How to Socialize a New Dog with Your Family
Start socialization as early as possible., Ask about your older dog’s socialization history., Try to make introductions one at a time., Use treats to teach it to like new experiences., Ask a professional trainer for help.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Start socialization as early as possible.
Puppies are particularly open to new experiences between 8 and 16 weeks old.
If you’ve just adopted a new puppy, expose it to adults, children, other dogs, and as many new sights and smells as possible during that timespan.
Remember to make sure its vaccinations are active before bringing your puppy around other dogs.If you got your puppy from a breeder, ask how long they kept it with its littermates and how it got along with the other puppies.
Ideally, the pup spent its first month or two in its litter, with the breeder handling it frequently to get it used to interacting with humans. -
Step 2: Ask about your older dog’s socialization history.
Knowing as much as you can about your new dog will help you create a specific socialization plan.If your new dog is older, try to learn about its history from the shelter, breeder, or previous owner.
Ask, “Has my new dog had any experience with children? Do you know anything about if and how it was socialized?” Regardless of its age, you’ll need to start making introductions promptly, but remember to be patient with an older dog that doesn’t have much social experience.
In addition, ask a shelter or rescue group, "Has my dog had a history of abuse or neglect? Did it have previous owners? Do you know anything about its history before it ended up with your organization?" If you've just gotten a new puppy, ask the breeder, "Have you handled it every day, and how has it responded to human contact so far?"
Introduce your new dog to your family members as slowly as possible, and keep introductions low key and unforced.
Getting settled in a new home is an over-stimulating experience for you dog, and lots of petting hands, shouting, and excitement will be too much for it.Before bringing your new dog home, instruct your children and household members to remain calm and let the dog adjust to its new space.
Tell them, “The new dog has lots of sights, smells, and other stuff to take in, and isn’t ready to be hugged and pet just yet.
We’re all going to give it some time to get used to us and his new home so we don’t overwhelm it.” First, introduce the dog one at a time to everyone living in your home.
Avoid forcing introductions, and take a break if your dog is visibly uncomfortable.
Over the course of at least a week, depending on how it responds, introduce it to other family members, regular visitors, your neighbors, and other people whom it’ll frequently encounter. , Have every family member give the new dog a small treat during their calm introduction.
You and your family should also reward your dog’s calm and friendly behavior with treats and praise throughout socialization.
Offering treats will train your dog to associate acting calmly around new people with positivity.Have your regular visitors, neighbors, and mailman also offer your dog a treat.
If you’ve trained your dog to sit, have the person give a sit command and reward the dog with a treat.
Additionally, teaching your dog to sit when it meets new people will encourage it not to jump., Good introductions set the tone for positive socialization, and the majority of dogs adapt well to their new families.
However, older dogs that were raised in isolation, neglected, or abused can be more difficult to socialize.
If you run into trouble, the best solution is to consult a certified professional trainer or a certified animal behaviorist.If just need a little guidance or if your dog is submissive, anxious, or engages in non-aggressive behavior, consider taking it to obedience classes.
More serious cases of biting or other aggressive behavior might need more significant behavior modification techniques in one-on-one appointments with an animal behaviorist.
Ask your vet or dog-owning family and friends to recommend a trainer.
Look for a trainer accredited by the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers (CCPDT), or the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). -
Step 3: Try to make introductions one at a time.
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Step 4: Use treats to teach it to like new experiences.
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Step 5: Ask a professional trainer for help.
Detailed Guide
Puppies are particularly open to new experiences between 8 and 16 weeks old.
If you’ve just adopted a new puppy, expose it to adults, children, other dogs, and as many new sights and smells as possible during that timespan.
Remember to make sure its vaccinations are active before bringing your puppy around other dogs.If you got your puppy from a breeder, ask how long they kept it with its littermates and how it got along with the other puppies.
Ideally, the pup spent its first month or two in its litter, with the breeder handling it frequently to get it used to interacting with humans.
Knowing as much as you can about your new dog will help you create a specific socialization plan.If your new dog is older, try to learn about its history from the shelter, breeder, or previous owner.
Ask, “Has my new dog had any experience with children? Do you know anything about if and how it was socialized?” Regardless of its age, you’ll need to start making introductions promptly, but remember to be patient with an older dog that doesn’t have much social experience.
In addition, ask a shelter or rescue group, "Has my dog had a history of abuse or neglect? Did it have previous owners? Do you know anything about its history before it ended up with your organization?" If you've just gotten a new puppy, ask the breeder, "Have you handled it every day, and how has it responded to human contact so far?"
Introduce your new dog to your family members as slowly as possible, and keep introductions low key and unforced.
Getting settled in a new home is an over-stimulating experience for you dog, and lots of petting hands, shouting, and excitement will be too much for it.Before bringing your new dog home, instruct your children and household members to remain calm and let the dog adjust to its new space.
Tell them, “The new dog has lots of sights, smells, and other stuff to take in, and isn’t ready to be hugged and pet just yet.
We’re all going to give it some time to get used to us and his new home so we don’t overwhelm it.” First, introduce the dog one at a time to everyone living in your home.
Avoid forcing introductions, and take a break if your dog is visibly uncomfortable.
Over the course of at least a week, depending on how it responds, introduce it to other family members, regular visitors, your neighbors, and other people whom it’ll frequently encounter. , Have every family member give the new dog a small treat during their calm introduction.
You and your family should also reward your dog’s calm and friendly behavior with treats and praise throughout socialization.
Offering treats will train your dog to associate acting calmly around new people with positivity.Have your regular visitors, neighbors, and mailman also offer your dog a treat.
If you’ve trained your dog to sit, have the person give a sit command and reward the dog with a treat.
Additionally, teaching your dog to sit when it meets new people will encourage it not to jump., Good introductions set the tone for positive socialization, and the majority of dogs adapt well to their new families.
However, older dogs that were raised in isolation, neglected, or abused can be more difficult to socialize.
If you run into trouble, the best solution is to consult a certified professional trainer or a certified animal behaviorist.If just need a little guidance or if your dog is submissive, anxious, or engages in non-aggressive behavior, consider taking it to obedience classes.
More serious cases of biting or other aggressive behavior might need more significant behavior modification techniques in one-on-one appointments with an animal behaviorist.
Ask your vet or dog-owning family and friends to recommend a trainer.
Look for a trainer accredited by the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers (CCPDT), or the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC).
About the Author
Dorothy Wallace
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
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