Reviewed by Dr Abbie Lam DVM
Spending time with other pets and pet lovers can be a rewarding experience! Find out how to meet like-minded people and pets and the benefits.
Spending time with other pets and pet lovers can be a highly rewarding experience for both you and your dog or cat. Leading trainers, pet-friendly establishments and associations have offered their advice on how to socialise with your dog, as well as the benefits for both you and your dog. Meet some fellow four-legged friends – and their owners – with these social ideas.
Start with training
Dogs are intelligent and highly social animals and are happiest interacting with people and dogs. Mixing with other dogs and pet lovers is the best way to give your dog the positive social experiences they crave.
They suggest a not-for-profit dog-training club as a great place to start. They’ll teach you how to understand dog behaviour and train your dog in basic good manners with people and other dogs. Then you and your dog will be ready to socialise in the wider world.
There are some websites or social groups run by local residents that provide free information, directions and maps for all the best dog-walking spots in your local area. These may also organises weekly social walks where you can meet more dog friends.
The benefit: Once your dog is trained, you can be confident that they will cope with various situations when you take them out and about. Having a well-socialised dog that is calm with people and other dogs means you don’t have to be anxious while taking your dog out and about, and you will gain more confidence that your dog will cope with any situation.
Provide a structured environment
Dog parks and off-leash areas are not the best places to start initially as they can be overwhelming for a dog that hasn’t yet been properly socialised. Puppy pre-schools are carefully managed environments that set dogs up for success. Once your dog is socialised, another great place to meet dogs and fellow pet lovers are at dog sports such as Agility, Rally Obedience or Fly Ball.
You may also consider enrolling your dog to a training school. They provide classes for every stage in a dog’s life, with special sessions for rescue dogs, as well as in-home consultations. Dogs are taught a variety of essential obedience, tricks and agility.
The benefit: Socialising dogs equips you with the skills you both need to respond positively in any situation. This means you’ll be able to Go on a long trip or even a holiday knowing that your dog will be comfortable and well at home. Well-socialised dogs also recover more quickly if something scares them and can deal with new situations and stimuli.
Find a fur-friendly café nearby
It’s important to introduce your dog to a wide variety of situations, people and animals when they are still young. Puppies tend to adapt to new experiences more easily than older dogs.
The benefit: Socialising with your dog is a great way to meet like-minded people. By taking your dog to the park and dog-friendly cafes, you are more likely to meet people who love and care for dogs as much as you do.
Enjoy some fresh air together
Walking with your dog is the ideal way to experience the beautiful surroundings of nature and enjoy the great outdoors. Your dog will love the different sights, sounds and smells of the natural environment. As the seasons change, there’s always something new for you both to discover. This activity will improve the physical and mental well-being of you and your dog. As dogs love the outdoor environment, parks are ideal places for a spot of socialisation
The benefit: The benefits of bringing along your pooch on your outing means you’ll be socialising with like-minded people who will love your pooch as much as you do. It’s a great conversation starter and stories of puppy mishaps and funny behaviours are great icebreakers.
Setting them up to succeed
Supervised socialisation with one other puppy or dog of a similar temperament and size is highly beneficial for your pet. Puppy socialisation programs can be another great resource for introducing puppies in a group situation, as long as the group is small and is conducted by a qualified professional to ensure that it is a positive experience for all the puppies.
Learning about your puppy’s body language is also vitally important. It can help you understand how they are feeling and therefore, you may be able to intervene before a stressful event. This can help ensure that interactions remain safe and positive for all puppies.
The benefit: The better socialised your dog is, the calmer and more balanced their temperament is likely to be. If your dog has positive socialising experiences with you, it establishes a trusting bond and close communication between you two, which leads to a harmonious life creating special memories together.
Explore new terrain
If you’re a Sydneysider, the Glebe Foreshore is one of Sydney’s best dog-friendly walking areas. The well-maintained walkway takes you through a great variety of beaches, grass clearings and bushy areas for dogs to romp and play. Dogs are allowed to be off-leash most of the way, but the correct supervision is essential. Be mindful of where your dog is at all times.
If you live outside Sydney, try to find a walkway with similar diversity so your dog can explore new environments and meet other well-socialised dogs.
The benefit: Humans and dogs are both social species and thrive in an environment where they have companions. Socialising with your dog enables both humans and dogs to engage with other humans and dogs – the humans have conversations with other dog owners and the dogs also make friends from both species. Lastly, make sure your pet is up to date with their parasite prevention before they go out socialising. If you’re travelling with your pet to playdates, check out our guide to travelling with your pet.
