Introducing Pack Leader Noah and a Quick Rundown of the Four Pillars of Socializing Dogs
In the newest video from Everyday Animals, pack leader Noah takes us through the ins and out of socialization and obedience in dog training. On the Everyday Animals YouTube channel, Noah is all about the motto “we make pet life easier.” He discusses why obedience training for your dog is essential and expounds on the role of socialization in said training. Addressing socializing, Noah the pack leader, answers the question that is on everyone’s mind “is socializing dogs playing?” Socializing dogs is most definitely playing.
Mainly, socializing is important for dogs to “figure each other out,” that is, for them to get to know each other and their own personalities. When they interact with each other, that is how they figure things out, which can be achieved by play and “roughhousing.” Some of the key takeaways from this segment are that dogs are always socializing with other dogs through play, and that can lead to “reactivity on the leash.” This reaction is due in part to dogs associating other dogs with “play,” “excitement” and “hyperactivity,” and not because they want to do something bad when reacting on the leash. Now dogs that are always “chill” in their environment and not usually around other dogs may get really excited when they see other dogs on their walk and immediately associate this with “rowdy time.”
This usually makes them want to “engage” and play. Even at fifty feet away, they want to interact with other dogs. When Noah is socializing dogs, he lets them play with other dogs, but also gives them plenty of down time so that they can chill. Noah points out that it may look like there is not much going on in the way of socialization, when the dogs are just laying around with one another and not doing anything. However, letting the dogs just chill out and relax with one another is really important for them to figure each other by learning how “to just share space,” which is crucial. Noah’s technique is to let them interact with other dogs, so that they may learn how to engage with one another through roughhousing and playing. That way the dogs do not feel compelled to have to constantly engage with other dogs. They need their down time so as that they can find their bearings around one another. It is important to teach the dogs how to “wind down” before their walk, which serves to “regulate their nervous system” so that they are still chill and relaxed when they are taken out. This goes a long way to socialize dogs. Socializing is not just about play, it is about spending time relaxing and just chilling and learning how to do this with other dogs. h
Here is an example of Beans learning how to just “shake it off” when he plays. Just allowing your dogs to relax and chill is so important and goes a long way to socialize them. When working with dogs, four things have stood out for Noah and those are “Clarity, consistency, patience and follow through.” Clarity is saying things that come across clearly to your dog so as to avoid miscommunication, and to convey exactly what you want or do not want from your dog. Consistency in terms of the rules that you make for your dog, which is important for them “to make sense of the world.” You really have to be consistent with your dog when laying out what you want or do not want them to do. Patience with your dog is key. Having patience with your dog while they learn and more importantly with yourself, is important. That is the way for them to learn properly. Lastly, follow through is important when asking your dog to do something. You have to make sure your dog does what you ask of them by the end of the exercise. Noah explains that follow through defines the relationship that you have with your dog. You have to reinforce their positive behavior and let them know if they did it badly. Lastly, it is important to note that “Anger, frustration, volatility and unpredictability” are things that make a dog’s emotional state very sensitive. This is important when you are getting information across to your dog while training and listening. These four things will compromise what you are trying to convey to your dog and ultimately their trust in you.