Hello, this is Human Bear. Many people say that they are worried because their child is not socialized well, and the most common question they ask while consulting or just using a care hotel is that they are worried. To conclude, missing the socialization period does not mean it is over. Also, I specialize in this field of socialization, especially for abandoned dogs. 🙂 Trust me! Haha
But in fact, among the misunderstandings about socialization, some children are not afraid of meeting dogs, but there are quite a few cases where guardians are unable to distinguish between lack of interest and genuine fear. If you check your child’s body stiffness or excitement by measuring their heart rate, you will find that there are actually quite a few friends who are just not interested in meeting a dog. This is because it is just annoying rather than scary, or because it is comfortable and accustomed to relying on the guardian rather than dealing with the dog alone. In fact, any situation can slowly improve over time. However, taking your child out everywhere and meeting him/her a lot like you did with Puppy can actually make your child more sensitive.
In this article, I will outline 1) realistic goals for late socialization, 2) mistakes you should never make, and 3) a training sequence that you can start right away at home and on walks
Summary
Even puppies who have missed the socialization period can improve. However, the goal is closer to “creating a state of being less anxious and broken” rather than “becoming friends with anyone.” Simply put, it means remaining calm and unperturbed even when other dogs are next to it.
The key is not to meet many people, but to repeat good experiences at a distance that does not cause reactions
If there is growling, snapping, biting, or severe avoidance, safety management and counseling may be needed before training.
Puppies who missed their socialization period, is it really too late?
Many guardians ask, “I didn’t properly socialize my puppy, so isn’t that over now?”
But in reality it’s not that simple. It is true that during the puppy period, there is a period when the puppy accepts new stimuli relatively quickly, and if you use that period well, life afterward will be much easier.
This does not mean that a puppy who misses that period cannot learn anything. It is closer to meaning that the learning method, speed, and goal must change.
If the puppy’s socialization goal was “experiencing the world broadly,” the adult dog’s socialization goal is a little different.
- Less breakdown in front of unfamiliar stimuli
- Be able to focus again on the caregiver
- Calmly moving through uncomfortable situations instead of avoiding them or enduring them
- Recovering stability in predictable routines
In other words, the goal of late socialization is closer to security and resilience than to “sociability.”
Common signs seen in dogs with delayed socialization
Lack of socialization is not just a matter of not liking friends. It often looks like the one below.
1. Freezes or barks when seeing strangers
Some children hide behind when they see someone for the first time, or on the contrary, bark first and try to push them away. Even though they appear strong on the outside, they are often very anxious in reality.
2. Gets overly excited or avoids seeing other dogs
Trying to be friendly unconditionally and, conversely, being rigid from a distance both need to be checked. Rather than having good social skills, it may be difficult to control your emotions.
3. Particularly sensitive when walking
There are children who are fine at home, but when they go outside, they cannot eat snacks and continue to react to sounds, people, bicycles, or other dogs. In this case, the burden of environmental stimulation should be considered first rather than socialization.
4. It’s okay with a guardian, but it breaks down when the distance increases
You need to check whether you are using the guardian as a safety base, or whether the guardian is also nervous.
The most common mistake: Thinking that it will be okay if you meet a lot
The most common mistake made by dogs who are slow to socialize is to say, “If they keep meeting each other, they will get used to it.”
So, some guardians make this choice.
- Forcing other dogs to greet you -> This is the worst.
- Have a scared person approach you with a treat
- Try to place the dog at a dog park or kindergarten to help it adapt ->It varies from case to case.
- Let them endure even if they bark and practice patience
The problem is that this method may feel like pressure rather than “adaptation” from the child’s perspective.
Even though it may seem like you are holding back on the outside, in reality, stress continues to build and the next reaction may become bigger.
Socialization is not about seeing a lot, but about having repeated experiences of feeling safe.
7 steps to socialize a puppy that missed its socialization period
From now on, I will explain in realistic steps that you can apply right away at home.
Step 1. Start by finding a distance where no reaction occurs
It is difficult to learn well in a situation where the opponent barks, freezes, and pulls as soon as he or she is seen.
The first thing to do is to find out “how much can you endure?” Start at a distance where you can eat a snack and hear the guardian even if you see a person or dog from a distance.
Step 2. Connect so that good things happen when you see it
The moment you see a person or dog, immediately connect them with a small treat or an easy action with the guardian.
The important thing is not to get close, but to create a pattern in which good things begin the moment you see them.
Step 3. Accumulating success experiences that are short and final
It is much better to succeed and finish for 10 seconds than to have to endure for 10 minutes.
Children who are delayed in socialization prefer “short-term success” rather than “long-term perseverance.”
