16/06/2026
Absolutely love this article, worth a read.
Over-socialised vs well-socialised Cockers⌠because they are NOT the same thing!
A lot of people think socialising a Cocker (or any dog!) means letting them say hello to every dog, every person, every child, every visitor, every exciting thing they see.
And I completely understand why, you want them to be friendly, confident, good with people and dogs. Able to come places with you.
But hereâs where it can go a bit wrongâŚ
If your Cocker learns that every person means attention, every dog means play, and every new environment means GO GO GO⌠you can accidentally create a dog who expects access to everything.
And when they donât get that access... thatâs when you often start seeing the pulling, the barking, the bouncing, the frustration, the âears turned offâ, the dog who cannot focus on you because the world has become one big invitation.
A well-socialised Cocker isnât one who says hello to everyone.
A well-socialised Cocker is one who can be around the world and still stay connected to you.
They can see another dog and not have to launch towards them... they can pass people without needing fuss.
They can sit in a busy place and still check in and they can experience the environment without feeling like they need to interact with every single part of it.
So instead of thinking:
â âMy puppy needs to meet everyone.â
Try:
â
âMy puppy needs to learn how to exist calmly around everyone.â
That might look like:
Letting them watch dogs from a distance.
Rewarding them for checking in with you.
Sitting on a bench and letting the world pass by.
Practising calm around people without always saying hello.
Teaching them that not every exciting thing is available to them.
Because socialisation isnât about creating a dog who loves everything, itâs about creating a dog who can cope with the world, make good choices, and still feel connected to you in the middle of it.
