How to Socialize a Pomsky Dog
When your pomsky dog encounters another person or dog, how do they react? Each pomsky has a unique personality, and they may be excited and jump towards new people or animals, become protective of their owner, or act timid and afraid. Pomskies that are well socialized will understand how to interact with new people and objects, based on their past experiences and training. This post includes the basics of dog socialization, the importance of socializing a pomsky dog and how to help your pomsky socialize with others.
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What does it mean to socialize your dog?
Dog socialization includes exposing your dog to a variety of situations including people, places, sights, smells and sounds to help your pomsky dog learn about the world around them. Every new experience helps a puppy learn about their surroundings. This can be as simple as giving your pomsky dog opportunities to be pet by people while going for a walk or showing your pomsky dog the vacuum while giving them treats.
When should you start socializing your pomsky dog?
Begin introducing your pomsky dog to new experiences from the very beginning. Your pomsky breeder will likely begin the socialization process while they are still caring for the puppies (until 8-10 weeks of age). You can continue to introduce your pomsky dog to new experiences until they are 1 year old, and beyond this age to maintain your dog’s comfort level with a variety of people, places and things. Socialization is a lifelong experience for pomsky dogs.
Importance of Socializing a Pomsky Dog
It is important that you begin to socialize your pomsky puppy as part of puppy training for a variety of reasons including:
It reduces your dog’s fear of people, places and things in their environment
It can increase your pomsky dog’s confidence
It will teach your pomsky dog what to expect in a variety of situations
Your dog will begin to associate positive reinforcement with new experiences
It will help your dog interact with other people and animals, and prevent them from becoming aggressive
How to Socialize a Pomsky Dog
Start Slow
Give your pomsky opportunities to experience new things gradually so they have time to adjust and form a positive relation with the new experience. If you expose your dog to multiple new people, places, sounds and environments within the same day, this could be stressful, so it is better to take your time and keep your pomsky comfortable.
Watch Your Pomsky Dog’s Body Language
Check in with your pomsky frequently and watch their body language for signs of happiness or stress. Signs your dog is feeling stressed include the whale eye or side eye, ears back, panting, pacing or following you around and wanting to stay close. You know your pomsky best, so you should be able to tell if they are content and relaxed, or feeling uncomfortable.
Provide Treats and Verbal Praise
Give your pomsky small training treats and verbal praise, such as “Yes!”, “good girl/boy!” to keep your pomsky excited and engaged during the new experience.
Bring Your Pomsky Along – Don’t Avoid New or Unfamiliar Experiences
If you are going to a dog friendly place, consider bringing your pomsky dog with you. There are a variety of outdoor events and activities your pomsky can participate in and these are great opportunities to expose your pomsky to new people, environments and experiences.
Dog Socialization Opportunities
Walks
During daily walks, your pomsky has new experiences including the sights and smells of nature, other dogs, wild animals such as squirrels, birds and rabbits, seeing cars drive by, and passing by other people.
Crate
Help your pomsky create a positive association with their crate by giving them treats in their crate. Your pomsky may even learn to run to their crate when you start opening the treat bag. Create a safe space for your pomsky by placing a blanket or bed inside your dog’s crate. Avoid using your dog’s crate as a punishment and instead use the crate as a tool to keep your pomsky dog safe and secure during car rides, house projects, or other situations when your pomsky needs to be secured.
Car rides
Gradually introduce your pomsky to car rides by taking short car rides to your local pet store or a friend’s house. We recommend keeping your pomsky in a crate during the car ride and providing a treat or toy to keep them entertained. If you only bring your pomsky in the car when you are going to the vet or bringing them to a boarding facility or dog daycare, your dog will have a negative association with car rides. Ensure your pomsky has plenty of positive car ride experiences so they are happy and excited rather than whining and feeling anxious.
Sounds
Give your pomsky opportunities to experience household appliances such as the vacuum or blender by using these while your pomsky is a puppy. You can let them sniff the appliance while it is off or unplugged and provide treats and verbal reassurance such as “it’s okay”. Many dogs, including pomskies, are often afraid of unexpected sounds such as fireworks or thunder. Prepare your pomsky by giving them fun treats and toys to stay distracted. If your dog appears stressed, try petting them or giving them a massage, providing a lick mat with a special treat, or giving them a special toy that they are interested in and want to chew on or explore.
Transportation
Your pomsky will naturally be exposed to a variety of moving vehicles and objects such as cars, motorcycles, bicycles and scooters during daily walks. Watch how your pomsky reacts to these moving objects and praise your dog for staying calm. Bring your dog out to a nature trail or park and provide training treats while giving your dog the opportunity to see new things such as strollers or roller blades.
Outfits and Costumes
If your dog has never interacted with someone wearing a hood, glasses, or using a cane, they might be timid around these new experiences. Around the holidays, dogs can also become uncomfortable with different outfits such as costumes on Halloween or jingle bells on sweaters around Christmas. It can be helpful to let your pomsky sniff unfamiliar clothing items or costumes to help them learn about it and feel more comfortable.
Summary
Socialization is an important part of your pomsky puppy’s growth and development because it helps them learn about the world around them. Pomskies can create positive associations with a variety of people, animals, vehicles and objects when they are given opportunities to explore them in a non-stressful environment. Good socialization is important to prevent your pomsky from becoming aggressive or fearful of new situations.
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, The Pomsky Dog Blog LLC earns commission from qualifying purchases.