As you already know, dogs are sociable animals that need early socialization to get along with other animals and people. Depending on the dog breed, you should provide them with special and professional training at a younger age, or you can try some techniques at home. In general, adult dogs are not so easy to train, so this is why you should start their socialization earlier. 

How do you know that your dog is not socialized? Well, all you have to do is to pay attention to their behavior and notice their reaction when they see other animals and people. Does your dog react badly around other dogs when you go for a walk in the park? If the answer is yes, then your beloved furry friend should be trained properly so that they can get along with other dogs in the future. 

To help you better understand the behavior of your dog and learn some new training techniques, we’ve rounded up some tips on how to socialize your dog to get along with other animals. Read on for more info!

You should organize dog meetings on a neutral territory

First of all, if you want to add a new dog to your house, you have to organize a dog meeting in a neutral space away from your house where one of them already feels territorial. After this, the next step is to keep a safe distance between them. 

“It is best to introduce dogs on neutral territory away from the home in a relaxed environment. Whether your dog is new to you or not, a good way to set up a dog meet and greet is to go for a walk where they can stroll near each other,” said Sydney Bartson Queen, an animal behavior counselor on the ASPCA’s behavioral sciences team.

When your dogs become more comfortable with the situation per se, you can gradually minimize the distance between them and encourage them to get to know each other better. They can sniff each other, but you should be cautious. 

“As the dogs become more comfortable, you can progressively walk them closer and closer together,” Queen says. “Keep a close eye on both dogs to ensure neither dog appears fearful (low body, mouth closed, ears pinned back, looking or moving away from the other dog) or threatening (stiff body, tail high, stiff or fast tail wag, closed mouth, tense face or eyes).”

Try to adopt the “second chance” rule

If you want to introduce a new dog to your family, don’t expect the process to be immediate and successful because dogs can be quite unfriendly at first. That’s why it is recommended to adopt the second chance rule and repeat the process until they start to better know each other.

“It can take weeks or months for dogs to get used to new animals, and it’ll be important to give the dogs breaks from each other,” said Katy Mahaley, an animal behavior counselor on the ASPCA’s behavioral sciences team. “Not all animals will become best friends, and that’s okay!”

In addition, you should pay attention to their behavior as well and try to find out what upsets and annoys them. In this case, it’s important to know canine body language, so don’t be afraid to seek advice and help from an animal expert. 

Find out what annoys your dogs

As we said before, it’s perfectly fine to repeat the process if the interaction didn’t work properly at first, but you should never force the situation because you risk stressing your dogs. So, as you probably know, stress can lead to serious health problems even in animals. 

“Avoid putting your dog in a situation they aren’t ready for. Evaluate your dog’s comfort level in new situations before heading out to a playdate, park, or another area with lots of dogs,” Queen says.

Moreover, according to animal experts, dogs should take some breaks from playtime, and if they don’t, you have to help them by interrupting their activities. “When dogs are playing, look out for a well-mannered play that includes bouncy movements, play bows, and taking turns while wrestling,” said Queen. “Dogs often insert their own breaks in play to keep the intensity level low. You’ll see playing dogs do things like pause, turn away, shake off as if they’re wet, or walk away.”

Don’t forget that it’s important to know your dog breed as well and do some research. You should find out their native personality traits, as some dog breeds are docile by nature and then your training techniques will be applied more easily, while other breeds simply can’t get along with other dogs because this is their predominant feature. 

Visit a pet store

Visiting a pet store is a safe and easy way to socialize your pet, or at least it will help introduce your dog to the beginnings of the socializing process and make them feel comfortable around other animals. The best part is that the whole training takes place in a controlled environment and your dog will learn to be polite. You can also ask the staff if they offer a training class, as many pet stores have such a program.