My dog is a 3-year-old Shih Tzu-Sheltie mix. Whenever we take him to the dog park he drools a lot. Why does he do that and what can we do to control it?
–Megan
Hi Megan,
Your little guy’s drooling could be an indication that he’s stressed out around a bunch of other dogs. See if you can identify any other signs of stress he may be exhibiting while he’s there: Excessive shedding, lack of eye contact with other dogs, calming behaviors like licking his lips, blinking more than usual with slightly squinted eyes, not moving in a straight line to any dog, or lying down showing his belly frequently to dogs. If he’s doing any of these things along with the drooling, it’s time to back up and begin socializing him with other dogs in a much more comfortable way, beginning with just one other dog (maybe a very friendly neighbor’s dog).
A dog who’s generally fine around one or two other dogs but hasn’t been exposed to a bunch of them at once in a controlled, positive way (like a group class) could be overwhelmed. Add to the dog park situation the many types of dogs, many of whom he’s never seen, and your dog could be stressed by that. Another sign of extreme stress in a dog is sweaty paw pads. Take a tissue with you and check his paws while at the park if it’s not cement (you’d see his pawprint on cement). Your best avenue for re-introducing socialization to your dog in a constructive way is to contact a trainer and ask about enrolling in a small group class. A great place to find a trainer who advocates using positive reinforcement and motivational techniques is at APDT.com. It’s the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the largest trainer organization in the world, created to show people how to train their dogs using gentle, fun, reward-based methods.
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