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| Author | Topic: Socializing |
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Lucky Member  Posts: 77 |
posted 08-27-2003 09:28 PM
 
Hi! My Sheltie/Golden retriever cross is now 4 and 1/2 months old and I'm wondering if I'm socializing her enough. She is well socialized with people. She knows all the neighbours and neighbourhood kids and if a person walks by her when she's out for a walk she runs right up to them and then throws herself on her back for a tummy scratch. I take her to the playground and she minds her manners with toddlers. I take her to the pet store and she looks at the rabbits. I'll also start her obedience training next month. She also plays with three of the neighbourhood puppies - but she is quite nervous around big dogs. She runs around in circles when we approach a big dog and bobs and weaves and won't get too close. This usually gets the big dog so excited that the big dog starts to bark and pull at the leash and then my dog gets even more nervous. Then we just walk away. I don't know anyone with a calm and even tempered big dog. How can I get my puppy used to bigger dogs? IP: Logged |
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Rich Member Posts: 52 |
posted 08-28-2003 01:19 AM
As your dog is only 4 1/2 months old I don't think you have much of a problem on your hands. She is bound to be nervous around bigger dogs although she will soon be used to dealing with them if you continue to socialise her in the same way. Bear with her and I'm sure all will be well in time  ------------------ IP: Logged |
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GoodboysBaddogs Member Posts: 409 |
posted 08-28-2003 04:51 AM
HI! Just that! If you want her to be confident around older/bigger dogs now, you'll need to expose her to them (to each other). One older dog at a time would be enough for her as you can tell. Exactly though--connect w/ someone w/ a "friendly/calm" dog. Possibly an older dog, as they are more relaxed (less energy & nothing to prove). Then again, your pup is barely starting out at all this. She'll get use to the big boys & girls. You could try taking her to a dog park. Just stay in the small dog section, if theres a fenced seperation. If not, and theres only one main run, then it also should be fine, as long as theres no playground bullies around. Older/Bigger male dogs somtimes not well socialized tend to have "power trips" on small innocent youngsters (puppies). You'll have to make a wise decision on that. If she does get attacked, it won't ruin her confidence, but i know thats not the way you'd or anyone wants their dog to learn. My poor dog learned the hard way. Everytime i took him to the dog park, he would get attacked by the playground bullies. Good Luck. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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Lucky Member Posts: 77 |
posted 08-28-2003 04:47 PM
Thanks for the responses. I want so much to be a good dog owner that I get insecure. It's great to hear that I'm on the right track! IP: Logged |
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jeminn Member Posts: 166 |
posted 09-04-2003 06:32 PM
Do you know anyone with a nice big dog that would be a calm influence on your dog? The situation will probably improve with age and maturity, but in the mean time try and make sure any experiences with any other dogs, big or small, are positive, rewarding and brief, for now. I think just reinforcing the good experiences with other dogs will gradually make your dog less suspicious of other dogs, big or small. Always try to make the experience pleasant- have treats handy and keep the encounter short and sweet. A dog socialization class in a controlled environment with responsible owners and a good trainer would be helpful, too. The other dog and owner are as influential as you are in making your dog less fearful. Be careful who you choose to let your dog approach and vice-versa. A bad experience can ruin everything you are trying to do. Good luck! IP: Logged |
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Lucky Member Posts: 77 |
posted 09-04-2003 09:31 PM
Hi! Well, now that school has started and we are walking the kids and puppy to school everyday, my dog is meeting lots of other dogs. We have found one calm older dog! Yay! They like each other a lot. I'm also trying to run our neighbourhood puppy play sessions like obedience classes. The puppies come into our yard and they all play like mad for 20 min's then I give all the owners (kids) treats and we try to get them to behave. It's really fun! (It also makes me happy those neighbour puppies -who will soon be really, really big dogs- are learning to obey MY commands!) IP: Logged |
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Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 09-04-2003 11:02 PM
