Distal socialization means seeing things at a distance and learning to ignore these things. I coach my clients and teach my dogs to ignore things as the default position. Distal socialization is not about working closer and closer to things; it is about making things out there – people, animals, and things at a distance – a non-issue.
To teach dogs to ignore people, dogs, and other things they may see in any environment, we model the attitude that we are not paying attention to those things, therefore the dog doesn’t need to either. We note and move on; we do not pay undue attention, react, or engage. Distal socialization can include the following:
Seeing people at a distance inside the home
Seeing people at a distance outside the home
Seeing animals at a distance inside the home
Seeing animals at a distance outside the home
Seeing cars, trucks, and traffic
Walking at a distance from construction sites
This is one of the most important aspects of socialization—raising dogs that are indifferent to things, people, or animals unless I direct their attention there. Isn’t this alone a big deal? Think about it: you’re out for walks, and your dog doesn’t care who else is out. You’re in an obedience training class, and the dog is happy to pay attention to you and no one else etc.
You might struggle with this, coming across people who ask if they can say hi to the dog or if their dog can greet yours. And of course, we all know those who don’t bother asking. This is a test for us! How strong is our determination to keep these crucial boundaries so that we can progress along the rungs of socialization properly, getting strong at each level before progressing to the next?
The other benefit of distal socialization is that we don’t care if our dogs react to things at a distance because they are not expected to like or engage with those things at this stage anyway – a relief for both human and dog. This alone takes away the stress of socialization, making socialization progressively easier. Because you are conveying that you’re not interested in interacting or engaging with anyone anyway, you will have removed the pressure at socializing that a dog who is relatively new with you feels. Get solid at one level before moving on to the next!