Why are obedience training and socialization important?
Updated: Jan 6
What is obedience training?
Just like human children, dogs are not born into the world automatically understanding about the world around them. They need to be taught. And most importantly, they need a stable, consistent, and trusting guide to help them navigate that world.
Why is obedience training important?
Dogs that lack basic obedience training can become out of control, aggressive, anxious, and difficult to manage. Do you think it's safe to have a dog that jumps up on children and elderly people? Or a dog that ignores an owner's recall when it runs out into traffic or attacks another dog? Teaching your dog self control can keep it and those around it safe. The AKC recommends teaching puppies 5 basic commands: Sit, stay, down, come, and how to walk on a leash. These basic skills are the groundwork for showing your new dog proper behaviors in a variety of situations, from learning to sit and wait for food to coming back to you when it’s time to leave the dog park.
What is socialization?
It's important to understand that dogs, like many animals, are innately afraid of the unknown. Anything that is unfamiliar, can be perceived as threatening (even if it is completely innocent and/or inanimate). While we humans have created a world to suite our needs, many of the things we have created (such as cars, sidewalks, leashes, strollers, hats, etc.) are extremely strange to animals. We humans have a responsibility to teach our dogs what in our world is safe, and what may not be safe. Additionally, we have a responsibility to give our dogs the tools to access an object or situation on their own, and determine whether something should be ignored or receive a warranted reaction (example; your dog should be able to see an umbrella and understand that it is nothing to be afraid of, whereas a stranger entering your home at night would be acceptable to bark at).
In order for your dog to gain the confidence and understanding about the world, it needs socialization. But what is socialization? Is it inviting your friends and their dogs over to your house to play with your dog? Not quite. Socialization is the process of exposing your puppy to experiences, objects, and situations outside of their comfort zone
Why is socialization important?
Did you know the number one reason why dogs are surrounded to shelters and rescues is behavior problems? Socialization or now more commonly, desensitization, is used to eliminate or reduce reactions to certain stimuli and objects. Socializing your dog in a positive and rewarding manner is crucial. The more you expose your puppy to thing early in their life, the more comfortable he/she will be with other people, animals, places, being left alone, etc when they are adult dogs. It can also be used to allow them to be more comfortable during normally stressful situations, such as being handled by vets and groomers. Or when you need to administer medications or emergency medical care at home.
Otherwise, dogs that are not exposed to many experiences outside the home, will eventually lack confidence and grow to live in a state of near constant fear and anxiety. Dogs that have separation anxiety, fear inanimate objects, other people, other animals,
How do you go about obedience training and socialization?
Obedience:
Puppies can begin short training sessions, beginning with the “sit” command as soon as 8 weeks old. Some older dogs from a shelter may already have some basic commands down, but could often use a brush up. There are also instances where an adult dog may not have been trained before arriving to the shelter, and may need to start from the beginning. Once those basics are mastered, you can introduce more advanced commands such as “leave it,” and “fetch,” as well as tricks like “sit pretty,” “shake,” or to play dead. Mastering the basic commands will also help make it easier to correct unwanted behaviors. For example, if you have a dog who likes to jump up on people, having the basic commands down will make it easier to work on teaching them how to greet people calmly.
Things you need to start basic training:
1. A dog!
2. An area in which to practice where it is free from distractions when you are first training your dog. As you and your dog master commands, you will want to move to areas with more distractions, such as outdoors, to continue improving your dog's ability to focus on you and the commands.
3. Treats or a toy as rewards. Figure out what works for you and your dog. Some dogs are very food driven, and some dogs prefer toys and play as their reward. Additionally, consider the size of treats you use during training! Treats that are too large fill a dog up quickly, so seek out small treats for training.
4. A short leash, and a longer training leash for distance work.
5. Realistic expectations!
Don't expect to get it done on the first few tries. Some commands take a lot of time to teach and perfect.
Try to make training sessions about 15 minutes long at the most.
There will be times when both you and your dog are frustrated. When struggling with a certain command, simply move on to another or better known command. Come back to the one you are struggling with later.
ALWAYS end training on a positive note. This keeps training sessions fun for you and your pet. Next time, your dog will be excited when it is time to practice!
Here are some links to help you with the most basic commands:
Socialization:
You should also consider desensitization training as something to work towards as often as possible. And make it fun! Stay upbeat, smile, offer praise whenever your puppy shows bravery and calmness. Your attitude can determine whether a puppy sees an experience as exciting or overwhelming. The optimal socialization period for puppies is between 8-16 weeks of age. This is when your puppy's brain is primed for soaking in and capturing experiences. Allow your puppies to see, smell, touch, listen, and if possible taste as much as they can (within the perimeters of safety). The goal is to encourage exploration and curiosity rather than fear and sheltering therm. Below is a step by step guide on socialization.
Step one: Touch and Bodily Trust
Lots of belly rubs! (this will help them feel safe, trusting, and comfortable with people)
Gently touch their feet and nails (this will help them feel comfortable about nail trims). Use inanimate objects such as a TV remote, tissue box, shoe, plastic cup, etc.
Gently stroke their tails (without pulling)
Gently touch their teeth
Collars, leashes, harness, and other tools used for training
Step two: Exposure outside of the home
People of different genders
People with different skin colors
People with both long and short hair
People with facial hair
Elderly people in wheel chairs, walkers, and using canes
Children and babies in strollers
People wearing hats
People wearing uniforms such as police officers, fire fighters, and construction workers
People with high pitched voices and deep pitched voices
Cars, trucks, fire engines, bicycles, skateboards, roller blades
Human accessories such as umbrellas, clothing, belts, purses, and boots
Places such as parks, sports courts, gyms, schools, farms, hiking trails, veterinary offices, grooming salons, pet stores, and hardware stores
Different animals such as other dogs, cats, horses, goats, pigs, chickens, parrots, hamster, guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, lizards, squirrels, ducks, and geese
If you cannot dedicate the time or other resources to train a dog, consider holding off on adoption and instead devote some time to volunteering at local shelters. You could also foster a dog to help you determine if you’re ready for the challenge of caring and training one of your own.
If you don’t know where to start or need help with your dog's training journey, you can ask your vet or groomer for recommendations for local trainers or veterinary behaviorists.
Always remember, dogs need help navigating a new surrounding, which requires you to have patience and dedication to be your dog’s guide. Training not only informs your pet of your house rules and the ground rules of good behavior, but also strengthens your bond with them and helps them become a happier member of your family.
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