Socializing - how to??

[gjp]

Posted - 10/23/2003 : 07:49:47
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is the best way to get your dog to be around other dogs? We adopted a 2/3 yr old Cocker Spaniel (female) she is spayed. While she was in a shelter for 10 days they said she was locked in with other dogs and mostly just sat in the corner. She is only about 18/20 lbs. I brought her to my brothers house and introduced her to his 2 ****zhu's. One ingnorned my dog the other just started sniffing her and my dog started barking. Last night we took her to a pet store and same thing, when dogs would start going near her she would bark ans moan (we have had her about a month and half and the only (I do mean only time she has ever barked was while other dogs were present. She is a very vocal dog but mostly whinning and moaning).

We really want her socialized, there is a dog park in our town that is seperated in 2 groups (small & large). We are going to take here there but I am sure the same thing will happen.

Any advice would ber really appreciated

Thanks

[Dawn]

Do you know anyone that has a calm dog that is near her size or a bit smaller? Have them meet you somewhere that is neutral ground to both dogs. Then get down on the ground with the dogs and introduce them slowly. Have you taught her "no" or "quiet" yet? It would probably be a good idea to do that before hand. Bring treats to give to both dogs when they are quiet and calm. The petstore was probably just a sensory overload for her. The two little dogs might have been too small and too much energy bounding around. Seeing as she is a cocker, her behaviour is probably to a certain extent being protective over you. This is where you need a comand to tell her that everything's alright. That's what we use with our dogs when they hear something and start barking. We go look at what it is. Then if everything's alright, we tell them "it's alright." Then they stop barking. That takes a lot of time to teach though. Just continue to reasure her that the other dog's not going to hurt you.

[gjp]

I took her to the dog park on Fri, Sat and Sun. I think she did fine, my wife thinks she doesn't like it. It is hard to tell. On Friday when we got to the park there is was only 1 other dog (in the small dog pen)a male min poodle. She seemed to do fine. He kept snifing her and she would just keep walking away. She seemed to really like walking aorund and sniffing. Then 2 more dogs showed up and she just ignored them at first and started to run around with them. On Sat we got to the park there were 3 dogs there and she did fine. Eventually there were like 12 - 15 dogs there. She mixed it up with some of them (just chasing and barking type of stuff) There was a JRT just running around playing and barking and our dog was yapping the whole time, maybe the loudest there (she is only 16lbs). Running up to dogs barking her head off, my thing is while she is barking and looks like she hates it, her tail is waging 100 miles and hour. On Sunday she was the only dog there for about 20 min, then about 4 or 5 showed up gradually. She was fine with some, basically ignored and with others she would get right in their face and bark repeatedly, that is when my wife says she is not happy and does not like it there. She has never been aggressive with any of the dogs but does get in there face and bark like a maniac. Again while she is barking her tail never stops wagging.

So what are people's thoughts? My wife says I just want her to like it so I think she likes it while She thinks are dog hates it there.

any thoughts?? thanks

[fullhouse9873]

Sounds to me like she likes it. Our 4 year old dog goes nuts barking when he's with other dogs. He especially likes to play rough with my sister's dog. There's all sorts of barking and growling going on - but when I break it up - they give me a look like I'm spoiling all their fun. If one of them gets too rough - the other yelps and they stop - so I know they're only playing. Some dogs just have different ways of showing excitement.

[lou3]

Barking isnt necessarily a bad sign, my spaniel is very vocal when she's playing. If she is showing her teeth, lunging, biting or hiding behind you then she has a problem, but just barking and play-growling is 100% normal.
Lou

[Lou]

The more exposure, the better. If anyone who didn't know Freckles and her female buddy, Shelby they would think blood was flowing! (Border collie mix and a small black lab female)... what a couple of clowns when they are together. The sounds are scary! Love each other. When I cross a certain street Freckles knows where she is headed and you never heard such squealing and whining until we get there... so excited. It reminds me of two old crotchety men who love each other but the only form of affection is a poke, a sock in the arm or throwing insults... you can sense there is no real anamosity. Same with the pooches. That tail wag is a real good indication all is well. When ears go back and tail gets tucked then I would sense all is not well. Socializing from the very start is very important.