I think my dog is having a “Doggy Hangover” today. Yesterday we had a birthday party for my mom and everybody came over. Everybody includes my brother, his wife, my sister, her husband and two kids, my boyfriend, my best friend, along with both my parents and I.
Everyone was here for about four hours. We all had a lot of fun, the mood was great, and the energy was flowing and very upbeat. At the end of the night, the kids had a meltdown because it was time to go home to bed. They were having too much fun for it to end!
Adie, my Malamute, had her own meltdown after everyone left, which consists of her “woo’ing” and barking at us over and over for about 10 minutes because everyone is gone. She is always SO psyched to have her family and friends come over. The kids are her favorite. They hug her, play with her, run around with her, and lay all over her, not to mention all the goodies they sneak to her. They have a great relationship and I can completely trust her with them. Adie watches over the kids and makes sure they’re okay. She will even run to them if they get hurt or upset.
Ya know that feeling, after a party, the next day, where you’re just worn out and tired or hungover? After all the excitement has died down and gone away and you have an empty house. You just kinda mope around in the quiet? Well, that’s how Adie is today.
As I went out to hang with her for a bit this afternoon, she was snoozing in her igloo. She slowly emerged, eyes half open, stretched, and sauntered over to me. As she came up to me, she slowly walked to my side and rested her head in my lap. She glanced, lazily, up at me, sighed, then closed her eyes, her head still resting on my lap. Her energy totally drained.
Why does she get so excited? Not just because they’re friends and family and she knows them, but dogs are pack animals. They thrive on togetherness just like humans do. They get excited and stay happy when their people are over; they get to socialize the same way we do when we have a party. When our energy level is up, so is theirs!
This doesn’t naturally happen so easily. Oh no! It took a lot of patience, training, and work with her when she was young so that I could get her to the point of totally trusting her. Adie is now 6 years old, almost 7. I began our first training session the second she stepped foot out of the car when we got home from the airport. We still, to this day, will “practice” all of her commands and tricks. She LOVES every second of it!
Dogs are natural pack animals, but that is not the same as naturally social. Their wild cousins, the wolf, must learn how to function in the family unit. The same is true for our family pets. They aren’t born knowing how to deal with other dogs, or with all kinds of people for that matter.
When my dogs are young, anywhere from 8 weeks old and up, I have them meet at least one new person a day, as well as around 10 new dogs a week. I will continue this for the first two to three months I have them. The reason for this is that they will get to encounter several different ages, personalities, and quirks along the way. That will help me be able to guide them in how to handle each individual they meet. It prepares them for anything and everything when they are older.
The reason for doing this so young, and why it is so important to socialize them when they’re that young, is because puppies are impressionable, but don’t hold a grudge at that age. They don’t take things “personally” yet; they are still learning the world. They are still sponges ready to learn anything you are teaching them. Also, younger puppies don’t piss off older dogs as much as puppies/dogs that are 6 months and older do. So you have the benefit of the older dog’s natural patience with your puppy as well.
Socializing with children is just as important as socializing your dog with other dogs. Children are very short, fast-moving, unpredictable 2-legged dogs. They can be weapon-wielding, loud, quiet, fast, slow, unstable, and dangerous all at the same time! So, the more kids, the better! All ages are important, too.
Adie was already a year old when my nephew was born, and two years later my niece came, but she got to have the experience of being around very young babies. She learned how to move around them, as they were learning how to move around themselves, and now they are at the age where they can go out and let her loose with them, after they ask of course. She enjoys every minute of it.
