Obedience and socilization are not the same. When your dog does a sit that is basic obedience. When you walk down the street with your dog, and your dogs wants to chase a car, or is maybe startled by something. That is socilization. Anthrpomorphizing is when we give animals human traits. This can impair our descision-making when it comes to dog socilization. When you as a human look at stairs they are not intimidating at all. They are smaller than you not intimidating. When it comes to a dog when those stairs go up into the sky they are more comfortable on the ground. All those stairs are very intimidating.
That is how you get a lot of dogs that do not want to go up stairs. They don’t know what they are. Even a “quiet neighborhood can be intimidating to a new dog or puppy. The other common one I run into is jumping into cars. They don’t know what it is yet. There are some dogs that do not have this problem. They may be adventurous. They may have been socialized wherever they came from. The mother being stressed during pregnancy can make shy or agressive puppies possibly. It is hard to know so be patient with your dog.
The best way in general to get your dog used to normal urban chaos. Is to pick a spot along your usual route, and just WAIT for ten minutes straight. It will give your dog time to process everything going on. DO this once a day even if it is on your doorstep when you go outside of the home. Little dogs it is more common because they are smaller. This can also happen to large dogs too.
Take each step very slowly. Sometimes even with weeks or months in between. Have the dog “touch” the item that scares them. This could even be a grooming tool such as a brush or clippers. When the dog touches an item they are becoming more familiar with it so that they are not as scared. After they touch it give them a treat for putting a paw on it or jumping on it. Get them excited to follow your lead by using the “baby tone” . Weight scales at the Vet are another one that takes some time.
Scared of Dogs
When dogs are scared of other dogs that usually suggests that they did not have doggie friends when they were first growing up. This is at the ten week old mark, and beyond as the puppy grows older. They may bark at the other dog insecently. They may lunge toward the other dog. They may even growl at another dog as they pass. This means the association of dogs in not a good thing in their mind. So we have to change that in socilization training.
So you can give a treat when they see another dog at a distance. Do NOT force the dog to greet other dogs. Not every dog should greet every dog. You would not run down the street greeting every person JUST because they are a person, even in the best of times. You can have your dog wait on the grass away from the other dog, and just passivly let the dog move past you. Then give more praise and a treat as they past. I would get a Focus command or watch, and make sure they hold it before moving on.
CONTACT ME if there is a problem with this process. The dog will remember even if it is a bad experience unless you get a focus command before walking on. The anxiety will build with each passing reaction. Even when a dog barks out a window it needs to be addressed. Take the dog away from the window. You can put on a leash as well to help the dog calm down. When you are not there if the dog is in the crate then you will be able to stop the dog from barking out the window. For those who can do this. I went over crate training in my Potty training, teething and kenneling article.
Then whe the dog SEES another dog and does not react. Then you can give the dog a treat. Slowly close the gap as you get closer to other dogs. Remember this next step may not come for weeks after you first start this process. It is also very good to go through the work on this, because if real agression comes that can turn into a human bite. This would be very bad for you and your dog.
Humans
Remember that we are taller then most dogs. Also, when you see a dog you want to look at them. This may not end well for you or the dog. Anything above a dog’s head is intimidating. When you make eye contact with a dog you do not know. You maybe challenging them to a fight without meaning to. Even in human society it may be considered impolite to stare at even another human being.
The best way to handle it is to sit on the ground and turn your back to the dog. Keep in mind if this is a dog you truly do not know it may end up with you being bitten in the back. A truly agressive dog I would not encourage just anybody to take on. If you know will not be attacked from behind then you sit with your back to them and then toss food behind you. If they eat it that is a really good sign. Then slowly breadcrumb the treats to the person’s back.
Then when you turn to the side stop and see what the dog’s reaction is. If the dog backs up away from you. They are still nervous and you can turn your back to them again and start over. If they do not move or move closer to you then you have reached the next step, and you can toss them more food. Then you take some food put it in your hand and make a fist. This will protect your fingers. Let the dog sniff your fingers and the treat inside drop the treat on the ground and see if the dog will take it, and slowly rotate forward to face the dog.
If the dog does not react aggressively then you can slowly unfurl your hand to the dog, and see if they will take the treat. The next final step its as the dog eats their treat gently scratch the dog under the chin. Then you have “cracked” their shell so to speak.
Focus command
It may sound crazy, but the focus or watch command is the quicker way of opening your dog up. Sitting outside and waiting for your dog to calm down is the best thing to do. I described those in my Focus command article. Do the 3,5,3,10 pattern outside with your dog every day. Do the pattern in the hosue before you leave. Work on getting your dog’s attention outside before starting the watch command outside for any long period of time.
The goal is to make your dog comfortable, and assure them that no harm will come to them. This is Pawvana.
Pawvana 