Step 4. Adjusting the walking time and route
For a reactive child, managing the environment is half the battle.
- Avoid times when people and dogs gather
- Choose a path with wide visibility and room to avoid
- Shortly pass through high-pressure areas such as elevators, entrances, and narrow alleys
Step 5. Creating behaviors that return to the guardian
Requires easy alternative actions such as looking when your name is called, following your hand, moving to the mat, or making a U-turn.
What children who are well socialized have in common is not that they unconditionally like external stimulation, but they are able to return to their guardians when they are uncomfortable
Step 6. Create a safety base and relaxation routine at home
If you only train outside, you will get tired easily. You need to practice stability even at home.
- Create a mat or rest area in a quiet place
- Create a routine of continuous rest
- Allow time to calm down after excitement
- Prepare distance to avoid visitors
Step 7. Put actual contact last
The last step is direct greeting.
Many guardians reverse this order. However, for dogs with delayed socialization, “being comfortable from a distance” comes first rather than “getting closer.”
Human socialization and dog socialization should be viewed separately
If all socialization issues are lumped together, training can easily become difficult.
Puppy afraid of people
In this case, unfamiliar hands, gaze, bending down, and quick approaches can be a burden. Rather than forcefully stroking, distance where you don’t have to look, no one approaching, and a short and final experience
are important.
Puppy afraid of other dogs
You don’t need to be friendly with all dogs. Rather, it is much more realistic to set the goal as “a state that can be ignored and passed by.”
Puppies with more problems with sounds and environmental stimulation
Some children collapse faster due to motorcycles, bicycles, noises from children, narrow spaces, and slippery floors than to people or dogs. In these cases, environmental adaptation training takes priority over social skills.
What to do today, what to do tomorrow
What to do today
- Record where my dog breaks down
- Share what you react to the most: people, dogs, or sounds
- Find a place to have a snack while walking
- Start practicing name response, hand following, and mat movement around the house
Will do it tomorrow
- Take a short walk during times when there are fewer people and dogs
- Practice increasing distance before reaction increases
- Finish immediately at the successful section
- Stop unreasonable greetings, forceful approaches, and patience training
In these cases, it is safer to seek counseling first
- There are movements such as growling, teeth chattering, or biting
- There is a high risk of accidents because there are children in the house
- Because it is a large dog, it is difficult for the owner to physically control it
- The reaction during a walk is so big that it is difficult to go outside
- Suddenly you have become sensitive or have an area that you don’t like being touched
In these cases, it is not simply a lack of social skills, but pain, fear, unpredictability, and past experiences may all be intertwined. There are many cases where trying to solve a problem on your own makes things worse.
Consultation Information
If you are confused as to whether the problem of barking at people or dogs is simple excitement, lack of socialization, or a fear reaction, the quickest way is to check from the current reaction stage. If you already see warning signs, you may need counseling to correct your current distance and routine first rather than excessive exposure.
Checklist: How is my dog?
- I can’t even eat snacks when I see strangers
- When you see other dogs, your body becomes stiff or overexcited
- Especially sensitive only in certain sections while walking
- It’s fine at home, but it breaks down when I go out
- Small signs such as lip licking, eye avoidance, and body stiffening are often seen
- I kept exposing it to get used to it, but it actually got worse
If three or more apply, it is better to check for lack of socialization and environmental stress, rather than dismissing it as “that’s just my personality.”
FAQ
Q1. Is it really too late for a puppy who misses the socialization period?
No. However, rather than expanding quickly like in Puppy, we need to relearn it more slowly and from a safe distance.
Q2. Does it get better if you meet a lot of other dogs?
Every dog is different. A child who is highly reactive may actually become more sensitive. The important thing is not to meet a lot, but to repeat good experiences without breaking down.
Q3. Is socialization possible for adult dogs?
It is possible. However, it is more realistic to set the goal as “being able to pass, recover, and return to the guardian” rather than “become friends with everyone.”
Q4. Should I be scolded if I bark or growl?
Rather than scolding someone, it is important to distance yourself and see why that reaction occurred. Ignoring warning signs can lead to a bigger reaction.
Q5. Would kindergarten or group play help?
It may be helpful, but it depends on the child’s personality. For children who are late in socialization, especially those who are very excited or so scared that they fall into panic situations, a group environment can be a stimulus overload, so it is important to first evaluate their current response level. It is best to make a decision through consultation.
Finish
What a puppy that missed the socialization period needs is not more contact.
Brief repetition of good experiences at a distance that does not collapse. That is the most realistic and safest start.
If you stop being impatient and change the order, more children will get better than you think.
What our puppy needs now may not be “social training,” but rather an experience of feeling safe.
Please also read the following article.