Socializing must do's

HayleyMarie

Like a bat outa' hell
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
7,058
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Beautiful British Columbia!!
#1
What are your special socializing must do's? Or that you think is very important. I am beginning to start writing out a list of socializing extras that I must do with the pup.

- The sound of guns going off is a huge one.
- Getting used to be around and in the boat, and how to act properly in it.
- Getting used to ATV's and dirt bikes.
 

Fran101

Resident fainting goat
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
12,546
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Boston
#2
- Getting puppy used to public transport (buses, subway, trains, noises)
- Getting puppy used to riding in the car/taxis
- Restaurants
- Malls, stores
- Pet stores
- Football games/sports events, ESPECIALLY Mascots and those kinds of things (Merlin still has problems with them)
 

Toller_08

Active Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
8,359
Likes
1
Points
36
#3
Coming from the girl who overthinks and worries too much about absolutely everything: don't worry too much about socializing to what and where and who and how many times! It's important, but so many people stress about it. I know I did with Dance and even the Dobermans and if anything, as a result, I forced too much on them by accident probably. Any list of goals and ideas I had for Journ honestly got thrown out when I got her. Puppies all mature and grow differently. I didn't have time for lists LOL. And once she was home, they seemed pretty useless (for me).

I didn't specifically seek out certain things for Journey. I took her downtown, where there are weird statues, crazy people, costumed people, normal people, big people, small people, smelly people, clean people, construction, buses, trains, people yelling, bicyclists, roller bladers, skateboarders (yes, even in winter) etc. I gave her treats, played with her and just acted like it was normal, relaxed every day life. I took her on the bus (which is squishy, dark and cramped and full of people), to work (which really didn't IMO do a whole lot for exposure, but was just nice to be able to do), on the train, to the train stations, up escalators, in elevators, around other dogs I knew, to different peoples' houses, to my Dobe breeder's house (hectic, doggy, busy) and really I don't think I went out of my way to take her anywhere I wouldn't normally go. Mostly because downtown pretty much exposed her to all kinds of weird things anyway. Weird things are definitely important. Oh, and I didn't force her to interact with anything. People were a given since she's a people magnet and everyone feels compelled to touch the fluffy puppy, and she loves people too, but otherwise I just kind of had her around things without any direct interaction. And when she went through like three days where she was leery of people, I just tossed treats at her around people and told people to leave her alone and everything worked out super well and she's my most stable, do anything dog I've ever had.

The ideas you have are good ones if those are the types of things he's going to be around.
 

Maxy24

Active Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
8,070
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Massachusetts
#4
Running. In a house full of adults Tucker didn't see a lot of running, so I think if he's around kids in the future it'll be a problem. He gets super over aroused if someone runs in the house/yard.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#5
The biggest thing I plan to do with Future Pup is get him used to gunfire. Mike goes shooting for recreational purposes, and Cynder is awesome with it all. I want to be able to bring Future Pup along, too, which means he can't be gun shy.

I'm also going to teach him how to properly ride in the back of a pickup truck, so if we take the dogs swimming/hiking in mud (LOL), I don't have a nasty, dirty dog sitting in my car or on my lap in the truck. (Cynder rides in the truck bed quite well.)

He will also be uber-socialized to a veterinary clinic setting. I work there, and he will likely be coming to work with me while we're potty training, unless Mike is home and wants to deal with him. lol So he will be used to the clinic, boarding, and grooming. I want him to be comfortable in the clinic setting and behave himself.

Being able to potty both on and off a leash. I don't want to have a dog that will only defecate/urinate when he is not on a leash (or only on a leash). That is annoying as all heck.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#6
I don't worry too much. Just take them along as much as possible and take them to classes where they can learn that they can work through scary stuff. Mia's socializing was mostly on a college campus and of course you see odd hints there lol.

I am pretty lax and most the breeds I'm looking into dont do well with forced socialization. We just take it in stride and don't worry.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
6,405
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Minnesota
#7
Walking all over the neighborhood, something that Squash sometimes had to have a think about was lawn ornaments. Statuary especially.


ETA: Like others, I didn't really have a specific list but I just tried to take him as many places with me as possible and walk him all over the neighborhoods near home and work as much as possible. Taking slightly different routes each time so he wouldn't think the whole world was made up of that one familiar route.

He's also been almost continuously in some sort of class since he came home. Puppy class, obedience, agility "for fun", tricks class, lure coursing, rally... just anything to constantly keep him exposed to different people and dogs.
 

Oko

Silence, peasants.
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Messages
2,138
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
MA, USA
#8
I'm mostly going to focus on just going places, having good experiences there, and learning how to adapt to new environments. I have a bunch of places and things I can think of, but we'll definitely miss some things.

However, things I've noted -
- People tickling/roughhousing/laughing real hard. It freaks Wes out, it's def on puppy's get-used to list.
- Sunglasses/hats/weird clothing. September should be good, we get a mix of weather.
- Public transportation. I do a lot of it, I want puppy to be chill.
- Sporting Events, see above.
- Stores/food places, learning to chill in them.
- Kids doing weird kid things like running and screaming.
- Weird surfaces, like gutters
- Cars/bikes/buses/trains/runners going by
- All sorts of dog breeds
- Being in crowds on the street

I am the super planner, I have files and documents on everything. Then puppy will come and it will all blow up in my face. :D

ETA: Oh, and totally getting used to being in someone else's house, overnight alone with someone else, and guests, zomg, no one came over to our house when Wesley was a puppy *headdesk*.
 

