05/15/2021
Good thoughts on puppy socialization
Why You Shouldn't Let Strangers Feed Your Pup:
Staying with this week's topic on socialization, it's important to note why letting strangers feed your dog treats and food is not a solution to your socialization problem. First, it starts with the actual definition of socialization, not what we perceive socialization to mean. Socialization is your dog's ability to handle new stress and stimuli in a way that we deem acceptable i.e. going to new places without getting overly excited, meeting new people without jumping up on them, and even meeting/seeing new dogs without become aggressive or reactive, etc.
So when it comes to introducing your dog to new people it seems logical to want that person to feed your dog some treats to show the dog that the new person isn't bad and that they should like them. In all actuality, this can be quite counter-productive.
First, this teaches the dog that new people are treat machines which can lead to your dog becoming even more excited when they meet new people instead of remaining calm.
Secondly, this teaches your dog that they don't have to engage with you and keep their focus on you. It teaches them that outside stimulus is more important that whatever you say or do.
So what is the right way to deal with this? The correct way to act when around someone’s new puppy is to ignore the pup. Don’t invade its space; don’t look at it; don’t talk to it, and don’t try to pet it.
The correct way to handle strangers is to always be prepared with a bait bag full of high value food treats. If you see that you pup is a little concerned about someone then get the pup engaged with you. It’s your job to become more interesting than the stranger and if the food rewards are high enough the pup will look at strangers as the trigger for their owner to play with them and give them really cool treats.
To learn more about socialization check out our article on How to Socialize Your New Puppy: https://leerburg.com/socializepuppies.htm