Hi Lucky, I thought I would share this with you. I have socialized the heck out of my puppy since the day I got him. I take him to work with me, he has been in dept. stores, PetsMart, horse shows, feed stores, auctions, the beach, flyball events, agility classes(just watching)and on and on. I am starting to think I have made a couple mistakes though. In all this time he has always been on a leash, and close to me and only me. I haven't allowed anyone else to work with him except my 14 year old daughter on occasion..she taught him to roll over and to play dead, but thats it. I have not allowed my childrens friends to play with him, I feed him, bathe him, play with him etc.. My husband plays with him on occasion, but not often. He is my dog...MINE MINE MINE. LOL I wanted him for so long, and I wanted to do all the training. The thing is..he is now 9 months old and very protective of me. He doesn't listen to others, only me. When he is on leash and in a crowd, you would think he was a therapy dog he is so well mannered and behaved. Take that leash off and have someone approach me and you have about a 30% chance that he will become an instant threat. Most people he likes, but a couple times now he has for whatever reason not liked someone and saw them as a threat, he scared the heck out of them and me. The minute I say "Witt come!" he disengages and comes to me immediately, which is a good thing, but I would like to have a dog that I can trust off leash. I have contacted a trainer and will start working with her next week. She thinks this will be a simple issue to alter and that much of this is just adolesence. Over the holiday weekend we went to a party we go to every year...usually about 150 people, it's at my best friend and horse trainers small ranch. Everyone camps, brings their kids, dogs and horses. It's a blast. My friend also breeds boxers and every year he has a new puppy around...this year I realized that by the end of the weekend that puppy had basically been handled, mauled. coddled and played with by everyone there, including the dogs of all ages. It dawned on me that I did not allow any of that with Witt, I didn't want the kids holding him all the time, I must have said "leave him be" a million times a day. I have a peeve about people just walking up and touching my dog...always have, it's a safety issue to me and it's just good manners to ASK before you approach someones dog. I went out of my way to prevent people from approaching Witt like that. All of these things I have been doing have probably contributed to his additude and the way he feels about strangers and kids. Of course this is all me thinking...I don't know for sure that how I have handled him is the reason for his recent behavior...but after seeing my friends puppy this weekend, and all that she was exposed to, all that she put up with, I can't help but see "socialization" in a little different light. I think she will be a very tolerant dog of most anything...Witt, I'm not so sure of...I guess after I start with the trainer I will know more. I think that you are doing a great job with your puppy...play sessions and accepting other dogs into her yard, kids all of that is wonderful exposure for her. Smiles and sorry to bend your ear. IP: Logged |
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jeminn Member Posts: 166 |
posted 09-05-2003 12:03 AM
You bring up a really good point Maisey- about having other people handle your dog. I was doing the same thing with my Aussie, but have turned over some of the training to my children and spouse because I saw that she was becomming "my dog". I love it that she adores me, but she has to listen to other people too and I agree that dogs should be handled and trained by others in the family during these formative months of obedience work. I have also found that it is equally important to start off the training with as much consistency as possible and that it is beneficial to have one person be the "head trainer" so to speak. However, I think once things are under way and basic commands have been learned, it is important to bring others into those shoes. We all learn something new and different with every dog we own, that is part of the fun. I have read many of your posts Maisey and it sounds like you have a neat dog and are a good trainer. IP: Logged |
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Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 09-05-2003 07:21 AM
Thank you Jeminn for the compliment. Witt is definately "my dog" no way around that one. The thing is...I want it that way, I'm just not sure now if thats the best thing, or if it's possible to have both, and if it is how to get there. Thats why I am going to the trainer and I hope to learn lots of good things. IP: Logged |
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Lucky Member Posts: 77 |
posted 09-05-2003 06:42 PM
Hi Maisey, Thanks for your insight and info about your experiences. It sounds like your dog is a loving and smart animal, so I'm sure the trainer will be able to help you to modify her behavior in any way you choose! (It doesn't sound like you have too much of a problem as long as she obeys your commands.) Raising dogs is so much like raising kids - they all come with their own personalities and you have to survive those teenage years!!! I had a flash of insight one day when I was at the mall and saw a puppy being trained as a therapy dog. The puppy was on a table and the trainer was inviting every person who walked by to come up and touch her. I decided then and there that I was going to do that with my puppy. On the other hand, my husband would adore a dog who was suspicious of strangers. BTW, you always write such great posts, Maisey! IP: Logged |
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Lucky Member Posts: 77 |
posted 09-05-2003 06:44 PM
Woops, just realized your pup is a male - sorry for calling him a girl!  IP: Logged |
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