# Good places to socialize



## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

OK my pup takes time to warm up to people, very stand offish at first... so I wanna try the "turn everyone into a hotdog dispenser" idea... but I don't want people to try and let their dogs to socialize with her.... I'd like suggestions on places I could easily take my pup where she can be around lots of people who will hopefully ask "awww cute puppy can I pet her", but preferably a place where it is unlikely that someone has a dog with them. I'd considered the mall or shopping plazas n such, but I question how affective/busy they will be. I will also be seeing if I can make it over to Ed Reyes's place on Weds morning to socialize with his weds morning training class, and hopefully get up to Jacksonville next weekend to socialize with whoever shows up for ASR training. Then I also have training with 2 or 3 people on Weds or Thurs night who can play with her... any other suggestions?


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## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

I walk my dog a lot past restaurants with outside tables (we have them in Minnesota, seriously) and coffee shops next to recreational areas/jogging paths/parks. There is a great place a block north of my house with restaurants, coffee shops, a bar, a movie theater, and my vet...always someone that wants to talk dogs...but it's a pretty outdoorsy and laid-back neighborhood, not sure if you have that in Orlando. Basically, I have always found smaller, "quieter" areas like these kinds of places are good to run a dog through.

Have you thought about walking your dog through a retirement community? I've heard of those in Florida. 

You have to look and act like a nice guy, too, so leave the ecollar at home.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Woody Taylor said:


> I walk my dog a lot past restaurants with outside tables (we have them in Minnesota, seriously) and coffee shops next to recreational areas/jogging paths/parks. There is a great place a block north of my house with restaurants, coffee shops, a bar, a movie theater, and my vet...always someone that wants to talk dogs...but it's a pretty outdoorsy and laid-back neighborhood, not sure if you have that in Orlando. Basically, I have always found smaller, "quieter" areas like these kinds of places are good to run a dog through.
> 
> Have you thought about walking your dog through a retirement community? I've heard of those in Florida.
> 
> You have to look and act like a nice guy, too, so leave the ecollar at home.


The retirement community is BRILLIANT.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

A retirement community in Florida???? Where on earth did you hear such a thing! :lol: :lol:

We have lotsa places like you describe, a couple places near my house, plazas with a whole row of restaurants, starbucks, hotdog place, banks accross the street etc... and accross town there's Winter Park Village, movie theater, restaurants, outdoor seating, people who live in apartments above the stores n restaurants etc. Good idea, hadn't really considered those places.

I guess I'll need to shave and wear pants that don't have 1000 puppy holes in em LOL.


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## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Just spent a week at one in Naples, FL with my inlaws and my kids and wife. One of those gated ones. No kids, no big dogs, big sidewalks, and people with lots and lots and lots of free time on their hands walking the streets aimlessly.

In all seriousness, you'd probably cheer up some people in the process of truing up your dog, give it a thought.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Woody Taylor said:


> Just spent a week at one in Naples, FL with my inlaws and my kids and wife. One of those gated ones. No kids, no big dogs, big sidewalks, and people with lots and lots and lots of free time on their hands walking the streets aimlessly.
> 
> In all seriousness, you'd probably cheer up some people in the process of truing up your dog, give it a thought.[/quote
> 
> ...


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## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> A retirement community in Florida???? Where on earth did you hear such a thing! :lol: :lol:
> 
> We have lotsa places like you describe, a couple places near my house, plazas with a whole row of restaurants, starbucks, hotdog place, banks accross the street etc... and accross town there's Winter Park Village, movie theater, restaurants, outdoor seating, people who live in apartments above the stores n restaurants etc. Good idea, hadn't really considered those places.
> 
> I guess I'll need to shave and wear pants that don't have 1000 puppy holes in em LOL.


And leave the bite sleeve at home.

The only flipside of this is whether your dog is aggressive at all...my few experiences with old folks coming up on my dog was them bending straight over, smiling real big, and patting at Annie's head...so just something to consider if you think your dog would tee off on someone doing that.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

She actually backs away cautiously when people approach, she's very cautious of people she doesn't know, would rather sit in her crate than come out and say hi to people... n I'm concerned that this will translate into some fear type of aggression when she gets older... or maybe it's like people have told me, it's just a period dutchies go thru as pups, then as they get older all their courage just starts to rear its head.

