So you want a dog you can take places…

Two VERY common things I hear from dog owners that want a dog they can take places:

1. The owners want to skip foundational work and go straight to taking their dog to over-stimulating places

2. The owners are terrified of taking their dog anywhere until they are perfectly trained & predictable

Well… to expect good behavior outside the home, you need to work on  BOTH proper socialization & basic obedience training.

Socialization, especially prior to 16 weeks of age, is extremely important for raising a well-balanced dog. This does not just mean playtime with puppy friends.

Socialization is the process of facilitating neutral or positive interactions with different noises, people, animals, environments, etc. A socialized dog should be able to exist in a shared space with minimal reaction to what’s happening around them.

It’s also important to teach your dog basic commands to establish an effective line of communication. This will really help you connect with your dog in a meaningful way that will pay off once distractions are present.

So, how exactly do you put this into practice?

Here’s a few tips…

🐾 Take your dog new places, but be realistic in your expectations of them

🐾 Start out easy! Keep them in the car with the windows down, go out during low traffic times, or bring them to spacious areas where you can keep distance from others

🐾 Find a socialization class led by trainers

🐾 Work on their basic obedience commands at home, where distractions are very low to make steady progress

🐾 Once they’ve mastered basic commands at home, you can start taking them to places they’ve already been, but now with more control

🐾 As they progress, slowly increase the distraction level

🐾 Keep it positive

Remember, you cannot expect your dog to behave well in a new environment if they have never been outside your home. Additionally, if you don’t teach basic obedience commands to lay a good foundation, then you won’t have much success handling them when going somewhere new.