- This article has been reviewed by a pet health professional. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.
Socialization is the process of helping a puppy get used to the world and everything in it, from people and animals to sounds and textures. This short but important sensitive period known as the “socialization window” happens during the first 3 to 14 weeks of life. During this time, puppies are especially receptive to experiencing new things. But what do you do if you need to socialize a dog older than 14 weeks?
Maybe you’ve adopted a rescue or are starting to notice frightened or reactive behavior in your teenage or adult dog. Unfortunately, that early socialization window is already closed—but that doesn’t mean it’s too late. While it takes a bit more time and care, it’s still very possible to help an adult dog feel more confident about the world.
With help from Kait Hembree, head of training at GoodPup, we’ll explain how to get started using positive and gentle exposure to help your adult dog become better acclimated, plus when it’s a good idea to call in a professional.
Signs of Undersocialization in Adult Dogs
If you’ve recently welcomed home an adult dog and are noticing concerning behaviors such as general nervousness, extreme shyness, or even intense unpredictable responses to novel things or situations, it could be a sign they weren’t well socialized as a puppy. When dogs miss out on key experiences during their early development, they’re more likely to react strongly or have big feelings about things that are unfamiliar to them.
Common signs of undersocialization include:
- Reactivity (barking, lunging, or growling at people, dogs, or objects)
- Resource guarding (protecting food, toys, or spaces)
- Excessive barking
- Sensitivity to noises like vacuums, storms, or city sounds
- Aggressive behavior in certain situations
- General anxiety or difficulty relaxing in new environments
These behaviors don’t mean your dog is “bad.” It just means they need a little more help feeling safe and building confidence in the world around them.
Is It Too Late To Socialize an Adult Dog?
You can’t recapture the same advantages you have when socializing a puppy, but going through a similar process—albeit at a slower, more careful pace—can still offer significant benefits to a new adult dog.
Why the difference? “Physiologically, an adult dog’s brain is more developed and is no longer as open to the investigation of unfamiliar items or interactions. Adult dogs have lost much of their exploration flexibility,” Hembree explains. “And because they’re more developed, signals are faster and more intense. This suggests that adult dogs are at a greater risk of having a response you don’t want when they are exposed to novelties.”
With adult dogs, you’re also likely to be working to undo or reshape emotional responses that already exist, since every individual dog will vary based on their previous experiences, genetics, and learning history. You’ll use techniques like desensitization and counterconditioning to slowly shift their mindset and help them feel safe.
Amore al Arte via iStock
Step by Step Instructions
The goal of proactive exposure, aka “socialization,” with an adult dog is to help them learn to feel safe, calm, or even happy around things that might otherwise stress them.
You’ll start with exposure to new things and then, if need be, use desensitization and counterconditioning to turn the things that worry your dog into things with neutral or even positive associations. Here’s how it works.
Step one: Exposure
If you’re not sure about your dog’s comfort level with the world around them, your first step will be to identify your dog’s triggers—the things that spark worry, frighten them, or result in reactivity.
- Pick just one new thing at a time to introduce your dog to, and give them lots of space. Sounds should be low-volume, objects should be still, and people and animals should start far away.
- If your dog stays comfortable and relaxed, add another level of intensity by getting closer, adding movement, or increasing the volume while continuing to monitor your dog’s body language.
- If your dog shows signs of discomfort or stress, decrease the intensity. Back away, stop any movement, or lower the volume. Then add the thing to your list of triggers to work on with training.
- If your dog stays calm, neutral, or happy, this is likely an experience they’re comfortable with. Praise them and call it a day!
Step two: Desensitization and counterconditioning
Once you have identified items or situations that cause your dog undue stress, you can begin to implement desensitization and counterconditioning one trigger at a time.
- Identify your dog’s threshold. If you went through the exposure process, you probably already know it: this is the place where they were just beginning to show signs of stress. Your goal is to always stay under your dog’s threshold and in their comfort zone when using desensitization and counterconditioning.
- Introduce your dog’s trigger in a way they can tolerate, beginning far away or with a low-intensity version of it (e.g., a sound on low volume). They should be in their comfort zone but noticing the stimulus.
- If your dog remains calm and curious, offer rewards (like treats or toys) to help them associate the experience with good things.
- Watch your dog’s body language closely. Practice this level of exposure for multiple successful repetitions.
- Once your dog no longer notices the trigger, slightly increase the intensity of the exposure by moving closer, increasing the volume, or adding movement. Repeat steps 3 and 4.
- End the session on a high note, while your dog is still calm, engaged with you, and accepting rewards.
- Keep practicing a little bit every day, aiming for multiple successful sessions with your dog, calm, engaged, and taking treats before you change the intensity of the stimulus. Be ready to go back a step if you find you’ve moved ahead too quickly.
Desensitization and counterconditioning can be hugely effective—but they can also be tricky to get right, especially for new pet parents. If you’re struggling, consider getting help from a professional dog trainer practicing humane, reward-based training methods through positive reinforcement and experienced in behavior modification.
