Socialization scavenger hunt
March 17, 2011, By Gillian Ridgeway, ARTICLE, BEHAVIOUR, TRAINING
When we think of a scavenger hunt, we think of a game where people collect items, usually outdoors and over a wide area. Now, take that concept and apply it to socializing your puppy, and you have a game that’s fun for the whole family and should ensure you’ve done your best to get your pup out and about and secure in the world.
Sure, many new puppy parents understand that socializing their new charge is a primary concern and think they are doing the right thing. But walking your pup down the same street, to the same park, to meet the same group of neighbourhood dogs isn’t enough. While we never think we’ll move to a more densely populated area, or live on a busier street, or have to take our dog on public transit, life has a funny way with its twists and turns. Dogs that have had a lot of exposure to unusual circumstances during their formative weeks tend to go with the flow more easily later on.
Making a plan
With this in mind, let’s play socialization scavenger hunt with our pups. To do this, you’ll need to construct a plan that incorporates as many unusual people, objects and scenarios your imagination can muster up and your neighbourhood can provide. (Before embarking on your hunt, check with your veterinarian that your pup’s vaccinations are up to date.)
Make a list to chart your progress. Mark all your goals in the first column and put three date columns beside it. Start your list with some obvious choices, then get creative. Keeping in mind that most of my clients live in a large metropolitan area, my list is as follows:
Your pup should
•go for 3 car rides;
•have a bath just for the fun of it;
•meet a senior citizen, or a man with a beard;
•meet someone using a wheelchair or cane;
•visit a local garden centre or hardware warehouse… or both;
•pop in for a visit to your veterinarian, just for a pat from someone in the reception area;
•visit two friends at their homes;
•take three biscuits from three school-aged children of various ages;
•ride the transit system;
•hear the vacuum cleaner and blender being used;
•while on a leash, meet a domestic pet such as a cat or rabbit. Of course, safety first for everyone;
•be driven to a different area of your city or town once a week, and walk among the streets and parks there;
•be left for one hour with a reliable friend.
You must always consider safety first. Provide the treats for your puppy and supply them to any friends, children and strangers you’re including in your plan. When driving your pup in the car, use a crate. Make sure all children are accompanied by a parent. These are just a few examples of what to socialize your pup to.
All things strange
You can also use your home to increase your puppy’s awareness of “all things strange.” You can do environment-awareness exercises yourself or with the help of family and friends. Put on a large hat. How about glasses? It’s important to get your puppy used to as much as possible. Children can be masters of disguise and silly walks. Use your imagination, but don’t scare your puppy. Your goal is to have him feel comfortable in these circumstances.
Add various surfaces and objects to your scavenger hunt list. Many pups are exposed to only carpet and tile indoors, and grass outside. Try getting him onto concrete, vinyl, scrunched up paper, stones, a sandy beach and rougher terrain. Even his toys should vary in size, shape and texture.
Now, what should you do if your puppy doesn’t take to our scavenger hunt as well as you’d like? It’s usually just a matter of pairing the strange thing with something good. If your pup backs away from anything, don’t force the issue. Instead, let your pup observe what he’s worried about from afar. While he’s looking at what is disturbing him, give him a treat or special toy. You’ll soon see him relax. You can try again on a different day with the same item or scenario. Take your time; it’s important to build up trust in your puppy. If he is still nervous, let him observe from further away.
Let’s take the blender or vacuum as an example. Both make a loud noise. Put your puppy a distance away, even in an adjoining room. Turn the blender on for a second, then feed your pup. Systematically desensitize him to the sound by bringing him closer over time, and putting the blender on for a few seconds longer. This can be done for most of the scenarios, with the key being to take your time. Although it seems that we are teaching him to tolerate the blender or vacuum cleaner noise, the lesson extends to any loud or unusual noise. He will tend not to panic as much as an adult if he has been exposed as a youngster.
Adding people
When it comes to adding people to your list, it’s important to incorporate children, men with hats and people using canes and walkers into your plan. Scavenger hunt means that you have to hunt out the people and situations you need.
Arm yourself with your pup’s favourite toys and treats.
Keep your pup on a leash, and have him sit. Don’t overwhelm him – it’s best to seek out one or two children initially, to see how he reacts. If he’s nervous, create distance, and reward him for just watching the children.
Adults can present a problem. If your pup is nervous around strangers, you need to be an ambassador for your pup. Many people will try to get closer, saying, “Dogs like me.” In fact, they can become insulted if your pup doesn’t come running toward them. Once again, let your pup take his time. Ask your helper to remain still and let the pup approach when he’s comfortable. It will work out best in the long run if he’s allowed to discover that people are friendly on his own terms, rather than being pushed too quickly. Give the reward to your pup yourself, rather than have it come from the stranger.
If you’re having a particularly difficult time, toss small treats close to your pup so he’s not under pressure to be social. It will still show him that when he sees something odd, good things happen for him.
And, although this is best done with younger pups, dogs of any age can benefit. My wonderful Pyrenean Shepherd, ‘Noah,’ came to me with a few fears and concerns of his own. It took five or six months of creating odd scenarios and seeking out loud and unusual noises (with many days spent in front of a grocery store, feeding him while the shopping carts rattled by). This may seem like a long time, but it went by fairly quickly and now I have a happy, secure, loving dog that’s able to travel and perform. It was easily worth the effort, and worked like a charm.
Before you know it, you will have created a secure adult dog, one that doesn’t panic when something or someone is unusual. This lesson will be worth its weight in gold moving forward with your puppy into adulthood, and all your extra effort will pay off
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