Press Room

Some dogs are complete social butterflies. Regardless of what other breeds they encounter, dogs with this kind of personality are always happy to interact and play. If this description doesn't sound anything like your dog, don't worry. Although canine social butterflies exist, they're the exception instead of the rule. For most dogs, they're going to be friendly towards some pooches but less than thrilled about their encounters with others.

It Starts with Breed

The first factor that impacts dogs being picky about the company they keep is breed. It's natural for a dog to gravitate towards another of the same breed. However, this can also work in reverse and cause dogs to repel other breeds. It only takes a single incident for a dog to remain wary of certain breeds for a long time.

Gender Plays a Role

The next factor that can influence how your pet feels about another dog is gender. Whether a dog is male or female, if it's an alpha, chances are it's going to have a tendency to fight with its own gender but enjoy being around dogs of the opposite sex. This can be true even if there aren’t any dominance issues at play. It's also common for alphas go out of their way to protect any other dogs they deem worthy of their attention.

Multiple Senses

As we've previously discussed, dogs have incredibly powerful senses. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that these senses can play a role in how your dog assesses others. Examples of what your dog may judge about another pup include if it's too submissive, has an arrogant stance, or puts off a strange odor.

General Disinterest

Have you ever met someone, and even though they seem like a perfectly fine individual, you simply fail to hit it off with them? This is quite common among humans. It's also something that can occur with dogs. For example, your pet and another dog may have very friendly personalities. Then on the day they meet, any number of very minor factors can result in them not hitting it off.

Activities like dog parks can be really fun for your pet. Even if your dog doesn't go out of its way to interact with every other pooch it meets, you can be confident that your pet is still a very happy animal and completely normal. By supporting your pet's needs with great dog food, plenty of activity and lots of love, your dog will be able to enjoy whatever amount of socialization it is most comfortable with.