Too much socialization

BellaLuna · 01-28-2013, 08:29 PM

Hi I kind of have a stupid Question for you all? Is there such a thing off too much socialization for a dog ? My dog Bella normally sweet and kind to all other dogs but for some reason the last 2 dogs she has met she growls at and that's not like her at all. I mean they are a bit overbearing and are constantly in her face and she's very mellow , so my question is over the last 3 days she has met 6 dogs while in our neighborhood could I be overwhelming her or what could it be. Or is the answer simple not all dogs like each other for no reason at all. Thank you!

hunterisgreat · 01-28-2013, 08:31 PM

No. Do you like 100% of the people you meet?

**MaggieRoseLee** · 01-28-2013, 08:38 PM

My dogs don't have to like all other dogs, but they need to be 'polite' and that means no growling. If the other dogs are too much and over exuberant, then its my job to keep them off my dogs, sometimes it just means I need to step between the dogs to break the moment up.

**Cassidy's Mom** · 01-28-2013, 08:40 PM

I agree with Hunter - I wouldn't expect my dogs to like every other dog they meet any more than I like every person they meet.

The simple answer to your question about socialization is yes and no.

I personally don't think there's such a thing as too much socialization of the right kind. If she's not having positive experiences, then it's not the right kind. If she's happy and having fun, that is the right kind of socialization, if she's stressed and overwhelmed that would not be.

Socialization is about exposing her to new people/places/things, new environments, new situations. She doesn't necessarily need to interact with all these new things to be exposed to them, and to benefit from that exposure.

Freestep · 01-29-2013, 10:57 AM

I don't think you can have too much socializing, assuming the experiences are positive. I wouldn't force a dog to interact with other dogs if she doesn't like them, though. You can't just throw her into, say, a dog park and ignore her--many GSDs are not especially interested in dog parks or daycare situations where there are a lot of other dogs around. You want the experience to be controlled, and don't pressure her. Let her take things at her own pace. A lot has to do with the age of the dog, too.

BellaLuna · 01-29-2013, 11:40 AM

Thank you all very much

I will take what you all said and definitely try to incorporate it..

TxFig · 01-30-2013, 04:10 PM

+1. The answer is "no", there is no such thing as "too much socialization".

01-28-2013, 08:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
BellaLuna Master Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Port Saint Lucie ,FL Posts: 567	Too much socialization Hi I kind of have a stupid Question for you all? Is there such a thing off too much socialization for a dog ? My dog Bella normally sweet and kind to all other dogs but for some reason the last 2 dogs she has met she growls at and that's not like her at all. I mean they are a bit overbearing and are constantly in her face and she's very mellow , so my question is over the last 3 days she has met 6 dogs while in our neighborhood could I be overwhelming her or what could it be. Or is the answer simple not all dogs like each other for no reason at all. Thank you!

01-28-2013, 08:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
hunterisgreat Knighted Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 2,383	No. Do you like 100% of the people you meet? __________________ Hunter, USA trial helper, Charleston Working Dog Club Training Helper Beschützer des Jägers v. Sportwaffen, HOT, IPO1, AD, CGC Katya v. Hügelblick, HOT, IPO2, CGC SG Aska v. Ketscher Wald, 2 x SchH3, Kkl 1

01-28-2013, 08:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 24,183	My dogs don't have to like all other dogs, but they need to be 'polite' and that means no growling. If the other dogs are too much and over exuberant, then its my job to keep them off my dogs, sometimes it just means I need to step between the dogs to break the moment up. __________________ MACH3 Bretta Lee Wildhaus MXG MJG MXF MFB TQX HIT CGC TC Glory B Wildhaus AX, AXJ, XF "*It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."* - Oscar Wilde

01-28-2013, 08:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 27,395	I agree with Hunter - I wouldn't expect my dogs to like every other dog they meet any more than I like every person they meet. The simple answer to your question about socialization is yes and no. I personally don't think there's such a thing as too much socialization of the right kind. If she's not having positive experiences, then it's not the right kind. If she's happy and having fun, that is the right kind of socialization, if she's stressed and overwhelmed that would not be. Socialization is about exposing her to new people/places/things, new environments, new situations. She doesn't necessarily need to interact with all these new things to be exposed to them, and to benefit from that exposure. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 FDCh-G TF-III Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

01-29-2013, 10:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
Freestep Crowned Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,154	I don't think you can have too much socializing, assuming the experiences are positive. I wouldn't force a dog to interact with other dogs if she doesn't like them, though. You can't just throw her into, say, a dog park and ignore her--many GSDs are not especially interested in dog parks or daycare situations where there are a lot of other dogs around. You want the experience to be controlled, and don't pressure her. Let her take things at her own pace. A lot has to do with the age of the dog, too.

01-29-2013, 11:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
BellaLuna Master Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Port Saint Lucie ,FL Posts: 567	Thank you all very much I will take what you all said and definitely try to incorporate it..

01-30-2013, 04:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
TxFig Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Bryan, TX Posts: 78	+1. The answer is "no", there is no such thing as "too much socialization".

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