Example: Introducing your dog to a bicycle
Not sure how to put these steps into practice? Here’s how you might break down exposure to bicycles:
- Introduce your dog to a bike that’s standing still.
- From a safe distance, have a friend slowly move the bike back and forth.
- Have the friend then ride the bike at a slow pace, remaining far away.
- Slowly begin to close the distance between your dog and the moving bike.
- Have your friend begin to ride the bike faster.
- Have your friend add short stops or small jumps to the bike’s movement.
- Begin the same process with a different bike and a different rider.
If at any point your dog starts to show signs of stress, slow down. For example, if your dog looks worried when you begin to approach the person riding the bike:
- Figure out how close your dog can comfortably stand while able to calmly watch the bike.
- Offer treats, play games, and reward your pup for being there.
- Do this until you’ve achieved multiple successful repetitions.
- Once your dog is doing well, increase the intensity by moving a little closer.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Continue to slowly decrease your distance a little bit at a time, aiming for multiple successful repetitions while creating a positive experience throughout the exposure.
- If at any point your dog starts looking stressed again, back away, increasing the distance until they’re comfortable. Then start the process again.
- Always work to end on a high note and return to practice another day.
Tamer ALKIS via iStock
Exposure Checklist
Not sure where to start? A socialization checklist can help you plan and track what your dog has—or hasn’t—had positive experience with. By working through these categories, you’ll get a clearer picture of how to structure your training. Remember to go at your dog’s pace and treat every calm moment as a win.
People
Help your dog get used to people by exposing them to a range of appearances, movements, and voices in a safe, controlled way and watching how they react. Knowing your dog’s general baseline around people will help you figure out where you need to focus your efforts.
Keep in mind that your dog does not need to meet everyone. Just like humans, some dogs prefer a smaller social circle. If this is the case, let the goal be for them to be able to be calm when people are around—even if that means calm out of sight in their personal safe space.
- Adults of different ages, races, and genders
- Children (seen from afar at first)
- People in hats, hoodies, sunglasses, or uniforms
- People using wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches
- Joggers, skateboarders, cyclists
- Delivery drivers or mail carriers
- People wearing perfume or strong scents
Dogs and other animals
Not every dog wants or needs to be best friends with other dogs, and that’s okay! But being able to see other dogs or other animals calmly is an important goal. Remember to go slowly and don’t force interaction.
- Dogs of various sizes and energy levels (at a distance to start)
- Dogs walking on leash
- Barking or high-energy dogs
- Cats, squirrels, or other common backyard wildlife
- Livestock or horses (if relevant to your environment)
Places, environments, and textures
The world is full of strange surfaces and new environments for dogs. Helping your dog feel at ease in different places can build confidence and make everyday life easier for both of you.
- Sidewalks, grass, gravel, sand, metal grates
- Parking lots or quiet shopping areas
- Vet clinic lobbies (take them in for a quick “happy visit” to meet the staff and get treats before any actual procedures)
- Elevators, stairs, ramps
- Crowded spaces (start on the outskirts)
- Car rides and different vehicles
- Dog-friendly restaurants and stores
Sounds
Sound sensitivity is not uncommon in undersocialized adult dogs. Start by using recorded sounds at low volume and slowly work your way up to real-life versions, always paired with something positive.
- Doorbells and knocking
- Thunder and fireworks
- Vacuum cleaners and hairdryers
- Sirens and construction noise
- Dogs barking or people shouting
- Traffic and honking
Body handling and grooming
Depending on their history, some adult dogs might be uncomfortable with being touched in certain ways. Exposure to gentle handling can help with vet visits, grooming, and overall trust with new people.
- Touching paws, ears, tail, mouth
- Brushing and gentle restraint
- Nail trimming (start with holding clippers nearby)
- Wearing a collar or harness
- Lifting or being picked up (for smaller dogs)
- Gentle baths or being covered in a towel
Use this checklist as a guide, not a race. Every dog is different. Some may breeze through parts, while others might need more time and space.
And some dogs may never be okay with certain triggers. But don’t worry—there are still lots of ways to help them work around that with management and enrichment. This ensures you are still advocating for what’s in your dog’s best interest while making sure they continue to feel safe and comfortable in their home.
When To Get Help
Introducing an adult dog to new things can be a long process, but also a very rewarding one. It’s also totally normal to feel overwhelmed or unsure at times. If your dog is reacting strongly to certain triggers, struggling to remain calm, or you’re not seeing progress despite your best efforts, it may be time to call in a professional.
A veterinary behaviorist or certified humane, reward-based dog trainer with a focus on positive reinforcement and experience in behavior modification can help you create a customized plan to guide you through those tricky moments. They’ll be able to teach you how to read your dog’s body language, identify early warning signs of stress, and safely manage your dog’s environment while building new associations.
