06/18/2026
A busy park for our 2nd outing lesson, Athena and her mom killed it! 🐝
People feet away in a down, kids running by and yelling at her, the loud playground, baseball game and she couldn’t have been more neutral. Many people focus on making their dog friendly with everyone and everything, but neutrality is often a more useful goal. A neutral dog can notice something in the environment without feeling compelled to react to it. A common misconception is that socialization means letting a puppy greet as many dogs and people as possible. In reality, effective socialization is about creating positive, calm experiences with a wide variety of sights, sounds, environments, animals, and people. Our goal is to make it “no big deal” to the dog. Neutrality doesn't make dogs antisocial, it helps them have better social experiences because they can approach interactions calmly rather than with overwhelming excitement or anxiety. A neutral dog can still play with friends, greet visitors, and enjoy social time. The difference is that they can also choose not to engage when the situation calls for it. Neutrality often improves the relationship between dog and owner because the dog learns that the owner is a reliable source of direction and information. If this is a goal with your dog, don’t hesitate to contact us!