Socializing small or nervous dogs: the Case of the Protected Pom
Misha was a model pet - a perfect little Pomeranian, adored by her owners. She was a great companion to her family and behaved well with visitors.
But when she was out on walks Misha’s world would turn upside down. The moment she spotted other dogs she would whine and whine. We found the root of the problem after taking a short walk with Misha and her owners. It was clear that they had always been very protective of her, quite likely because of her small size, and as a result had limited her socialization with other dogs. Because of that, Misha feared other dogs so much that she became very anxious in their company. Hence her whining.
It was important for Misha that she interacted easily with her own kind. The solution was a fairly simple one, but required a few patient steps
- 1. We scheduled play sessions with other dogs, starting with trustworthy and friendly dogs of a similar size to Misha.
- 2. We let Misha greet other dogs on walks and, so we didn’t reinforce her behavior, we didn’t pick her up when she whined or fussed. If the other dog appeared to be a risk or seems unnerved by Misha's whining (she didn't stop right away), then we would skip that meeting.
NOTE: When you see other dogs and want to socialize, it is important to first ask if it is ok that your two dogs greet. This is simply a matter of asking the passing dog owner "Can they say hello?"
- 3. We remained calm and in control when the two dogs interacted. Dogs look to their pack leader for guidance. If the leader is nervous then the dog will pick up on this and in turn feel uneasy about the process.
Misha was a submissive dog and while she posed no threat to friendly dogs, she needed reassurance that they posed no threat to her. Whining was her attempt to communicate that need. Careful socializing was the easy solution – and an obvious and quite necessary outlet for her anxious energy.
Socializing your nervous dog
Follow the same steps as we did with Misha and be prepared to do this regularly. Socialization of adults dogs takes longer than puppies but even once your dog is well socialized you still need to keep up regular interactions with other dogs to maintain the social skills and confidence.
While following the steps above, keep the lead as slack as you can to convey your confidence. If you react by tightening your hold on your dog’s leash, or speaking sharply to your dog, you tell your dog that you are very wary of the strange pooch. He will not realize that you are actually afraid of HIS reaction! His tension will suddenly increase and he will most likely become aggressive or afraid of the strange dog. When approaching a strange dog, speak to your dog in a happy, confident voice, and then ask him to sit and follow some commands to divert some of his attention if he starts showing aggressive or fearful behavior.
With a bit of work you and your dog will soon be enjoying fun, stress free walks.
All the best,
Daniel Stevens and the Secrets to Dog Training Team
"Secrets to Dog Training - STOP Dog Behavior Problems!"
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