Friendly dog doesn’t have to play with every other dog

We’ve been led to believe that well-socialised dog is friendly towards all dogs. And even though it might be the case, this doesn't apply to all dogs. A dog doesn’t have to get along with every other dog just as much as we don’t have to get along with every other human.

I remember as a child being asked by a teacher – ‘go say hi to him!’ And I remember how much I didn’t want that! It was the most awkward ‘hello’ in my life. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t like that classmate. I just simply didn’t feel comfortable enough to become his friend. I preferred to stay neutral. Friendly, but neutral.

The same thing is with our dogs. It is perfectly normal for a dog to stay neutral about other dogs. And if our dog wants to meet and greet every single dog, that might lead to misunderstandings. Some friendly dogs might prefer to stay neutral and don’t want to engage in play.

Some caregivers feel that their dog has to play with every dog and every human to be seen as socialised. I disagree with it. We don’t say hello to every stranger that we meet. Don’t expect every dog to do it.

The most important thing is a relationship that your dog has with you. It doesn’t matter how much he loves other dogs. If he loves them – great! If he doesn’t care about other dogs – that is great too! Spending a wonderful time with you is more than enough for your dog to live a happy life.

Be a superhero for your dog – he will love you for it!