It goes without saying that a confident dog is a happy dog, one that wakes up every day raring to go and enjoys their time around others. However, it is not a given, and depending on their upbringing, they may have had a more difficult experience. With this in mind, how can you ensure your dog is both sociable and happy? Is this something only a young pup can learn, and what is the best way to help them?
Below are a few tips to help you get started and put your furry companion on the right track to happiness. It may take some effort and patience as an owner, but you’ll welcome the results.
Why is Socialisation and Habituation Important?
Many people may look at a dog’s life and think how great it would be to spend most of our time sleeping, playing with toys, and generally having fun, but not all dogs share the same experience. While they may not have all the same difficulties we humans do, they still have to deal with stressful situations, unusual strangers and environments, and other animals. A confident dog will approach all of this with healthy curiosity, but others may shy away or even react in fear. This is where socialization and habituation play an important role, especially during their early development.
The first few weeks of being a pup can be strange and unusual – lots of smells, sights, and noises that are completely new to them, and that’s before they interact with other people and animals. Not only do they need to get used to the world around them (habituation), but they also need to learn how to behave and be social with those they meet (socialization).
What is the Socialisation Process?
Helping your dog be confident around others is something that should start early on. According to Best Behaviour School for Dogs, the first 2–16 weeks are the most important time for a dog to be socialised.
Whilst the first few weeks they’ll be with their mother as well as the rest of their litter, the rest will be with you their new owner, in a new environment. This crucial time can have a big impact on how they develop, so introducing your pup to everyone in your household from the start including other pets if you have them can get them used to them. This should mean they will grow to be comfortable around everyone they live with.
There is a fine line between socialising and overstimulating them, so ensuring this is done calmly and gradually can be best. You can then think about socialising them with other people and animals outside of the home that they are most likely to come into contact with in future, such as other family members, friends and their pets. Doing too much too quickly may not have the desired effect, so planning these interactions can be better than lots of spontaneous ones.
Practical Tips for Habituation
Habituation is all about the environment around your pup and how comfortable they feel in it, whether it’s a noisy kitchen, the sound of the TV or radio, or outside noises such as cars and people walking by the house. When you start to think about it, there is a lot of stimulation around them that can be both scary and strange at first – and that’s before they’ve even been outside for a walk. So, what can you do to help them get used to this?
- The home is very noisy, especially if you have a full household and various appliances running. Introducing your pup to these noises one at a time can do wonders for how they react and how quickly they get used to them.
- Gradually turn on things like the TV, radio, oven, or vacuum cleaner when they are nearby – they don’t need to be next to them or be really loud, just enough so that they can hear it in the background.
- If they do show any signs of distress, turn them off again. You can always try again later at a lower volume. With appliances where you can’t easily regulate the volume (like a washing machine or vacuum), try having your pup further away in a different room so as not to startle them.
It’s not just about noises, of course, but the sights, smells, and textures in the home can also all be unusual:
- Introduce your puppy to different textures such as carpet, tiles and wooden floors as well as their bedding. These will all feel unusual at first on their paws, so this helps them get used to them.
- To help with the normality of these surfaces, you may want to use treats to encourage them and positive reinforcement too. Just keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t chew or scratch them.
- As dogs predominantly use their mouths to explore, getting them used to the things they are allowed to chew is always a good idea, such as their toys. Again, you can provide a variety of different textures with this, along with some that make sounds, too.
- Whilst interacting with these items, they will also get used to the unusual smells of different materials too, helping them build positive associations with them.
Once they are old enough to be outside, which is one to two weeks after they have had their primary vaccination course, as per the Dogs Trust, you can then start the next stage of the outside world. On their first walk, they will encounter many new sights, smells, and sounds, including other people and animals. Just like at home, you’ll want to get them used to all the things they will regularly encounter but do so in a controlled way to avoid overstimulation.
Before you go for a walk, allow them plenty of time to be in the garden if you have one as this will help them get used to different surfaces like grass or gravel, smells and the various sounds.
Dealing with Socialisation & Habituation Challenges
Like all types of training, it can take time for your pup to get used to everything, and some dogs will naturally grow in confidence more quickly than others. As per the Blue Cross, herding breeds like Collies and German Shepherd dogs can be more prone to fearfulness, so they may need more and earlier socialization than others. If you have adopted an older dog, you may not know the full history of their early years, so they may have had a bad experience when younger, making it more challenging to train.
It’s important not to worry and visiting your vet to talk about these challenges is always a good idea. As you will more than likely be visiting regularly for routine treatment such as their vaccinations or being microchipped, you have a good opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have with their development. They may be able to advise about dog training classes or recommend an animal behaviorist for further support.
If you already have pet insurance for your puppy or are still searching for the ideal policy, you will want to check if the provider can cover more than just vet fees. A comprehensive pet insurance policy will include behavioural treatment and third party liability, which can both be useful when it comes to the development of your dog. If then you do need the help of a behavior specialist or if for any reason your dog has a bad experience when meeting someone else or another animal, you’ll have coverage to help.
Helping Your Puppy Grow Into A Confident Adult Dog
They do grow up so fast, so you’ll be glad you spent time in the early stages helping your dog grow in confidence. This will help them be less fearful of those around them as well as the various sights and sounds they will encounter. It’s also all part of the fun of having a dog from when they are a puppy, so enjoy it! Not only will you build a lifetime bond, but you’ll also have confidence when they interact with others.