How to Socialize Your Dog

Socializing your dog is not as simple as just exposing your dog to new things, people, or places. We need to be thoughtful and consider the dog in front of us. Taking your dog to many places and stores can be detrimental to some dogs, especially if the event is overwhelming and extremely stressful. One of my favorite analogies is if you are afraid of spiders, and I put you in a closet full of spiders, do you think that would help alleviate your fear of spiders? Very likely not.

Depending on the dog, one of our group classes can help socialize your dog while also teaching a new skill. For some dogs, a group class may be too much to start with so we would work towards being comfortable in a group class setting. It always depends upon the dog. If you are unsure how to socialize your dog, we can design a plan for you and your dog to work toward having a dog that is comfortable in their world.

If your dog is comfortable and well-behaved, here is a list of pet-friendly stores in downtown Fort Collins.