Here’s another example of Callie being a “social” dog — at Lake Arrowhead Village. Like Jamie, Callie loves the Wishing Well gift shop, because they have the BEST puppy treats. Notice the “wishing well” in the background of this photo.
Train Your Dog To Be Social
Dogs are very social animals — if allowed to be. Sometimes the difficult part of “training” your dog to be social is for you to lose your fear that something bad will happen if your dog interacts with other dogs or people. Bad things can happen, of course, so you have to know your dog’s temperament — and be ready to protect it, if necessary.
But too often, the owner’s fear gets in the way of a good socializing experience. If your dog feels you pulling on its leash when people, or dogs, approach, it might get the idea that it needs to be protective, or defensive. So, to train your dog to be social, train yourself to trust your dog in social situations. Most of the time, dogs are happy to see each other, and they get along just fine. Be ready to act, if necessary, but don’t turn your dog into a wallflower by holding it back from social situations.
In these situations, like lots of others, communication with your dog can be important. When dogs or people approach, “read” your dog’s reaction. Is it happy? Apprehensive? Afraid? Eager to make friends? As you get better at understanding your dog, you will be better able to help it in social situations.
It also helps to understand your dog’s “social personality.” For example, Callie often approaches other dogs in a very submissive manner — making it clear that she wants to be friendly and not aggressive. She often lies down — or even flops over on her back — in a very submissive way. She makes lots of doggie friends this way.
As is often the case, dog training is more about people training than anything else.
