Newly adopted 3-yr-old miniature Schnauzer needs socializing

Hello all,

My partner and I recently adopted a vibrant 3-year-old male miniature Schnauzer from a rescue shelter. He has adapted quite wonderfully and he’s pretty good on walks. He likes to say hello to everyone in his path and is somewhat nervous around other dogs, but nothing too serious considering he was never really socialized. The problem is when there is a dog in sight but beyond reach, this is when he goes completely ballistic, barking, yelping, pulling—he basically sounds like he is being beaten to death. Needless to say, it’s a bit unsettling for the other dog, for the other dog’s owner and slightly embarrassing for us. We’re trying our hardest to remain calm and not to make a big deal out of it in hopes of getting him accustomed to other dogs in general, but would love some tips on how to handle Mr. loudspeaker in order to make the whole ordeal a lot less painful. Treats as a distraction don’t really work since he’d much rather turn up the volume and go mad. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Glad to hear you rescued a schnauzer!!! They are a gorgeous breed!!!!

As for socialization......not an expert, but I think with time and patience your new friend will come to understand that those doggies that are out of reach are not a problem. Do you have friends with dogs that could help with the socialization process? Could you register in an obedience class? There are normally 4-8 dogs in most classes so that would give your new guy a chance to learn how to meet and greet others.

oh ya....do you have pictures of your new addition???

Thanks for the tip! He's a smart little guy so I think he'll eventually come around. I think we'll try working with him and see how it goes in the next couple of weeks, and if not he's off to obedience class.

A million thanks once again, and if you think of anything else, we're all ears!

PS. I'm not posting a picture of Dexter because I have yet to learn the ways of forum posting!