Pet Tip of the Week: The Importance of Socialization

Dogs need to be socialized to other dogs, new places, new people, and new situations. This is especially important between the ages of 8 weeks to 4 months. Some professionals call it the Rule of Five: 5 new places, 5 new faces, 5 new dogs, each and every day until the dog is 4 months old. Now, that’s a lot of work but the benefits will show up quickly when Fido accepts everyone—canine, feline, and human—with the same amount of confidence and joy.

That doesn’t mean that the non-social, older dog is beyond hope! If Fido growls and acts anxious around strange dogs try approaching, with both dogs on-leash, in an arch (not head-on because that may be construed as aggressive to either or both dogs) and slowly come closer while rewarding him for calm behavior. Gradually lessen the distance between the dogs until both dogs are able to remain calm when they are within a foot or two of one another. For more suggestions please give me a call and I’d be glad to talk more about it!

As always, Cleary’s Notebook encourages commentary so if you have questions please ask. And I’d like to thank Mr. Cleary for attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony here at Brother of the Wolf last Saturday!

Next week’s topic will be about the benefits of enriching your dog’s home life.