Dog Lover Tip of the Week: The Importance of Socialization;-)

While I was walking an adolescent dog for a new client this week, the dog eyed a mailman and started barking and growling irrationally.  This is very common behavior for a dog that is not properly socialized.  How many times have you heard your neighbor’s dog bark and carry on because the mailman is at the front door or near their home?

One of best training tips every dog owner should know is the importance of socializing your dog as much as possible and with as many strangers as possible.   The people who come to your home everyday to deliver the mail, packages, dry cleaning and groceries are strangers to your dog and they require an introduction.  When a stranger approaches the house to leave something at your door without ever actually meeting your dog, it creates a situation where your dog thinks that the person is an intruder and he or she will become territorial.  Just a few introductions between your dog and your regular delivery people will alleviate years of daily barking and stress for you and your dog.  The introduction will also help decrease the chance that your dog will try to nip at a delivery person.  This is especially important if you have a large dog.

It only takes a few minutes to introduce your dog to the mail person.  The best way to go about this is to hand the mail person a treat or some kibble.  Then have the mail person give your dog the command to sit.  Once your dog comes to a full sitting position, then ask the mail person to give your dog the treat.  Repeat this at least five or more times.  The more repetition, the better the results will be.  It is amazing how a simple introduction like this works.  In 2013, there were 5,900 mail carriers bitten by a dog across the United States.   Most, if not all of these incidents probably could have been prevented if the dogs had been properly socialized and introduced to the mail carriers.

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For information about our services please call or email:

Will Matthews @ (339) 222-1451

Email:   will@domesticateddogwalkers.com