I talk to a lot of owners who are sad that their dog doesn’t have dog friends. This may be because their dog is nervous, aggressive, or even just neutral with other dogs.
Just like we don’t need to say hello to strangers all day long, our dogs likewise do not need to meet every dog they see. I don’t know where the idea came from that just because they are the same species, they need to greet each other, but when you think about it, it’s weird.
And just like all humans have a range of introverted or extroverted personalities, dogs also have their own preferences. If your dog doesn’t want to make friends with other dogs, that’s ok. There’s no need to feel bad for them. If you are meeting your dog’s daily needs in terms of physical & mental exercise, then they are getting everything they need in life from you.
And if you have two dogs in the same home who don’t constantly play together all the time, this isn’t a bad thing. A lot of owners seem to dream of bringing home a second dog for their first to play with all day. These owners then get disappointed when the dogs mostly ignore each other. In reality, that is something to celebrate! Two dogs who are neutral and respectful of each other is far more valuable than two dogs who are constantly hyping each other up and wanting to play. The latter are far more likely to get into a fight when the play goes too far or when one of them really doesn’t want to play anymore.
The other effect of owners wanting their dogs to have canine friends is forcing greetings between unknown dogs on walks. This is not only unnecessary, it’s also dangerous and will lead to a fight if one or both dogs feel uncomfortable but unable to escape. Even in the case your dog likes saying hello to others, if you start setting up the expectation of greeting dogs on walks, your dog will get excited at the sight of other dogs, which can easily develop into lead reactivity.
All in all, there’s really nothing to gain from your dog having dog friends. Focus instead on making yourself your dog’s best friend and not only will you have a better bond, but you’ll also have a happier dog.
