Socialization - Part 3: People, Places and Things
When we left off in our discussion about socialization, we were talking about socializing our pups with other dogs. In this section, I would like to talk about what it means to socialize our dogs with people and introduce them to new environments and different sensory stimuli.
I mentioned in Part 2 that there are a couple of important social development periods for dogs to learn to socialize with people (5-12 weeks) and explore new environments and stimuli (10-20 weeks). Studies have shown that puppies not exposed to a variety of stimuli during this time frame are more likely to develop behavioral problems in the future. In Brenda Aloff’s book, Aggression in Dogs (I highly recommend this read), in the section on Social Development Periods, she talks about the Rule of Sevens. The Rule of Sevens is a general socialization guideline which states that “by the time a puppy is seven weeks old he should have been exposed to the following situations (and any others you can think of!):
Been in 7 different locations (obviously they need to be safe and offer no risk of disease to pup)
Eaten from 7 different kinds of containers
Met AT LEAST 7 different people (including safe, gentle children)
Ridden at least 7 miles in a car (or more)
Been in a crate at least 7 times (more is better!)
Played with 7 different kinds of toys
Been exposed to AT LEAST 7 different kinds of contexts: for example, had their picture taken, exposed to learning simple behaviours like Sit, etc.
Been played with or taken somewhere alone, without mom or littermates, 7 different times”
This is a fantastic general guideline, but let’s expand that to include different surfaces (carpet, hardwood floors, grass, etc.), sounds (sirens, cars, vacuum cleaners, etc.), hats, umbrellas, bikes, skateboards, kids’ toys, random items lying around the house, anything and everything. And while this exposure is crucial during a dog’s developmental period, that doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t continue to expose your dog to new stimuli and environments as they get older. This should be a continuous process throughout your dog’s life.
With all of that being said, there are some important things to keep in mind while you are trying to get your dog acclimated to what is normal and non-threatening. Remember, that is exactly what socialization is all about, teaching your dog what is “normal”.
One thing to keep in mind is that certain breeds are naturally wary of strangers. Guardian breeds, for instance, are designed to protect people and property. They are not meant to be social with new people and animals. These breeds require A LOT of socialization with people from early on and will typically look to their owners for guidance as to what their response should be, which brings me to my next point.
Your dog/puppy is not public property. I know this seems contrary to this entire blog, but remember that socialization is supposed to be positive. You have the right to say no if you feel like the interaction that is about to take place is not in the best interest of your dog. Personally, I do not like people in my space and definitely don’t want random strangers touching me and getting directly in my face. Why should I expect my dog to endure the groping paws of a handsy, overly-excited stranger? Please remember that you are your dog’s voice. The only means your dog has to express his discomfort are to either cower or try to escape, give a warning through a growl or bark, or in a worst case scenario lunge or bite. Be your dog’s advocate and don’t set them up to fail. It is okay to politely say no or give rules of engagement. If the handsy, overly-excited, groping human refuses to follow those rules or feels so entitled that they feel the rules don’t apply to them, then said human loses the privileged of petting your pup. It’s that simple.
One more thing to keep in mind is that there is such a thing as too much stimulation. Be aware of sensory overload. Yes, we want to introduce our dogs to new people and environments, but too much too soon can be more detrimental than productive in your pursuit of a pleasant pup. Not long ago I had a woman ask me about training her dog so that she could take him to festivals with her. When I asked what the specific problem was, she said that he really didn’t like people and would bark and snap when she tried to walk him through a crowd of people. Well, yes, throwing a dog/puppy into a full-blown festival-type situation without gradual introduction to the sights, sounds and massive crowds of new people will probably result in the dog offering a fear response due to over-stimulation. That dog will then have a negative association to those types of situations and will most likely offer the same response each time he is introduced to a similar scenario after that. Start small and gradually desensitize your dog to situations that might be overwhelming for him.
I know I know… this socialization thing is supposed to be easy, but here I am throwing all of these rules at you! Well, this can be easy and fun for both you and your dog if you just remember to follow a few simple guidelines:
Introduce your dog/puppy to as many different people, places and things as possible
Keep all interactions positive
Help your dog overcome any fears with gradual exposure and positive reinforcement
Respect your dog’s fears and help work through them instead of forcing them to face the scary thing head on or, doing the opposite, and completely avoiding the scary thing all together
Remember that your dog is not public property - set rules of engagement for positive interactions
Be your dog’s advocate and set your dog up for success
Be aware of over-stimulation
Make this fun!
I hope you have enjoyed my ramblings on Socialization and I hope you found them helpful. Now get out there with your pups and have some fun! Until next time…
Keep calm and train on!
~Heather Pope