Socializaing new rescues

Lately we have had a few questions about socializing new rescue dogs and how to do it. I thought I would post some tips here for everyone to read:

When your new addition arrives it's very important to remeber that their entire life has just been turned upside down. Stress is a big factor for these dogs and this is not the time to be taking them to the dog park or anywhere there are lots of other dogs.

Start slow. You can't socialize a dog with other dogs if you can't control them. So the number one key thing to remember is to take your time! Your new addition needs to learn to trust you and you need to be able to call your dog and have them reliable come to you before you can start taking them to places where they are to encounter other dogs. If you think your dog is social that is great but not all dogs are. Also boxers play very differently from other breeds and often get themselves in trouble because of it. So if you can not reliable call your dog to you then you should not be taking them places where they can get themselves in trouble.

We strongly recommend taking your dog to obedience school. A lot of people believe they can train their dog on their own and we don't think they can't. Obedience classes though offer you an invaluable opportunity to work your dog close to other dogs in a controlled manner.

Always remember the key to socializing starts with training. A dog who is reliable in it's training is far easier to socialize then one that isn't.