We all love our dogs and will forgive them almost anything. However, you’ll want your furry friend to be loved by all and so it’s important to make sure they behave like a good canine ambassador. Here are some helpful tips for socialising your beloved pooch:

For socialising with people:

Daily Walks – Taking your dog out into public places for walks will help him or her get used to the outside world and meeting different humans. They will see people walking down the street, cars passing on the road and children playing. The more they are exposed to this, the less scary the world will become, and they’ll feel more at ease. Mix up the routes and keep your pal on a short leash to begin with.

Meet new faces – Try to expose your dog to lots of different people, men, women and kids. You don’t want your dog to be scared of people. Don’t reward your dog for being wary or this will encourage nervous, skittish behaviour.

Train the basics – A pooch who is happy and confident in their training and has a set routine will be a more confident and relaxed dog.

Get the timing right – Socialising is best done between 3 and 12 weeks of age. After about 18 weeks, this task becomes much harder. Don’t be put off if you adopt an older dog as contrary to popular belief, you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Dog Classes – These are ideal for socialising your pet and meeting other like-minded people. It’s a controlled environment and a little discipline never did any dog any harm. These classes will also get your dog used to other dogs should they ever need to stay at Dog Day Care Surrey. Contact Dog Day Care Surrey https://nestledownboardingkennels.co.uk/for more information.

For socialising with other dogs:

Give a treat – Man’s best friend loves a treat, so keep some to hand and every time you pal has a positive interaction with a dog, reward him with a treat. You can always adjust his mealtime intake to account for those extra treats.

Make a doggy date – Take your dog to the park where there’s sure to be plenty of other dogs, the pet shop or arrange a meet up with a friend who has a dog too.

Get the timing right – You’ll want any social interactions to last long enough to learn some doggy manners but not so long as to tire out your pet and end on a negative vibe.

Be careful – Use your judgement wisely when introducing dogs. A tiny chihuahua might not be the best playdate for a Great Dane for example. If you happen to notice stress signs from your dog, then do what’s best for them. These signs might include having their tail between their legs, yawning or heavy panting. Meeting others will get easier, but in the beginning, try to keep all meets short and sweet.