socialization with other dogs: how much is enough?
Though I'd ask this in its own thread rather than just add it to the socialization thread, since I wasn't sure people would see it there.
What's a good way to get socialization with more dogs (rather than just meeting people) once a dog is no longer a puppy? Is the dog park my only choice, and if I were going to a dog park (which I'm ambivelent about) how would I introduce a dog to the dog park?)
Oskar is six months old. He goes to a training class, but for now, we're the only ones in it, and even at the previous training class, there was very little greeting of other dogs, so I'm not sure how useful it was on the socialization thing (but better than nothing, for sure!). I'm worried that he's not meeting enough other dogs and this may cause problems later.
Up til now, he's gotten along well with other dogs for the most part. He plays with my female Shiba. He has a dog friend his size in my best friend's GSD and he gets along well with him. However, he doesn't see a lot of other dogs, except when we're walking in the neighborhood, and they are always rushing the fence at him. He gets VERY excited by this, and it looks more like he's playing...he's bounding and jumping and wagging his tail (the point being he doesn't look fearful or aggressive). He's met loose dogs while he was on the leash, and except for one that rushed us and was growling, he always is polite in his greetings.
I've even considered taking him to daycare, even though I don't really NEED it, but maybe it would be good for him to be with other dogs? I don't know if anyone would take him, though we did take a class at one daycare so they know him at least. But he is very large--80+ pounds and is unneutered. He also IS an Akita, and does have a tendency to stare....I'd be worried that a daycare wouldn't know how to deal with him, even though he's a pretty soft and gentle dog overall.
What do you all think? I will probably start a different training class in Jan., so he'll be around other dogs then (if I can find a decent clicker class around here other than the (good) trainer I'm working with now). Will that be enough?
What's a good way to get socialization with more dogs (rather than just meeting people) once a dog is no longer a puppy? Is the dog park my only choice, and if I were going to a dog park (which I'm ambivelent about) how would I introduce a dog to the dog park?)
Oskar is six months old. He goes to a training class, but for now, we're the only ones in it, and even at the previous training class, there was very little greeting of other dogs, so I'm not sure how useful it was on the socialization thing (but better than nothing, for sure!). I'm worried that he's not meeting enough other dogs and this may cause problems later.
Up til now, he's gotten along well with other dogs for the most part. He plays with my female Shiba. He has a dog friend his size in my best friend's GSD and he gets along well with him. However, he doesn't see a lot of other dogs, except when we're walking in the neighborhood, and they are always rushing the fence at him. He gets VERY excited by this, and it looks more like he's playing...he's bounding and jumping and wagging his tail (the point being he doesn't look fearful or aggressive). He's met loose dogs while he was on the leash, and except for one that rushed us and was growling, he always is polite in his greetings.
I've even considered taking him to daycare, even though I don't really NEED it, but maybe it would be good for him to be with other dogs? I don't know if anyone would take him, though we did take a class at one daycare so they know him at least. But he is very large--80+ pounds and is unneutered. He also IS an Akita, and does have a tendency to stare....I'd be worried that a daycare wouldn't know how to deal with him, even though he's a pretty soft and gentle dog overall.
What do you all think? I will probably start a different training class in Jan., so he'll be around other dogs then (if I can find a decent clicker class around here other than the (good) trainer I'm working with now). Will that be enough?
Comments
Another plus side to daycare is that it gets a puppy/dog accustomed to being handled by other people. On Mitsu's first day, she struggled anytime someone would try to leash her (let alone carry her - she would flip). Now she is much better about being handled, and there's one employee in particular that Mitsu allows to pick her up - which is very impressive! I am just about the only one who can carry her, except for this employee.
I was worried that the daycare wouldn't be able to handle Mitsu too because she's a drama queen, super high maintenance, and very vocal when she plays. I toured the facility and talked to the employees before I sent her, and the deciding factor for me was that they were familiar with shibas (in fact, they have two regular shibas who attend on the same day as Mitsu). I also liked that they make everyone commit to an 8-week session pack in order to establish a "pack" and keep everyone familiar. She had to go through two screenings - one with the employees, and one with the other dogs. They were very understanding of Mitsu's standoffish attitude and worked really slow with her for the first couple of sessions.
I'm not sure about being unneutered - at our daycare, all dogs need to be fixed at six months. Mitsu is a female so I had already planned on spaying her at six months - she's not quite 6 months yet but she's nearly there.
But do I think daycare is necessary? No, not really. I have been super crazy about other-dog socialization with Mitsu mainly because we will be adding to our pack again down the line, and I want as harmonious of a household as possible. But I do think it's good for dogs to have some free play that is not necessarily under the context of training, and I definitely don't think that there's such thing as too much positive socialization (though sometimes I wish Mitsu was a little less excited by the prospect of meeting people, haha).