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An expert's guide to socialising your dog

01st October 2024

Just like us, puppies need to be carefully prepared to face the world around them. Sounds, smells, new experiences and meeting friends can be daunting if they’re not exposed to them at the right time and in the right way.

Friend of Goodwoof, Steve Mann, has worked with dogs for more than three decades. He’s a trainer and behavioural expert and founder of The Institute of Modern Dog Trainer (IMDT), a training school with centres in the UK, Australia, China and South Africa. IMDT focuses on ethical, science-backed teaching which puts the wellbeing of the dog and the relationship with their owner at the core. He’s written several books on our canine companions, including his latest Another Day, Another Collar: Confessions of a Dog Trainer and has a wealth of experience that he’s imparted around the world.

Here, Steve shares his expertise on socialising your dog, when to do it and some of the common mistakes to avoid.

What is dog socialisation?

Some people make a mistake and think that socialisation is just putting your puppy in amongst other puppies and letting chaos ensue and that really isn't it! Socialising, or as I refer to it as ‘building emotional intelligence’, is helping your puppy and future dog become as robust and well-rounded as possible and to learn to cope with the restrictions they will face in life. It means doing everything you can to help them learn to cope with living in the human world and to have a graded response to everyday stressors. In a nutshell, socialising is about learning to cope, to overcome, to forgive, and to go again.

Why is dog socialising important?

If a dog isn't well socialised and hasn’t had a well-rounded exposure, then we risk problems such as nervousness, aggression and over reactivity. If we had socialised the dog at the right stage, then these issues could be overcome in a matter of minutes. For instance, if they’ve been exposed to a bike or a pram then seeing something like a skateboard later in life won’t feel alien to them. However, not doing this can result in months of rehab work to unwind their reaction or behaviour. Socialising in the right way at the right time essentially enables dogs to live their best life and therefore the owners can as well. If not, then the dog will never be as happy as they potentially could have been.

When should you start socialising your dog?

Ideally, before the critical period (sometimes called the sensitive period) of 13 weeks is over. This is the time when you should be exposing your puppy to as many different sights, sounds, smells, textures and environments as possible. This window can go on past those 13 weeks – it’s not finite. That said, up until about the age of 13 weeks, the puppy is more curious than cautious. Because of that curiosity they might see something they consider weird, like a skateboard or a hoover, and they'll go over and check it out only to realize it's not scary. After that 13-week window, if they’ve not been socialised, then they may see something new and their first thought is ‘well, that's scary’ and react negatively. Socialising puppies young helps to teach them that ‘weird’ isn’t always scary.

Can you over-socialise your dog?

Quality does beat quantity when it comes to socialising your puppy. While it’s important to expose them to a variety of experiences, doing this for hours or too much will diminish your return and you’ll have a very tired puppy. What might start as being interesting and exciting could turn into annoyance, frustration or boredom and ultimately a negative experience for your dog. It's important to read the puppy’s body language, build in frequent breaks and make sure that there's plenty of nap time.

Top tips for socialising your dog:

Start them young: Some people hear from the vet that their dog shouldn't go out until they've had both vaccinations and that may mean the puppy is then 16/17 weeks old. It is ok to carefully take your puppy out well before this age, so holding him/her, going out in the car so they can experience new sounds or having friends over to visit. Always ensure your dog is safe and not exposed to anything dangerous.

Have a plan: Don’t try to do too much or attempt to work with an overtired puppy. Instead, have a list of what you’d like to tick off each day. It could be meeting a friend, seeing a scooter or a bike for the first time or going out in the rain. Take a look at my book Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy: The UK’s No. 1 Dog Training Book for a helpful checklist.

Don’t forget different environments: Exposing your puppy to different environments is key. For instance, taking them outside when it’s dark is a very different experience than going out during the day. They’ll be exposed to different noises, feelings, temperature and so on, so it’s important to get them used to both.

Mix up fun with normality: Some owners feel that everything for a puppy has to be fun and exciting but not everything has to have high levels of arousal for your dog. It’s also important to not overshadow every experience with too much food. Make sure your pup has ample opportunity to pause and take in the environment, not just the treats.

Don’t have a tight lead on your dog: People often want to encourage their puppy to go somewhere and expose them to something new, but if their lead is too tight it can be a stressor. Imagine being pushed into a room; you’ll want to escape the room, you’ll feel bad about the room and the person pushing you into it and the trust will be gone. It’s the same with dogs. Instead, go at your dog’s pace and have a slack lead, where possible.

Read your dog’s body language: If they’re apprehensive, show that you’re with them, take breaks and don’t push it.

Is it possible to socialise an older dog?

Without a doubt, it’s better to do it when they’re puppies as they’re little sponges. When a dog is a bit older, they have built their own views on what’s safe and what’s not and that’s really the foundation of what socialising is. We can make improvements forever with any of our dogs, regardless of age and what we need is empathy and to read our dog’s body language in order that we can put that empathy to good use. Every single dog, like every human, is a work in progress so we can always help a dog feel more comfortable next week than they did last week.

When would you advise a dog owner to seek the help of a professional?

Prevention is so much better than cure. Dog trainers are experts and a really solid investment to ensure you're on the right track – even one session can teach you something important to help prevent an unnecessary situation that’ll cost you ten sessions to undo. Training is also a very good social opportunity for you and your puppy, enabling you to meet other owners and share your experiences.

Check out Steve's latest book Another Day, Another Collar available to purchase here.

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