There are definitely many ways to go about socializing your dog...here are some of them. From early puppyhood to their first few years your furbaby is continually learning. Just like a toddler; they are watching you, listening to you and picking up on your energy.
Many environmental additives will affect how your dog is socially. Are there other dogs nearby? People they have never met? A man with a low pitch voice, or a woman with a high pitch voice?
If you have company over ALWAYS be aware of how other children or people are treating your dog. Mastiffs are a pretty laid back breed and usually only defend when they have to but they also like their space. Your children laying with your pup may be completely different than your niece or nephew thinking they are a horse and trying to ride them. How you hold a leash or what you feed them may be different than the puppy sitter you have over, or the boarding kennel you have to take them to during a trip.
Ok, so what do you do about it?
Start training off right:
1) Potty training (for us crate training was the way to go and we have a blog on that)
2)Remember while you are teaching them simple commands like sit, stay, and come, watch your tone.
Anything that you do they will react to. If your home is normally calm and someone yells, you will see them react. Use a stern voice but there is no need to yell, puppies do not understand yelling, just like babies.
3)Walk them on a leash. (After you have achieved step 1&2 )
Start off in your home... clip the leash to their collar and let them get use to it. Once they stop trying to chew it then you can use it to guide them. :) If they have a hard time and keep trying to bite at it then you can spray the leash with a little vinegar. The taste will not be too great for them.
In this time of covid obviously no one is very social right now which means that your pup is not either. So go for a walk. Walk them by people getting their mail or kids playing at a park, take them swimming at a pup friendly beach in the summer. When they bark or want to go "play" with another animal tell them to leave it. When they follow command and keep going then have a little treat ready to praise them. Maybe set up a playdate with a family member with or without another pup. If you can not possibly get out in the public, have your partner or yourself wear and different hat and talk in a different voice. First from across the yard or walking down the sidewalk and then try it where one person knocks at the door and fakes a first interaction.
4) Do not leave your pup with anyone they may not know or you may not know.
If your pup is meeting someone new or going to a new place. Take a few treats with you. Whomever is meeting your furbaby for the first time should hold onto the treat. Associating a new pet to the head with a treat will go over a lot better than just throwing your pup in a room with a stranger.
You need to observe them before they are allowed alone with your pup. A stranger may not hold the leash correctly, they may tug or pull the unwilling animal. They will have a different voice than they are use to, they will smell differently. Think of it the same as someone watching your child, even if it was for a min, or at the Doctor. If your child was left alone with a stranger they would most likely cry and your dog is no different. they will react.
So a new vet, a new boarder, a new pup sitter: have a few "dates nights" so they have a few practice rounds will the new people that may be in their lives and BRING TREATS :)
Hopefully this helps a few new pup families out there! What will you try today? What step are you on with your new pup? Wilson Wonders
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