Does puppy socialization mean dogs should ONLY meet all the other dogs? Frankly, not unless your dog lives with a dozen or so other dogs and never leaves your house. So what are we supposed to do? During this time of social distancing, how are we supposed to socialize our dogs? While our socialization checklist may be somewhat modified with the pandemic, we can always foster resilience with environmental changes. 

This is a great time for your dog to create trust with his/her one constant, you! Teach your dog to look at you after noticing a change in the environment. If your dog is questioning something in their environment, teach them that the right answer will always be to look at you.

Hear This Eat That Exercises

You’ll want to practice these exercises while your dog is hungry. This can be a working breakfast or dinner!  Be mindful that you may need higher value food than kibble, especially outside. We want your dogs to associate sounds with fabulous food and looking at you. If your dog prefers playing tug to eating treats, replace food with a game of tug! 

Inside

Start pairing food with sounds and training your dog to look at you. Set up this training session in your bedroom. Have your dog in the bedroom with you and close the bedroom door. Have someone turn the vacuum cleaner on in the living room. Start feeding your dog as soon as he/she hears the sound. You can feed while your dog faces the door, but after thirty seconds, lure your dog to look at you and continue to feed. Have your helper shut off the vacuum cleaner and stop feeding your dog. Give your dog a one minute break with the vacuum cleaner off, then repeat the exercise. The vacuum cleaner must be on before you start feeding. This order is VERY important. On the third training trial, does your dog look at you expecting a treat as soon as he/she hears the vacuum cleaner? If so, you’ve started making a positive association with that sound! If not, it’s OK, keep training. If at any time your dog seems uncomfortable, stop the training session. Limit this training session to 20 minutes. Your goal is for your dog to look at you expecting a treat as soon as he/she hears the vacuum cleaner. Once you have that response, your next session will be in your bedroom with the door open. You’ll work your way up to being within 6-feet of the sound. Don’t jump ahead too quickly! Your dog sets the pace. 

Here’s a video of me preparing my dog for the Fourth of July. My husband was popping air-filled plastic pouches used to cushion packages.

Outside

Outside, set yourself up about a half a block away from something making noise. If your dog would feel more comfortable farther away, start at the distance at which your dog can notice the sound and calmly eat treats. Feed your dog while he/she faces the source of the noise. After thirty seconds, lure your dog to look at you and continue to feed. Move away from the sound to take a break. If you can go into your car or home, even better. Repeat this exercise and limit this training session to 20 minutes. If at any time your dog seems uncomfortable, stop the training session and go inside. Signs your dog is uncomfortable: taking treats with a hard mouth, not eating, pulling away. 

Here’s a video of myself working outside with my dog, Aero. A tree was being cut down a half a block away.

See This Eat That Exercises

Whenever your dog looks at something new, say “yes!” and give your dog a treat for looking at you. You can also use the visual stimuli as a distraction while you practice your attention games.

Socialization Checklist for practicing Hear/See This Eat That. Please be mindful of social distancing! 

Taking trash/recycling bins to curb

Trash truck

Recycling truck

Letter carrier

Delivery truck

Delivery people

Fire station

Vacuum cleaner

Microwave Vent Fan

Smart Speaker Sounds

Car rides

Grocery store parking lot

Hardware store

Baby strollers

Joggers

Bicyclists

People using walkers

People wearing hats and sunglasses

People of various races, especially different from your own

Looking at other dogs but not greeting them

Outdoor cafes, breweries, etc.

Settling on a towel during soccer practice

Groomer

Veterinarian’s office

This Washington Post article has some places to take your dogs and how to handle your dogs.