Socialize your Newfoundland effectively to create a well-rounded and confident companion. But how do you go about socializing your dog?
In this article, we’ll explore the best methods for socializing your Newfoundland and provide tips to help make the process easier for both you and your furry friend.
Newfoundlands are best socialized from an early age. This includes exposing your Newfie to other dogs, people, and places on a regular basis. Socialization also includes your dog being exposed to everyday noises, and different surfaces, along with being handled in many different ways so it becomes comfortable in different settings.
As a breed, Newfoundlands are known for their affectionate nature and desire to please their owners.
However, without proper socialization, they can become shy or even fearful around other dogs and humans. This can make it difficult to bring them to public places or even have visitors in your home.
The good news is that socializing your Newfoundland doesn’t have to be a daunting task!
By taking the right steps and following a few simple tips, you can help your furry friend feel confident and comfortable in a variety of settings.
Throughout this article, we’ll explore the best ways to socialize your Newfoundland and set them up for a lifetime of success.
Why is it Important to Socialize Your Newfoundland?
It is important to socialize your Newfoundland because you are essentially creating an ideal environment for your dog to grow up in.
It’s not good enough just knowing how to take care of a Newfoundland if they aren’t exposed to other people or animals, which can lead to fears being developed later on in life once the dog has grown up and left their comfort zone.
Start Socialization at a Young Age
Start socializing your Newfoundland at a young age to avoid problems. When you’re getting a new dog, it’s best to start out on the right foot.
This means that as soon as your Newfoundland comes into the household, they should be met with positive experiences with other dogs and humans of all shapes and sizes so issues don’t develop later in life.
It doesn’t matter if you bring home a puppy or adult Newfoundland – they’ll both need to go through socialization training so they can be comfortable around other dogs and people.
Introduce your Newfoundland to Other Dogs
It’s important to introduce your Newfoundland to other dogs early on in their lives so they grow up not being afraid of them.
If you aren’t able to have another dog in the house, don’t worry – make sure that you are taking your Newfoundland out for walks with other dogs and bringing home friend’s dogs over for playdates.
This allows your Newfoundland to make friends with other dogs and socialize them early on in life without any issues.
If your Newfoundland isn’t meeting other dogs early on in their lives, they could start to become fearful of them.
This can cause problems when you’re out for walks or at the doggy park so it’s important to introduce them early on so they grow up not being afraid.
Introduce your Newfoundland to People
Socializing your Newfoundland with people is just as important as socializing them with other dogs. You’ll need to expose your dog to children, men and women of all shapes and sizes, different races, etc.
Exposing your Newfie to a variety of experiences will help remove any fears that may arise later on in life if only one type of experience was had during this time period.
Again, it doesn’t matter if you have a puppy or adult Newfoundland – they’ll both need to be exposed to different types of people so they grow up being comfortable around everyone.
A lot of Newfoundland puppies are nervous around children at first, so it’s important to socialize them with as many different people as possible so this doesn’t develop into an issue later on in life.
Introduce them to New Places, such as Parks and Pet Stores
You’ll want to introduce your Newfoundland to new places as well, such as parks and pet stores. This way they don’t develop fears of these places later on in life because it will be introduced early on during their growing years.
It’s best to make visits to these places short the first few times so your Newfoundland puppy doesn’t get overstimulated or overwhelmed. Build up the time spent at this new place each visit until they are comfortable visiting for an extended period of time (one hour is ideal).
Introduce them to Traveling in Cars
If you plan on traveling with your Newfoundland or taking them out often, then you’ll need to socialize them with getting into cars.
When you’re bringing home puppies, bring home a cheap crate and put them in the car to get used to traveling that way.
Then, once they’re older and big enough to not be confined, start taking them into the car for short trips so they aren’t nervous when you plan longer trips down the road.
It’s best to keep these trips short at first so your Newfoundland doesn’t get overstimulated or nervous.
If your Newfoundland starts getting nervous about going places or gets scared easily, don’t force them back into it.
Just slowly take baby steps towards working up to a comfortable level. This is preferred rather than pushing your dog beyond its own limits which can cause problems later on in life.
Expose to Everyday Noises
You’ll also want to expose your Newfoundland to everyday noises so they grow up being comfortable with them.
This will help prevent problems from arising later on in life. This includes avoiding going out of the house or hiding under a bed when there is a thunderstorm.
