over, doesn’t mean that it’s time for you to stop using the commands. The more often you practice commands with your dog, the more habitual his following of those commands will become.

   • Walk your dog. Grab the leash and take him around the block. Slowly introduce him to the sounds of traffic, other people and other dogs that may be on their walk as well. Keep tight control of the leash, especially if your dog is sizable. Slowly let your dog “smell” and introduce himself to other dogs. As he gets used to it, you’ll slowly be able to trust him with more slack on the leash.

   • Praise and reward your dog. If your dog exhibits acceptable and correct behavior, praise him, encouraging him to repeat such behavior. If he exhibits something unacceptable, ignore the behavior. Different trainers have different thoughts on how to “correct” your dog. Some encourage you to “check” your dog by tugging on the leash, while others promote a “verbal correction.” Also, some trainers also utilize “treat training.” Which means when your dog something positive, you reward him with a treat. Communicate with your trainer on what system works best for you and your dog.

   • Ensure that you take your dog everywhere! The goal of socialization is to be able to have your dog remain obedient to you in any situation. The more scenarios you place him in, the more he will excel.

How to Train a Rescue Dog

Many people say rescue dogs make the best companions because they are grateful. That may or may not be true but rescue dogs certainly deserve a wonderful home and some training. Some have issues but usually it is easier to train a rescue dog than it is to train a puppy.

Instructions

1. How to Train a Rescue Dog

2. Assess your new rescue dog. If you got your dog from a rescue where he spent time in a foster home, the foster owner will be able to tell you a lot about the dog. Usually they know how he is with other dogs, cats, children and his general level of training so you have a head start.

3. If your rescue dog came from a shelter, you will need to watch and learn what, if any, issues he has and what sort of training he needs.

4. Start teaching your dog that people are friendly. Many people think their rescue dog has been “abused” because he acts shy or barks at people. Usually these dogs have not been abused but have not been socialized well so they don’t trust people.

5. Get in the habit of carrying a small bag of yummy treats when your dog is meeting new people. Have people give him a treat and pet him gently under the chin or ears if he seems nervous. Don’t push him into situations he is not comfortable with, give him time to learn to trust.

6. Teach your rescue dog to sit on command if he doesn’t already know how. This is a very useful command for any dog to learn. He can sit while being petted by people instead of jumping up. He can sit at curbs when you’re on walks. Use a treat and lure him by moving it over his head until he sits. Once he has the idea, reinforce it by having him sit for meals, to go in and out the door and for treats. Not only will he be well-mannered but he will realize that you are in charge and he can make good things happen by sitting politely.

7. Get your rescue dog used to a crate. Not every dog needs to be crated while you are away from home of course. But until you know whether he gets anxious, destructive, or won’t potty in the house in your absence, a crate is a wonderful tool. Give him his meals in his crate. If he likes to play fetch or tug, throw the toy into the crate so he associates it with fun things.

8. Be consistent with all your commands and rewards. Use the same words for everything and before you know it your dog will have a big vocabulary. Have words for every action — going in and out, sitting, going to crate, play time, eating, going in the car, going for a walk. If you use the same word each time your dog will quickly make the association and you can then use that word as a command.

9. Take a basic obedience class. Dogs of any age can take basic obedience classes, they are not just for puppies. Group classes are fun and inexpensive and you and your new dog will both learn a lot. As a bonus your dog will learn to pay attention to you around distractions and if he has any issues with other dogs, the trainer will help you work through them.