Xandra

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
3,806
Likes
0
Points
36
#9
-Being around other dogs

-Being around children

-Guests coming to the door and being in the house

-The mailman

-Being in crowds

-Being left alone in public places (i.e. if you have to run into the store to get a water)

-Car rides
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
6,405
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Minnesota
#10
ETA: Oh, and totally getting used to being in someone else's house, overnight alone with someone else
YES I so wish I had done this. Squash did not need to stay overnight anywhere until he was almost 2 years old, because we had taken him with us on all our vacations prior to that! He stayed at the neighbors, who he ADORES, and they still had to call me over to help them get him in their house before we left. He was fine after that but jebus I was slapping myself for that. I'm planning to send him on some overnights there and at the local boarding kennel I use just for a night here and there and get him used to it over the course of the summer.
 

Cardiparty

New Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2013
Messages
166
Likes
0
Points
0
#11
I think that its almost impossible to socialize a puppy to every single thing they're going to encounter as an adult dog, BUT if you have a lifestyle involving hunting, or being in crowds of people then you should for sure focus on that.

I think that if a dog is going to be a hunting dog, then socializing to guns and water fowl is an excellent idea. Same if a dog is going to be a herder, you'd want to socialize around live stock.

Other then that, I think just getting the puppy to experience new things as a young one gets them used to seeing things that are unfamiliar so that as an adult, they're like, "Oh, ok that's weird. Huh." and move on. If that makes sense...

When I got my first Cardi, the most important thing I did was get her to a class that taught her how to bounce back from her fear. We played the "what is it?" game and we still use it to this day though she's a three year old.
 

Shai

& the Muttly Crew
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
6,215
Likes
0
Points
36
#12
For me it's mostly just bring the puppy everywhere with me. Walks all over, dog club, farmer's market, fleet farm, friends' houses, have houseguests over, etc. and pay attention.

That said, the one thing I really go out of my way to find is kids. I don't have any and it would be only too easy to raise a puppy who's never met a kid up close.
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
27
Likes
0
Points
0
#13
The one thing I wish I had done differently was to teach Payne not to be gun shy. To my knowledge she has never had a bad experience with a gun. I'm sure it's just the noise but she hits the dusty every time she sees the gun, and does the same during 4th of July! :(
 

Shai

& the Muttly Crew
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
6,215
Likes
0
Points
36
#14
Mira's introduction to guns was pretty entertaining. She was about 7 months old and we were at a field seminar. The folks running it said I was welcome to have the puppy out while they ran a few opening marks. So she was out with me in the gallery which was only maybe 20 feet from the line. I didn't realize they were going to be shooting right at the line or I'd have been farther away. Anyway, they shoot and it's right next to us and the first gun shot Mira had ever heard to my knowledge BANG! then the duck fell and the working handler released his dog and Mira just watched it all and instantly associated GunShot = Retrieving DUCKS and has pretty much been hopelessly in love ever since.

Thank heavens for a sound temperament and strong retrieve instinct though. In a more sensitive dog with less drive to call on, that could have had lasting negative effects.
 

HayleyMarie

Like a bat outa' hell
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
7,058
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Beautiful British Columbia!!
#15
When Teagan was a pup. I got my brother to take out his gun and shoot of a few. I was loaded with tons of treats and Teagan took it like a pro, now whenever Teagan sees the gun she only thinks of going on an adventure, killing squirrels or grouse hunting. She is an awesome grouse hunter.

Whenever we are out camping and Teagan sees the gun Tyler gets yelled at a lot by her, because she wants to go squirrel hunting NOW!!!!
 

Romy

Taxiderpy
Joined
Dec 2, 2006
Messages
10,233
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Olympia, WA
#16
Both of these.


Seriously though, the corn popper toys are super easy to come by. Aside from Strider, I have never ever met a dog that wasn't freaked out by one. His OB trainer used to push one around class and every dog would panic and dance away from it when it came within 15 feet.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#17
One of the worst experiences we had with Mia was when she was a year/year and a half and we were walking on game day. I didn't think about it but they had a super loud fighter jet formation go over campus. We were already right near the stadium and in a huge crowd of thousands of people. The jets flew over and both my dogs hit the end if their leash. It was SO loud it was unreal. Mia was darting around on the end of her leash and all I knew to do was start going 'yay!!!! Good dogs!!!' I looked like a lunatic I am sure. Running around and getting my dogs all excited. But it worked. They both recovered in a couple seconds. 'Well that was weird but Mom's having fun so yayyyyyy!!!!'

But yeah....bad planning. I'm not sure how to socialize to fighter jets though.
 

momto8

New Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
792
Likes
0
Points
0
#18
I haven't stressed too much with Quinn he just pretty much goes everywhere with me. So overall he's been socialized to a lot :) I have been a little stricter about socializing with men though because my husband is works on the road so he only sees him maybe 4-5 days a month.
 

adojrts

New Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
4,089
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Ontario, Canada
#19
Both of these.


Seriously though, the corn popper toys are super easy to come by. Aside from Strider, I have never ever met a dog that wasn't freaked out by one. His OB trainer used to push one around class and every dog would panic and dance away from it when it came within 15 feet.
I have one of these and they are wonderful for training dogs and horses. I watch at yard sales for any children's toy that parents are desperate to get rid of, the ones that will give you a headache within 3 min are the best :)
 

HayleyMarie

Like a bat outa' hell
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
7,058
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Beautiful British Columbia!!
#20
I have one of these and they are wonderful for training dogs and horses. I watch at yard sales for any children's toy that parents are desperate to get rid of, the ones that will give you a headache within 3 min are the best :)
Oohhh what a great idea. If I hit up any garage sales I will make sure to look for some annoying toys.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top