Any age, any breed, any time.The more balanced and well rounded your dog is, and how calm he stays in different situations, can be linked to how socialized the dog is. Socialize your dog on all their senses: sight, sound and smell. Socialize them to people: all types of people, sizes, ages especially the young and the old. Socialize them to other dogs!

With Big Stig it is even more important to Socialize him. As a Emotional Therapy Dog, he could be going everywhere allowed. Stig’s story, from Death Row, to foster mom, to a Cessna Air Plane ride (that lasted 2 days), to hotel and then to our house. I confidently say he has been exposed and socialized well beyond the average dog. However, I needed to know his every fear, anxiety, and inhibitions. I had to start from scratch.

Here is his 2 week Socialization Comments:
Stig is wonderful on a leash, so together we walked many miles! We went through State Parks, down busy 5 lane highways, to the Farmers Market, through many garage sales, past Dump trucks, tree chopping trucks, Garbage trucks, bicycles, skaters, strollers, kids, deer, cats and many people! I am very proud of him. He passes with outstanding ability!

Things to work on:
Trampolines: It scares him to death to walk by and see/hear kids jumping up and down.
Dogs: Big want’s to play with every dog. He is learning to take correction and redirection. I still struggle on a few occasions.
Garbage Cans/ Returnable Bins: I think he is becoming more familiar with his surroundings and this week really noticed that those big things were not there recently! Smart guy. He approaches cautiously, slowly, head down ready to pounce!
Grates in the road. He hates them, will avoid them at ALL cost! Today (with treats) we worked on that. I made him sit by it with me. I petted him and directed his attention away from that scary steel grate. When he was calm, I placed his favorite treat, dried chicken jerky, on the grate. I made him stay until I gave the command ‘OK’ and let him go get his treat. He ever so tentatively and slowly took his goodie! He did not run away to eat it, but stood his ground loving it up. That was enough for one day. “Good Boy” I say as we walk away.That is a start. Stig turned his head around a few times to look at the grate, still a little uneasy, making sure it wasn’t coming after him……