It can be confusing when a puppy that has been exposed to plenty of dogs, people, and new places starts to develop reactive behaviors. After all, socialization is supposed to help prevent reactive behaviors from developing. So why do some dogs become more reactive after being taken out in public? In this blog, we’ll explore the question, “Can socialization make my puppy reactive?”. We’ll explore this by discussing several factors that can influence reactive behavior.
Socialization vs exposure
One factor that can increase reactive behaviors is when exposing a puppy to many different environments, but having negative experiences instead of positive ones. When socializing a puppy, it’s important that they enjoy themselves. If a puppy is avoidant or forced into a situation, then the experience can be harmful and make them more wary of strangers. For example, if your puppy regularly goes out to the dog park and they run away or hide whenever a dog greets them, they are not going to develop good social skills.
So how do we provide a positive experience? You can give your puppy some kibble or a treat whenever they meet a new person or dog. It is very important that a puppy meets many different people and pets when they are between the ages of 8-12 weeks. This is because the best socialization window for a puppy is from 3-12 weeks; however, most people do not get their puppy until they are 8 weeks old, when they are ready to be weaned. Keep introducing your puppy to the people, pets, and situations you want them to be comfortable with as an adult dog, especially other dogs, men, women, and children, even after the 12-week socialization period. For more information, you can check out our video on socializing a new puppy, presented by our co–founder and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Sean Savage.
Exposure through new experiences
When socializing your puppy, you should explore new places so that your puppy is exposed to a wide variety of people. This will help your puppy feel comfortable around people of different ages and appearances including:
- People with beards
- People with no facial hair
- Short people
- Tall people
- Children
- Older people
- People with hats
- Loud people
- Quiet people
Your dog should also meet a variety of different dogs to help develop socialization skills. If your puppy is fully vaccinated, consider taking them to a dog park. This is a great way to interact and play with a wide range of dogs.
Early environments can shape reactivity behaviors
Now that we have discussed taking a puppy out in public to develop socialization skills, we should cover socialization in their early life and at home. A puppy that spends time in a social environment during their first 3–12 weeks is less likely to develop reactive behaviors.
Abuse or neglect can contribute to reactivity, but they are not common causes. It’s more often that reactivity develops when a puppy’s early environment doesn’t provide proper socialization opportunities.
It’s important that the puppy stays with the litter until they are around 8-9 weeks old. They should ideally be raised indoors where they can observe and hear everyday sounds and interact with multiple family members and pets regularly. You should continue to provide socialization opportunities throughout a dog’s adolescent period (6-18 months) and early adulthood (12-24 months).
Dog breeds and genetics
Certain dog breeds are more likely to develop reactive behaviors. This is likely because of the roles they were bred for and their early domestication. For example, herding breeds, including German Shepherds and Australian Cattle Dogs, and toy breeds, such as Chihuahuas and Jack Russells, are more likely to develop reactivity behaviors.
Some dogs are more likely than others to develop reactivity because of their parents’ temperament or their natural disposition. You should note if your puppy’s parents like to greet strangers and interact with other dogs. As this can provide clues to your puppy’s development.
How to safely socialize if your puppy isn’t fully vaccinated
If your puppy isn’t fully vaccinated, it’s important to have minimal exposure to any unknown dogs. You should keep your puppy on concrete surfaces instead of grass in public parks. This can help prevent your puppy from chewing, eating, or picking up anything. You should also wipe your puppy’s paws when they are ready to leave. When visiting stores, keep your puppy inside a shopping cart so they don’t touch the ground, and have a puppy towel available for them to lie on. You can organize private puppy meetups with dogs who know are fully vaccinated.
We are here to help
Would you like more information on how to treat a puppy’s reactivity? Beyond the Dog Sarasota provides free consultations with our Pet Behavior Team. We use classical conditioning to form positive associations with the stimulus that triggers reactivity. As these positive associations are developed, their motivation to react aggressively or fearfully decreases. This will lead to less reactive behavior over time.
Co-founded by Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), our programs are supported by her decades of hands-on experience and research into canine behavior. All of our training sessions are conducted one-on-one in your home or local Sarasota neighborhood. We also offer virtual training programs and board and train programs to address reactive behaviors.
