Yogi and Kelso It Is All About Socialization, Trust, and Positive Vibes

Kelso and Yogi after two hours walk

Yogi and Kelso met during HikeABull Meetup couple of months ago. Today Cindy Kelso's Mom brought Kelso. We took an urban walk from the Library Field to Jollyman Park and from there to Wilson Park in Cupertino.

Dog to dog socialization is very important, but with adults dogs it can be very tricky. Yogi during 10 month in the shelter was not interacting with other dogs. When I got him he couldn't stand a dog walking across the street. He was reacting very intense, loud and vicious. We slowly introduced him to different dogs, first on the other side of fence at the dog parks, later we got couple of dogs that we go for a walk.

"So what does dog-to-dog socialization look like when it involves adults?  The goal should be to teach the older dog to behave calmly in public and on walks, rather than “play nicely” at the dog park.  Bring lots of small, tasty treats on your walks and reward Fido for sitting quietly and responding to his name while other dogs pass by at a safe distance.  It is not necessary or recommended for Fido to “say hi” to every dog he sees, or indeed to acknowledge any dog.  Introducing dogs on leash can be tricky, as many are forced to interact on tight leashes for too-long periods of time, leading to leash reactivity.  If he should bark at another dog, simply get his attention and walk him away from the situation.  Once he is calm, you can continue your walk." more http://www.animalhumanesociety.org/training/library/socializing-adult-dog

Cindy Thank You! without people like you Yogi could not be a succesfull dog