Dr. Ian Dunbar is a renowned veterinarian, dog trainer and animal behaviourist with a degree in Physiology & Biochemistry and a doctorate in animal behaviour. Dunbar is a trailblazer in the dog training and socializing world and has even written many books and given TED talks to share his wealth of knowledge with others. One of Dunbar’s many brilliant ideas for socializing dogs is called “Sunday Socials.”
Socials were created with the intention of tapping into and expanding the social skills of dogs who love to socialize.
Saturday Socials
ZENFULdog Training has adapted Dunbar’s concept to offer “Saturday Socials” to its Cani-Trail members to honour their commitment and investment to continuing education and training with their dogs.
Cani-Trail dogs form connections on trails that can be nourished and maintained into lifelong friendships with frequent social interactions. As a frequently requested alternative to dog parks, Saturday Socials offer structured play with compatible groupings.
ZENFUL Arrivals
One of the aspects of dog parks that can stress both pet and parent is the hectic arrival. Because dog parks are public, nobody is pacing arrivals and departures to avoid incidents that can arise from the over-excitement during these transitions.
At socials, dogs remain leashed upon arrival to do a quiet walk and some skill training. They are calmly walked with their pet-parent near other dogs which creates a calm energy so dogs are not leaping at each other to play. Once all the dogs are calm and confident walking together and not leaping in the air or trying to bounce on friends, they are asked to sit. Then, they can be unleashed but held by the collar then let go to play with a release cue—“okay” or “break”—to greet other dogs calmly rather than the stressful “free for all” often encountered at a dog park.
Safe and Compatible Playdates
Saturday Socials at ZENFULdog’s on-site park takes safety to the next level which can be very comforting. Vaccines are regularly checked and updates are made as needed. All items and areas that are commonly touched are regularly disinfected and the water offered is always fresh.
Because the dogs have all been attending Cani-Trail, Kendra is aware of each dog’s training, personality, bios and behaviours which she can take into account when grouping the dogs and monitoring them. Beyond safety, Kendra can also guide these playdates to be more enjoyable for everyone by pairing the dogs with suitable playmates. Kendra and the Cani-Trail pet parents know from trails which dogs are more confident and which are more thoughtful.
Learning Boundaries
An important aspect of Saturday Socials is that Kendra will never force a dog to engage in a playstyle with which they are not comfortable. A dog who violates another dog’s boundaries during play is not “just being friendly” because it is important to respect when a dog is not reciprocating. At socials, it is easier to catch these incidents and to separate dogs before any incident occurs. Pet-parents train their dogs with a positive interrupter to help dogs take breaks so as to not become overwhelmed or overstimulated.
Kendra encourages pet parents to observe a healthy ratio of play between their dog with another—dogs should have an exchange of play of 50-50 or 60-40. For example, a dog chasing another dog should give that dog a chance to chase him afterward or pause and wrestle. If your dog is chasing another dog and the other dog looks terrorized with a tucked tail, parents can interfere to cue the dog chasing to take turns or to switch to a kind of play that the other dog likes too—such as wrestling or scruff. If this approach doesn’t work, parents can separate the dogs for them to take a break—being sure to pet them to help calm them and redirect their attention. If the dog who was being chased is let go first and runs away, that indicates that they don’t want to play with that friend anymore for now. The chaser can either be redirected to another dog or be done playing for that day.
Support
Dogs are not the only ones who sometimes struggle with socializing at public dog parks. Dog parents can have incompatible training backgrounds or even lack training and socialization skills altogether. This can lead to misunderstandings and even altercations between both dogs and their parents.
At socials, parents have similar training backgrounds and are encouraged to monitor their dog’s cues and behaviour as well as support fellow pet parents. Pet parents are involved in the entire socialization process at socials to further bond with their dogs and with other parents as well as to monitor for any signs of issues arising between dogs. For example, if a pet parent notices any dog getting cornered by another near a fence or obstacle, they can call dogs off and away before the intimidated dog panics and reacts. It is beautiful to trust that when you are busy with something else (like picking up poop!), other pet parents have your back and are looking out for your dog’s best interest.
Pet parents are encouraged to intervene and to walk around giving feedback like “good boy” for good and helpful behaviours and “hey,” “stop,” then “good” for when a dog listens and corrects their inappropriate behaviour. These reinforcements help the dogs learn how to play better with other dogs over time as they learn to respect each other’s preferences and boundaries.
How It’s Going
The first Saturday Social took place on October 16th and exceeded expectations. Members brought snacks to share and were supportively vigilant in reinforcing good behaviours, intervening when necessary and employing the correct use of cues, breaks and doggy-pets. Some of the dogs who participated in the first social had encountered socializing issues at their doggy daycares and were successfully learning skills to return. Thoughtful and fearful dogs who usually struggle to socialize at public dog parks were able to play one on one with many different friends and pet parents kept moving and helped any dog when necessary with no judgment.
Kendra watched more thoughtful dogs become braver and more confident dogs become more polite and understanding of boundaries. All participants were moved when witnessing some dogs go out of their way to help when another dog would struggle. Kendra observed that pet parents became noticeably more confident in their abilities to judge a social situation between dogs more accurately during the social.
Beyond Socials
Kendra encourages Cani-Trail members to continue socials beyond this initiative. Once a compatible bond is formed at socials and pet parents are adequately educated, these playdates can be organized among each other outside of ZENFULdog with Kendra being available for any questions or concerns that may arise.
It’s Okay Not to Play
Just as many people become more selective with socializing as they age, puppies start off “dog social” and eventually most become either “dog tolerant” or “dog selective”—while some dogs just don’t enjoy playdates. Dog selective dogs might prefer to only scruff with husky friends or to spin with boxer friends. Some dogs might prefer males to females (or vice versa) and some dog-tolerant dogs might prefer to just hang around other dogs rather than engage in play. If your dog isn’t feeling it, that’s okay. Cani-Trails encourage the social aspect of training without forcing play.
Don’t forget to follow ZENFULdog Training on Facebook where you can stay connected to your like-minded dog-loving community every day. Check your Cani-Trail member Facebook Page for Saturday Socials’ information and updates.
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