Unlike cats, most dogs are social and like to stay with other dogs and people. Thus socialization is important to dogs. Socializing your dog means teaching it to be polite and well-behaved around other animals and humans. Learning social skills when your dog is just a puppy is crucial for it to deal with animals and people it is not familiar with. Furthermore, this helps them look clear when it comes to uncertain things in the future.

Why is it so important?

Socialization can help dogs build confidence and make them feel comfortable in a new environment. If they do not learn socialization as puppies, they may have a tough time dealing with other dogs and people due to fear or aggression problems. In fact, they are more likely to use aggression to deal with new things in moments of fear.

If not socialized properly, unfamiliar animals or people may contribute to a stressful experience for puppies, which can further impact their behavior negatively. Moreover, puppies learn how to socialize with different dogs so that they know how to get along with them and make friends.

When to start socializing?

Ideally, dogs should receive social training when they are between 3 and 20 weeks old. It is a great period of learning in a dog's life. During this time, puppies are not fearful when they are exposed to a variety of sights, sounds, smells, and sensations, as well as new objects. Dogs are born as explorers, and they are curious about things they haven't encountered before.

There is a popular debate about whether you should get your puppy vaccinated before exposing it to other animals. Here, I would recommend getting your pet vaccinated before socializing them to prevent any type of illness.

If, for some reason, your dog didn't learn socialization as a puppy, it's never too late to socialize it with others. Especially when your dog doesn't get along with other dogs or isn't friendly towards visitors. A well-behaved dog will be much confident and happy while hanging out with other dogs or people.

How to socialize dogs with others?

Gradually introducing your puppy to other people, animals, and new things is the key to socialization. Remember giving it treats when it does a good job!

Frequent walks are also a great way to introduce your puppy to other people and dogs. Make sure they also know how to interact with your puppy in a positive way and never force it if it doesn't want someone to get close to it. Let other people treat your puppy when it behaves nicely. Make sure to stay by your puppy's side during this period and encourage it to approach other people.

Take your puppy to the dog park. If your puppy behaves well around other people and dogs, you could take it to the dog park. This will encourage your puppy to make new friends.

Invite friends and their dogs to your home. It's not enough to expose your puppy to the dogs outside your home. While your puppy may behave well outside, it can get irritated or angry when any other dog visits your place. Try inviting other dogs to your home who are familiar with your puppy. Encourage them to play with one another and give them treats.

Socialize your puppy and give them the confidence they require to live a happy life!

It’s widely believed that cats and water don’t do well together. If you try to put a cat into a bathtub full of water, it will fiercely move its paws and even try to scratch you. Well, it shows how determined the cat is when it comes to avoiding water. You’ll already be familiar with this if you own cats. If not, here are all the answers. Let’s find out why cats dislike water and if all of them behave the same way!

Cats spend 30-50% of their awake time grooming themselves. However, they don’t like to wet their fur. Even though the top layer of their fur is water-resistant, cats still get uncomfortable. The most important reason is that water weighs them down. It further makes their body heavy which hinders them from moving freely and quickly. Besides, sometimes they aren’t able to get out of situations that are deadly in the speed-dominant wild world.

The second reason lies in evolution. Cats were initially domesticated in the middle east and have lived in harsh desert climates without a water body in the surrounding. So the instinct of avoiding water comes off naturally. However, some species live in an environment that comprises water. In fact, species like Bengal and Maine Coon are able to swim as well.

The third reason could be the odor in the water. Cats are well known to have an excellent sense of smell. They can even smell the chemicals in the water; no wonder why they refuse to get into it!

If that’s the case, you may wonder why cats dip their paws in the water or why do they play with the water coming out from the faucet? Well, it’s fine if their paws get wet since they can easily clean their paws by licking them. As for the latter, don’t forget that cats are inborn hunters. Even domestic cats show predatory behaviors. They perceive moving objects as living things and try to catch them or just play with them.

So, if you're worried about your cat’s water intake, you can consider getting a water fountain.

When it comes to raising a dog, walking will be one of the first things that will come to your mind. You might think every dog owner walks their dog regularly as it's an important activity. Unfortunately, a study from 2016 revealed that almost 50% of pet owners weren't walking their dogs regularly out of busy schedules and plenty of other reasons. So, if you are wondering, does it matter if you walk your dog or not, let's get to the depth of it!

Destroy stuff

Apparently, walking your dog is essential to keep it healthy. Additionally, it helps burn extra fat and prevents the dog from getting fat. If an energetic dog is kept inside a house, it may stick around you and ask you to play with it. It may even start destroying the stuff inside your house out of boredom. Trust me, your house can turn into a mess in a matter of seconds. In order for your dog to exercise or burn its energy, keeping it in a large backyard can be a great alternative for it to run around and play.

But to be honest, do you really understand the importance of walking your dog? Do you think a big backyard can actually replace walks? Well, walks do much more than keeping a dog exercised and active.

Develop resistance to changes

Dogs are natural explorers and like exploring new things. If a dog is kept at home for a long time, it may become reluctant to new changes or stuff. A simple walk can provide dogs a great environment to learn the habits of people and other animals around them. This further helps them become more flexible and sensitive to their surroundings. Without such experiences, dogs may not be able to differentiate threats and other outdoor components; hence you must bring some change in their lives.

Lack of social skill

Most importantly, walking exposes dogs to other dogs, animals, and people. The interactions with unfamiliar pets and people help a lot in gaining social skills. It can further help them learn how to express themselves while making new friends. A dog trained at home never learns how to socialize with other dogs and dog owners. After all, how can you expect your children to make new friends if they do not have a chance to meet other people?

So, it DOES matter if you don't walk your dog! If you do not walk your dog regularly, it will face several issues in the future. And I am sure that's not what you wanted when you held your dog for the first time!

Walking your dog each day between 30 minutes to 2 hours is recommended by pet experts. Additionally, playing outside can also strengthen the bond between you and your dog. The attention you give your pet during this time will comfort them. Try your best to walk your dog regularly and enjoy your happy time!