I don't mind dominant aggression, i.e. growling if someone attempts to pet her (I would be concerned if a 11 week old pup did this though!), ideally she'd be social and stable in any situation, but dominant behavior I can accept... fear reactions would annoy me.... fear is unpredictable. Now, the biggest concern I have next to that is that when she warms up to people she starts to bite them, she does that to everyone she spends more than 5 or 10 minutes with... everyone thinks "ohhh look how sweet she is she crawled into my lap", then 5 minutes later "OWWW the lil bitch!! She bit me!"... "Oh, yeah, that means she likes you" LOL. Ideally people would say hi, give her a hotdog, ask me what breed she is, pet her n be on their way... 45 seconds tops. 30 or 40 interactions like this, if not far far less, should be enough to get it into her thick skull that people are fun.


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## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Annie was pretty mouthy when she was little...and yeah, she thought it was hysterical and it really, really got her prey drive going through the roof (in a way we did not want)...we used lemon juice, this worked great, don't know if that' something you'd consider. Just palming one of those lemon squeezers and getting that up in her mouth and giving her a shot after she mouthed me or the family. It's pretty funny to watch, it's kind of like watching somebody bite into bad cheese. We weren't negative or intimidating, just calmy said "No" and gave her the juice.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

"Retirement homes"! Careful Mike. Some of those tough old bones may be a little harsh on Lyka's puppy teeth. :lol: :roll: 
If puppy shots are up to date, go to Petsmart. That place is full of people that will gladly pet Lyka. I use Petsmart to proof my dog from paying attention to other dogs. Petsmart folks and their flexi leads will gladly let their dogs run their nose up you pup's....errrr...ahhh...backside. :roll: 
Be careful anywhere you go. It would be quite easy to overload a puppy that shows a little caution towards people or other dogs.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Socializing in above named places is ok. Just want to add something, let her do the first movement for meeting. Some dogs just doesn´t like to get forced to do something, then you´ll create avoiding people.

Let people ignore her, if she wants to meet, let them play hotdog dispenser, pet her if she allows it (let her have room to walk away).
In my eyes social isn´t wanting to kiss everbody who comes along but ígnoring people/don´t bite while you´re walking outside.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Thanks Bob and Selena.

I had considered PetSmart, Cujo is at the point now where I am comfortable taking him into PetSmart again, even though he did pee on a bag of dog food AGAIN, LOL. But at least he will obey me perfectly... the only thing that annoyed me was that every corner I turned in the store I was faced with another dog aggressive dog pulling the owners arm out of their socket, I feel that maybe it's not worth the risk for me to take Lÿka to a place where maybe someone's dog is gonna come charging at her and totally freak her out.

Selena, thanks for that note, I will make sure she makes the first move and not have people force themselves on her. The only concern I have with her as an adult is that she becomes un-neccesarily aggressive towards people thru fear... I would rather she completely ignore people and have no interest in them, but this is a good age for her to hopefully help against future problems with people, I hope I can create a nice balance for her... to not want to run up to everyone she sees, but to not fear them and want to avoid people either and have a fear aggression problem when she's older. I don't mind a sharp dog, as long as they are a confident sharp dog, I hope that showing her that she doesn't have to back away from people will raise her confidence more than anything.


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## Greg Long (Mar 27, 2006)

Unless it was a dog with a serious problem,I wouldnt have everyone feeding it hotdogs.Just get the pup out and around people,they dont need to interact with her.Normal socializing should be fine.Its up to you of course,Im just being the devil's advocate. :lol: 

Greg


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

No I agree, she's done fine with people without them having food in their hands... she's been around a few friends and family members, neighbors n such n I do see her behavior improving n nobody has ever had to give her any food. Elly has also clued me in a bit about the dogs temprements so I feel like I don't have to worry so much about it now, but I'll still take her out and around people to get her accustomed to as much weird crap as possible while she's young.


