How often should dogs socialize?
“Some dogs will do better with more alone time than others,” it is said. That said, for a general guideline, dogs should get a minimum of two hours of dedicated social time with humans or other dogs daily, which can be broken up into chunks of time over the course of the day. It’s our responsibility as a dog owner to provide and cater for such basic need.
Without proper socialization, dogs may become anxious and fearful of anything unfamiliar making them appear aggressive, while they really are not – we made them like that – because we did not provide a basic need to socialize
Hong Kong isn’t dog friendly – but is that actually true
Well, while it remains challenging to keep pets, especially larger dogs in a high-density urban environment such as Hong Kong is – and we all are aware of this even before we decide to take care of a dog, there is still surprisingly much that Hong Kong does have to offer, perhaps as compensation or simply because Hong Kong isn’t that “dog unfriendly” as first perceived. Especially the large, well maintained dog friendly parks or parks specifically designed for dogs, are certainly something you won’t just find in many other large urban cities.
One such dog friendly park is Penfold Park in Shatin area. The Park is located inside Sha Tin Racecourse and managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club; it is open to the public on no-race-days. Penfold Park covers more than 20 acres with luscious green lawns and man-made lakes. Your pets can freely roam around, paddle around the lakes and race with other dogs in the area.
Once inside, dog owner usually let the dogs run free. It works remarkably well; I have not experienced any real tense moment, fights or even biting incidents among the dogs there. But we should always make sure that the dog we bring to any public park where dogs enjoy running free, is generally friendly. This is where socializing plays such an important role. I sincerely believe, from what I experience every week, dogs are generally not aggressive towards other dogs, they are perhaps trained to become aggressive or turned aggressive because of the dog owner’s failure and neglect to provide the dog with much needed interactions.
There is so much you can provide your dog within Hong Kong. We are happy to support your and your dog’s needs.
It’s such a rewarding experience to get and being out there
Running, playing, enjoying, making new friends while nurturing a healthy state of mind and keeping staying fit. All these impressions are so rewarding, for all, your dog, yourself, and the other dogs joining the time to socialize together. Not only does your dog have an amazing time out there, also we as passionate dog lovers carry away a great experience and better understanding of our dog’s character, his or her ability to be around a group of other dogs of all kinds, from small to big, calm, and eagerly playful. It’s such a rewarding feeling as we all have at least one thing in common, to keep our dog happy and healthy. Besides, we ourselves can also make new friends, share our experience, or simply enjoy a good time among other dog enthusiasts and their pets.
But how well do we know whether our furry friend is well socialized or not? There are a few key indicators you should be aware of. And you must know that these behavioural indicators will have to be addressed or else your dog isn’t fully socialized, hence can’t benefit from the experience being out and together with other dogs, he or she will either be isolated or bullied. The most common indicators can be summarized as following.
• Being over excited around other people and dogs.
• Raising hackles whenever other dogs or people come close.
• Fearful or aggressive behaviour during walks even while no other dogs or people are around.
• Fearful behaviour around strangers and/or other dogs, including flattened ears, lip licking, yawning, cowering, avoiding eye contact, and tucked tail.
• Aggressive behaviour when around strangers and/or other dogs including explicit staring, holding ears erect, excessive barking, snarling, growling, and snapping.
Socialising isn’t just an experience, it’s a necessity
We are passionate about dogs
Knowing the importance of socializing your dog with other humans and dogs, we as well know how challenging it is for many of us to find regular, sufficient and suitable time to provide such extra experience. Let PAWBies help you. Make your first step and book an appointment session with us or get in touch via WhatsApp. Our dog adventure pick-up locations cover all areas of Hong Kong except outlaying islands. Happy to read your comments and to receive your feedback.