It’s best just to have them exposed to these instead of forcing them into situations where they may get scared. Make sure you do it early enough so you aren’t pushing their limits and causing an issue later on in their lives.
Examples of noises to expose your Newfie to include:
- Phones
- Alarm clocks
- Blenders
- Hairdryers
- Vacuum cleaners
- Loud voices and shouting (if within reason)
- Busy roads and traffic (if within reason)
- The loud thud of large objects falling or dropping to the floor.
- Fireworks
- Thunderstorms (if within reason)
Expose to Different Types of Handling
The next thing you will want to expose your Newfoundland to is different types of handling.
When the time comes where you need to handle your dog for a bath or a check-up at the vets, they aren’t going to be too thrilled about it and may get scared if their first experiences with this were bad ones that involved them being forced into uncomfortable positions.
It’s best just to get them used to these situations early on so they grow up comfortable with them rather than forcing them into things later on in life and causing problems.
Some examples of handling include:
- Clipping nails (if within reason)
- Treating wounds and applying bandages (again, if within reason)
- Carrying them around by their feet or using a walking harness
- Using a muzzle or head halter to control them if they are nervous during vet visits or handling sessions.
- Giving a bath
- Drying with a towel
- Touching his tail
- Touching his tummy
- Touching his ears
- Touching the pads under his paws
- Checking his teeth
Expose to Strangers
Give treats to strangers so they can get used to the smell of them, then offer a treat without forcing it down their throat so they can get used to the taste of it.
Do this over and over again until your Newfoundland is comfortable with the smell of strangers.
Don’t push too hard if your dog gets scared at first. Just take baby steps towards getting them used to the stranger’s presence instead.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to socialize your dog with all types of people. This includes strange men or women, along with children and older people as well (in a non-threatening way).
Some examples of strangers include:
- People who visit regularly such as delivery people or repairmen.
- People in uniforms such as mailmen, police officers, security guards, etc…
- People wearing unusual clothing such as clowns or costumes.
- People with other animals, including dogs.
Expose to Different Types of Surfaces
If your Newfoundland is going to be walking outside for long periods of time or on slippery surfaces, you will want to expose them early on to these situations if possible.
It’s best not to push them beyond their limits. Take things slow and only progress when they are ready. If they start getting nervous or scared make sure you back off until the next day.
Some examples of surfaces include:
- Slippery floors Wood chips/mulch
- Sand
- Snow
- Grass
- Mud
- Hay
- Straw
- Soil
- Gravel
- Dirt
Make sure you don’t force yourself upon them during this process either by forcing them onto slippery surfaces. This includes making them walk on surfaces that they are uncomfortable with.
You will want to take it slow and go at their pace. If they seem nervous, back off until the next day and try again when they’re ready for more.
With a Newfie puppy make sure you supervise them during these sessions so if they start to get scared or nervous you can pick them up before things get out of hand.
Watch out for your Newfie’s Body Language
Keep an eye out for signs of aggression from other dogs or people, and stop the interaction before it escalates into something more serious.
If your Newfoundland likes to play with other dogs (especially if they like to play rough), then make sure you supervise them closely and don’t allow them on slippery surfaces.
You will want to keep an eye out for signs of discomfort such as ear position, tail position, and body movement.
An easy way to tell if a dog is uncomfortable or feeling stressed is through their tails and ears:
Upright ears show interest while flat against the head shows fear or stress.
Tail wagging can also be used as a sign of friendliness but not always so it’s important to watch the whole body during interactions along with reading their ears.
A tucked tail can mean either fear or that they want to be left alone.
A relaxed dog will hold their tails loosely, while a fearful or aggressive dog will clamp their tail tightly against their buttocks.
If you’re unsure just get the owner’s take on it before attempting any interaction between dogs.
Don’t push themselves beyond their limits during these sessions either by forcing them onto surfaces they are uncomfortable with or doing things that scare them. Take it slow and easy so they can adjust at their own pace.
Final thoughts
It’s best to take things slowly and expose your dog to different objects, surfaces, and people. This way you can help socialize your Newfoundland faster than if you had not taken the time to do so.
It’s also important to watch out for signs of discomfort in their body language. Don’t push yourself or your Newfoundland past their comfort zone during these sessions.
By following the tips outlined in this article you will start your Newfoundland puppy on the right track. They are also much more likely to become a well-adjusted dog.
