10/15/2025
"Your dog isn't social".
And?
Do they have to be?
Yours may be "friendly" to a wide variety of dogs but that doesn't mean all dogs should be or need to be.
It doesn't make a dog that is selective any "less".
What about dogs that prefer their people and ignore other dogs?
Should their dog be viewed differently because they choose to ignore other dogs?
They love and adore their human family and for whatever reason, they prefer it this way.
Where is the issue with that?
"He only likes his own breed".
Nothing wrong with that whatsoever.
He is most comfortable with familiar body shapes and body language in dogs that look similar to him and his littermates/family.
"She'll only approach quieter dogs".
That's what she prefers and there can be good reasons for this too.
Maybe she doesn't appreciate boisterous play or perhaps she had a negative experience with a dog whose energy/movements were more unpredictable.
"He likes the "full on" dogs".
Excitement can be contagious and your dog may be attracted to that energy.
Sociability can be fluid too!
As they age and have more experiences it can change where they sit on the very large spectrum.
All of this is natural.
Time to see it as such and stop the preoccupation that all dogs must play with all other dogs to be "social".
