Happy dogs.

The goal in social environments for a dog is to remain calm and relaxed in almost every situation - this relaxed behavior has a positive domino effect that helps put other dogs at ease and keeps you feeling secure, as well. This is the healthy way for a dog to interact with its world, and it's the goal you should strive for.

The common problems people see with dogs who don't properly socialize frequently manifest as excessive barking, aggression, fear, anxiety, and excessively nervous energy. There are a few ways to train this out of your dog as you grow it up.

For one, a dog will adapt to its surroundings pretty naturally. If you've ever taken a stroll through a city downtown, you'll notice that dogs on a leash have very little to no problems with crowds of people. Why is this? A dog has learned that it's normal to have so many people around and is not anxious because it's not a new or unfamiliar situation. If you bring a country dog to the city, however, you might find that this dog will have some socialization issues.

The first way, then, to raise a dog with a healthy social life is to expose it to other dogs and people as much as possible. Don't do this with a "throwing it the wolves" mentality; it's okay to work in progressive steps. But the more your dog is exposed to social situations, seeing other dogs, and seeing how other dogs react, the better they will be able to socialize in the future.

If your dog is a fully grown adult and still has socialization problems, you'll want to work with progressive training with a specific goal in mind: keeping your dog relaxed. Many people who have a problem with a dog's social skills often find that they don't set boundaries of influence for their dog. A dog shouldn't feel like it has to protect you - you should be your pack leader. This means correcting a dog when it gets too aggressive and not letting it dictate how you act or feel.

Photo Credits: DerbyDog1