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## Greg Long (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> No I agree, she's done fine with people without them having food in their hands... she's been around a few friends and family members, neighbors n such n I do see her behavior improving n nobody has ever had to give her any food. Elly has also clued me in a bit about the dogs temprements so I feel like I don't have to worry so much about it now, but I'll still take her out and around people to get her accustomed to as much weird crap as possible while she's young.


Absolutely!Get her out of the house or off the place as often as possible while she is young.
I have had dogs here that people told me had all kinds of socialization but their idea of alot and my idea of alot isnty even close.I literally have a dog with me 24 hours a day.Often more than one dog.I know this isnt feasible for most people but if I go somewhere,there is a dog close by.

Greg


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Do you take your dogs INTO places? Cujo comes with me when I go places, but more often than not he has to stay in the truck then run around a parking lot for a few minutes.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Greg Long said:


> Mike Schoonbrood said:
> 
> 
> > No I agree, she's done fine with people without them having food in their hands... she's been around a few friends and family members, neighbors n such n I do see her behavior improving n nobody has ever had to give her any food. Elly has also clued me in a bit about the dogs temprements so I feel like I don't have to worry so much about it now, but I'll still take her out and around people to get her accustomed to as much weird crap as possible while she's young.
> ...


Me too. I know I'm lucky to be able to work at home, etc., but taking them everywhere sure does solve the challenge of socialising, if you want to be the primary focus in their lives and want them to be indifferent to other dogs (as I do).


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## Greg Long (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Do you take your dogs INTO places? Cujo comes with me when I go places, but more often than not he has to stay in the truck then run around a parking lot for a few minutes.


No they dont normally go in with me.That is one drawback,I cant stay in a store very long...wait thats a plus. :lol: 

Greg


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I'm thinking of buying a "truck crate" that I can just leave in the truck for her, cuz carrying a crate out to the truck everytime I wanna go somewhere is a PAIN IN THE ASS. That way it'll be less of a chore to take her with me. Cujo's easy, he doesn't spaz out in the truck he just stares out the window.


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike, take her everywhere you can imagine & then some. I used to sneak my female into all kinds of places & then play dumb when the store manager would come over & tell me that I had to leave.  My female is a home depot pro as well as any store, bank, school playground, shopping center, boat docks, fire escapes, bus depots, train stations, etc.etc. etc. She goes everywhere. Anyplace that I can sneak or walk her into I have taken her since she was a pup. I also play with her everywhere (grass area of a shopping center, boat docks, playground, ball fields while a game is going on etc.etc) so that she will work in the middle of a war zone if I need her too. You can't ever do too much of that kind of stuff with the dogs. I have done as much with my male, also since I got him & he had a pretty go start as far as traveling around everywhere before I got him I have just continued it with him. You can't ever do too much of that kind of thing as far as I'm concerned. They don't have to be petted by strangers just have to be around them to get the idea that they are ok & no threat & just need to be ignored. JM 2 cents


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I'm a little late on this thread, but I'll add to what Anne said. As my Mal was from unknown background being a shelter pup, I took him absolutely everywhere I possibly could to proof his temperament. A really good place is at a busy gas station, like one of those by a highway if possible. Lots of hustle and bustle with cars and people but few if any dogs. I can usually talk my way into letting him into the convenience store by saying "he's a service dog in training, can he come in?" even though he's not. I also now have him in a down stay as I'm filling up at the pump, especially at night. That way, less chance of any weirdos, no matter how well lit the place is, coming up to hassle me. I had one guy this one time ask me if I wanted to go to the casino with him and then try to follow me home when I refused!  After that, Zoso comes with me every time I need to fill up. I might have trained in martial arts the last 5 years, but a rangy little red German shepherd looking thing laying down right by the car is a better deterrant.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Maren, Yer just gonna have to quit hanging out at the Kingdom City Truck Stop! :lol: :lol: JKN! :wink:


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Nah, I go to the QuikTrip on I-70/Highway 63 to do gas station loitering. Though maybe next time I try going to the Little Dixie Wildlife Area with the dogs, I'll make a stop over in Kingdom City.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

:lol: :wink:


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