Socialize less, play more.

After posting about how I firmly believe »less is more« is the better approach when it comes to socialising dogs, some comments pointed out angles that I simply couldn’t cover in a post that was  likely already too long for social media standards. So, what you can read in this article is my more »in depth« view on the subject of getting our dogs adjusted to living in a world tailored for humans.

Contrary to what some people might take out of my recent FB post, I do find it very important that my dogs grow out to be confident in their environment. It is not only significant for their well-being, it is also making them a better working/sport dogs as they can only perform to the best of their ability if they are not bothered with what is happening around them. But the paradox in this whole story is that while I absolutely find it important, I will do very little with a sole and direct purpose of socialising my dog. My experience shows that focusing too much on socialising and habituating a dog is not only unnecessary, but it can actually make things even worse and create issues you were hoping to avoid.

Before diving into how and why – does genetics matter? Yes, yes and YES. A combination of personality traits your dog brings into this world is what makes all the difference.

I don’t think any amount of work can replace bad genetics, so choosing mentally sound dogs for breeding is probably one of the most important things a breeder can do for your future puppy.

Regardless of the breed, there are some basic temperamental traits that make it a lot easier or harder for dogs to process stress. It is in dog’s core and nearly impossible to influence with training, so I always avoid getting my puppies from unstable parents. But does “stable” mean dogs are supposed to be “bomb proof”? Not at all. Environmental sensitivity does not only enable survival in the wild, in some dogs certain sensitivities were selectively enhanced because it is what made dogs better at their job. Imagine a border collie working stock on a huge field, 500m or more away from the handler. They have to be able to spot every little movement to firstly locate the flock and secondly read its movement well in order to guide them into right direction, while at the same time listening to the sound of whistle potentially muffled by the wind. Sheep running fast means all alarms go off and a dog needs to stop them to establish control. All this requires incredibly high-tuned senses, and quick at times instinctive reactions to the stimuli presented. Back in the days, herding dogs were rarely exposed to stimuli they were not supposed to react to. Now imagine a border collie today, living a busy urban or semi urban life. So many sounds from all over, moving cars, cyclists, people, children running, balls flying… an overload of stimuli without it ever making any sense to the dog. And most of all – everything being totally out of his control. For some dogs the chaotic modern world is a scarry place. For others it is simply too exciting, but whatever the original reason, the end behaviour can be pretty similar.

With training, socialisation and habituation we aim to teach our dogs which stimuli to ignore, but here comes the catch…
Young pups and adolescents are simultaneously the most interested in their environment, but also lacking the emotional stability and regulation to deal with problems efficiently.

Most of my dogs turn into total “assholes” at one point in their adolescence, regardless of their nature. Some struggle with leash manners, some want to check everyone and everything and try to drag me along, some become smartasses and act inappropriately with people and dogs, some are simply uncomfortable or even afraid of things. I LOVE puppies, but wish I had somewhere to put them between 5 and 15 month, because that is when I usually regret getting them for one reason or another. I used to think I have to “deal with it” and if it didn’t bring results, I have to deal with it some more. But can you really deal with it at that point? If going out is one struggle after another, it is not only demotivating for you, it is also very frustrating for your dog. You are in the beginning of your journey together and your relationship is only starting to form. I can promise you it won’t blossom over constant troubles. You want to be the friend they look up to. Their adventure buddy, the one that always comes up with cool ideas but also the one to trust and follow when things get serious. You can’t become that if you are always the one standing in their way to what they see as an adventure, always the one begging for attention when they want to give it somewhere else, always the one holding them back and losing it at some point. So how do I deal with it now – I remove them from situations that are frustrating for me and for them and take them places where I can be the owner and partner I want to be for them, places where I can be competitive with the environment without trying too hard, even if that means not taking them somewhere new every day or even every week. I will make sure to develop their food and toy drive to its maximum potential and yes it takes time! Linking reinforcers with trouble constantly in the early stages of training can easily backfire and the reinforcer actually becomes the trigger for the unwanted behaviour or in best case – the decision between accepting what you have to offer vs. the distraction is always momentary and can always go either way.
I will give them an outlet for their energy and drives. I will find some activity they are good at and stick with it. Dogs accept rules best when it is in the context they understand and feel confident in.
I will establish some boundaries and stick with them firmly to provide a frame they can rely on and feel safe in.
Does that mean I only keep my dogs at home? No. I take them places – just not the hard ones and not every day. I will take them places where they have something to do – whether it is quietly exploring peaceful environment or playing/working in a busier one.

Dogs grow up. They mature. If they were encouraged to find their purpose in life, the environment becomes nothing more than a background.

So save yourself and your dog the struggles and take the easy road.
Is this equally important for every dog? No. If you have a happy go lucky pup that is feeling fine and mostly behaves appropriately no matter where you take them – great. Enjoy it!  Some dogs are fine no matter what. But if they are not, here are a few practical suggestions that might help you get there with training:

  • Lot’s of different kinds of games. Social games, food games, toy games. Linking a reinforcer to a fun and stimulating activity increases its value in oppose to always linking it with trouble. Different games also produce different energies so your tool box when having to choose a an activity to focus on rather than focusing on a distraction gets significantly bigger and more useful.
  • Start with diversity, specialise later; teaching different behaviours on and around different objects helps improve generalisation skills and keep your dog’s mind more flexible.
  • Establish clear communication and boundaries. Tell your dog YES a lot, but also NO when it is needed. A correction of the behaviour doesn’t have to be punishment, handling the dog in a decisive yet calm manner and actually preventing bad behaviour from happening is all it takes.
  • Find an outlet for your dog’s energy and something your dog is talented for.

 

What guidelines to follow when exposing the dog:

  • Don’t take them anywhere to “just be” and don’t leave them hanging if they are struggling. Take them to unknown places to do things they know very well and love doing, so they can focus on the activity ignore what is going on around them. The faster you drive, the more blurry the surroundings becomes. So if your dog is struggling, make sure you don’t do anything long lasting, boring or hard. Keep them moving, make sure they have fun. Same applies for easily excitable dogs. If the environment provides excitement while you ask for precision, self-control and calmness… it is not hard to figure out what choice a teenager is going to make.
  • Never ask them to interact with people or dogs if they are not the one initiating the interaction. That includes asking other people to feed your dog. The most important step towards confidence around people and dogs is to not feel the pressure of potential interaction.
  • If your urban walks are a nightmare, temporary replace them with an activity your dog is good at. Develop that skill as much as you can, at home, dog club or wherever you need to go to provide it. Being good at something is a huge confidence boost for your dog.
  • If your dog happens to have a bad experience, don’t overthink it. Breathe in, breathe out. Life happens. Protect your dog, but don’t linger on it for too long. A dog needs to feel protected, but the sooner you can move on, the sooner your dog will too.
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