# Do I need to socialize my dog with a neighbor I don't like ?



## stocki_stev (Feb 7, 2011)

I plan on socializing my puppy GSD as MUCH as possible. 

However I dislike my neighbor and we've never really talked ( in years). 

I want my GSD to roam freedly in the fenced in backyard but I don't want him barking his head off everytime my neighbor walks outside the house ( neighbor is old and will most likely call the police )

As I said, I plan on socializing the dog as much as possible . But would that be enough for the dog to not mind my neighbor even though he has never "officially met him" aka sniffing him, etc..

Thanks.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

If by socialize you mean let your pup meet your neighbor no, it isn't necessary. 
What you will want to do is take your puppy outside when your neighbor is out there, so he gets use to seeing her around. While outside if he sees her and starts to bark, distract him with a toy, have him sit and start throwing him treats, have him start doing puppy push-ups, etc. The idea is, when he sees the woman, nothing bad happens, it's all good.


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## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

Whiteshepherds said:


> If by socialize you mean let your pup meet your neighbor no, it isn't necessary.
> What you will want to do is take your puppy outside when your neighbor is out there, so he gets use to seeing her around. While outside if he sees her and starts to bark, distract him with a toy, have him sit and start throwing him treats, have him start doing puppy push-ups, etc. The idea is, when he sees the woman, nothing bad happens, it's all good.


Totally agree. This exact method actually worked for us. Mac no longer barks when the neighbor is outside.


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## xenos56 (Jan 30, 2011)

To have your dog see your neighbor is a great idea. I would like to say however that this may not guarantee that your pup will like the neighbor now or in the future. My experience with GSDs will tell you that they go through fear stages and dramatically change around three years old. Our dog absolutely hated a woman who lives in our community and now greets here. He now is suspicious of people he has seen often - ones he either loved or was indifferent to in the past. So, socializing him is always a good idea, but keep this in mind when your pup changes his/her mind down the road.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

roaming freely in the backyard. does that mean he's
going to be in the yard unattended? it might be better
for you and your dog if start talking to your neighbor. this way
you can intorduce your dog to your neighbor. i made sure my neighbors knew my pup and my pup knew them. many times called my neighbors
to come outside when my pup was in the yard. i asked my neighbors
to play and to treat my pup. now when my nieghbors are in their yard
and my dog is out there's no barking. my dog is 3 years old and my neighbors still play with him.

if you're not going to talk to the neighbor i think
you should make it a point when the neighbor is outside
to come outside with the pup. if you're outside with the pup
you can make the necessary corrections. who knows, your
pup might not be aggressive towards the neighbor whether he meets
her or not.



stocki_stev said:


> I want my GSD to roam freedly in the fenced in backyard but I don't want him barking his head off everytime my neighbor walks outside the house ( neighbor is old and will most likely call the police )


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

this is the behaviour of your dog. this doesn't hold true
for other dogs.



xenos56 said:


> To have your dog see your neighbor is a great idea. I would like to say however that this may not guarantee that your pup will like the neighbor now or in the future. My experience with GSDs will tell you that they go through fear stages and dramatically change around three years old. Our dog absolutely hated a woman who lives in our community and now greets here. He now is suspicious of people he has seen often - ones he either loved or was indifferent to in the past. So, socializing him is always a good idea, but keep this in mind when your pup changes his/her mind down the road.


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## 2GSDmom (Aug 4, 2011)

Not all neighbor's are to be trusted. You can train your dog not to bark at the neighbor (i.e. correction when barking followed by positive reinforcement when quiet around the neighbor), but that does not mean your dog needs to be "social" with someone you do not care for.


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## Bismarck (Oct 10, 2009)

doggiedad said:


> this is the behaviour of your dog. this doesn't hold true
> for other dogs.


thank you.


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

Socialization doesn't necessarily mean having to meet and greet everyone. While your pup is young, I'd suggest going outside with them each and every time. This not only helps speed up housetraining but it helps prevent them from getting into bad habits like barking at your neighbors. I have a fenced yard too and my dogs do spend a lot of time in it but the ones with the better manners are the ones who didn't spend a lot of time unattended in it as youngsters. And my youngest started off with a major tendency towards alarm barking at everything he noticed. He only recently has been allowed to go out with the other dogs and no people and he's actually one of the best as far as not wanting to bark at stuff because I spent a lot of time outside with him, to make sure he didn't self reinforce for barking at everything.


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