If you have a dog, chances are that you have done a lot of research on how to take care of him and keep him happy. You have probably made a list of the things you need to do and ensured that your dog feels loved, has enough exercise, and is eating a good diet, among other things.
This might sound like normal things for all dog parents. However, it is just a tip for those who own an emotional support animal. They understand how important their dog is and how much they need him for them to function normally every day.
Such a dog provides comfort and emotional support to help them (the dog’s parents) deal with different challenges affecting their lives. Apart from the many things they do to take care of these dogs, socializing with other dogs is Important.
But Why and How Do You Socialize Your Dog?
Effective socialization of all dogs, whether emotional support animals or not, plays an essential role when it comes to the environmental stability and behavior of your dog. Socialization should start as early as possible when the dog is still young.
If you have an emotional support dog, you probably use the dog every day and in almost every other place. You need to ensure that your dog is ready to embrace different environments and behave well no matter where you are.
Definition of an Emotional Support Animal
Even though all dogs offer some form of emotional support to their parents, they are not emotional support dogs. An emotional support animal (ESA) can be defined as a pet, in this case, a dog, that has been prescribed to a person with a mental condition by a licensed mental health professional.
An emotional support animal that helps you deal with different challenges such as mental health conditions can be of any breed or age. However, a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist has to ensure that the animal’s presence is required for the patient to deal with their condition.
Importance of Socializing Your Emotional Support Animal with Other Dogs
Reduces Anxiety and Teaches Them to Share
Depending on different circumstances such as the environment a dog grew up in, some dogs might be quite sensitive when it comes to resource sharing. This is because such dogs rarely socialize with others. They are also used to having things like food taken away from them.
You probably go with your emotional support dog everywhere you are going every day. This means that the dog is going to meet other dogs, whether in the streets or even at the park. This might make your dog uncomfortable or nervous.
Socializing with other dogs teaches your dog about cooperation with other dogs. This is important when it comes to sharing. For instance, your dog becomes more trusting, and any territorial or resource-sharing problems are diminished.
In addition, you are more likely going to travel with your emotional support dog or even take them to busy places such as restaurants and other public places. If you have not socialized your dog with others, it might get anxious or even run away.
Apart from socializing your emotional support animal with other dogs, you can also use different CDB dog treats to relieve stress and anxiety. You can follow this link to find a variety of chews and bites made using organic hemp oil that has naturally occurring CBD. These chews and bites will produce a calming effect on your ESA that promotes a relaxation response, reducing anxiety.
Socialization Decreases Stress at the Vet and in Public Places
You might think that your emotional support dog is well-socialized and free with a visit to the vet or even a groomer. However, it is important to note that most dogs are stressed when making such a visit.
Since these visits involve a lot of hands-on activities, unfamiliar faces and hands might mean danger to your emotional support dog. Fortunately, socializing with other dogs is one of the best tips to de-stress your dog.
At the vet, your emotional support dog is likely going to see other dogs being attended to. This might ease the tension and reduce any stress that he could be going through, allowing the vet to work on your dog.
In addition, it might be impossible for you to take your dog to public places or maybe establishments if he appears uncomfortable around other dogs. This is because the law does not require establishments to accommodate ESA dogs, but service dogs. Socializing brings comfort to ESA dogs.
Enhances Playtime
Playtime is one of the most important things in the life of a dog. Emotional support animals do not need to play just for fun – which is also important – but also because they use this time to enhance their survival skills such as fighting, hunting, and communicating.
Well, you can play with your dog, something that most people do a lot, to enhance their bonding and help their dogs practice. However, this playtime is not good enough compared to the one your ESA dog gets when playing with other dogs.
For instance, when your emotional support dog is socializing with other dogs, the dogs might include tugging, wrestling, biting, chasing, and other forms of games in their playtime. These are games that we cannot play with our dogs.
Boosts Mental Health and Self-Esteem
Playing with your emotional support dog is excellent. If you have other dogs, it means that your emotional support dog is already used to your other dogs. This is not enough socializing for the emotional support dog.
You also need to ensure that your dog meets new dogs – dogs that it does not know – even if you have more than one dog (apart from your emotional support dog). This allows him to interact with the new dogs and learn new skills, something that boosts his mental health. With self-esteem or mental health issues, your emotional support dog might be distracted, afraid, and might not focus on you to give you the support that you need.
When meeting these dogs, your emotional support dog will also get a chance to hone his fighting and communication skills in an environment he considers safe. This is important in boosting self-confidence and increasing happiness.
Socializing your emotional support animal with other dogs is one of the things that you need to do to ensure that your dog remains happy, well-behaved, and healthy.
