We need to define what you mean by ‘social’. 

It is unfair to expect a dog who is shy to hang out with rowdy, robust players.

With the correct diagnosis, we can ensure that your dog mixes in the right social groups for them. 

When your dog is comfortable with the social situations that they are exposed to, they will not need to respond in an anti-social manner.

Firstly, it is not ethical to deliberately trigger a dog into acting in an antisocial manner. Both for the welfare of your dog and for those around.

Dogs are skilled communicators, and their social behaviour is predictable in similar circumstances.  In order to resolve your dog’s issues, the important factors are identifying their triggers, their play style, and how comfortable they are in different situations.  

The answer to this question is fundamental to the training. We spend a lot of time ensuring that we have the correct diagnosis.

Sometimes the answer is clear, but sometimes we need to do a bit of detective work.

This is a very common issue, particularly if your dog has had squabbles in the past, or you have had run-ins with other owners.

Once you have learnt about your dog’s play style or social skills issue, you will have the confidence to make the best decisions in various situations.

On-going support is vital. Guardians who take advantage of the support available, particularly that of the Wag and Wrestle Community, generally have more successful outcomes.

First and foremost, you must always ensure the safety of others, people and dogs.

If your dog has caused injury, they may have what is referred to as poor bite inhibition. Your dog must wear a muzzle if there is any possibility that they could bite a person or another dog.