Dog training trend concerns

There’s a growing trend in dog training right now…
🚫 “Never let your dog interact with other dogs.”

And whilst this advice often comes from a place of safety, it’s missing something critical.

Dogs are a social species.
Social interaction isn’t optional — it’s part of their behavioural development.

If we completely remove opportunities for appropriate dog-to-dog interaction, we risk creating:

• Social frustration
• Anxiety around unfamiliar dogs
• Reactivity (often driven by uncertainty, not “bad behaviour”)
• Poor social skills due to lack of learning history

From a behavioural science perspective, this is about experience-dependent learning.

Dogs learn how to be dogs through controlled, positive exposure to their own species.
🚨 The issue isn’t interaction.
🚨 The issue is uncontrolled interaction.

Letting your dog rush up to every dog they see?
→ Not safe.
→ Not appropriate.

But preventing all interaction altogether?
→ Equally problematic in the long term.

The goal is balance.
✔️ Teach an automatic check-in
✔️ Reinforce calm, thoughtful approaches
✔️ Allow appropriate social interaction
✔️ Advocate for your dog when needed
This way, your dog learns:
“I don’t need to rush… but I can engage safely.”

And that’s what creates a socially competent, emotionally stable dog.
Because the aim isn’t avoidance…

It’s education, regulation, and choice.

If you want to teach a solid auto check-in, I’ve linked the reel showing exactly how to do it in my bio 👆🏻

👉🏻 Follow @dogsbypaula for science-led behaviour insights 🐾

#dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviour #dogbehavior #dogsocialisation #dogtrainingisfun

Видео Dog training trend concerns канала Paula O’Sullivan Dog Behaviour