Its easy to get complacent about how far your dog has come.
Sometimes it lack of owner confidence to ever let a shelter dog off lead, but mostly they get to it and the dogs invariably blossom. They may never be 100% social, and that is often because the dog has been mistreated or missed the 3-6 month social time to allow it to ever be 100% social, but a lot of dogs can get near 80% which means they are at a level where most people don't even notice the dogs anxiety. And that is good thing, because the dogs are just anxious enough for other social dogs not to overly interact with a dog that doesn't want it.
Getting complacent about how social your dog is, is dangerous
Its a lot of human's nature is to end up being lazy. Many owners love their dogs, but when it gets to winter or they have an illness that stops them going to the park daily or every second day, its sometimes hard for them to restart.And the reason often is that the dog has become so good in the park, and so good at home, that the owner has forgotten its only the dogs daily catch-up's and exercise that has the dog be so good.
In time a dog forgotten in the back yard forgets how to be social and like any creature living a shadow of a life, they end up expressing this sad life in many ways the owner doesn't like.
What about dogs that are never walked?
They seem ok. When you got to a person's home who has a dog that isn't walk, the dog will sometimes let you in the house ok, but guard their owner a little too much or might lick you a little too much. But the problem often comes if they ever get taken out of the house like to a cafe on the weekend. They are all hyper energy and seem to want to brawl with every other dog, or run away from every dog.If you have a dog that is perfectly social and never walked, you are a very lucky lucky person.
Because as a rule, non walked dogs are rarely anywhere near 100% social. Social means to cope with just about any situation, any dog that comes to say hello, they know how to deal with and usually get enjoyment out of the other dog, not fear, anxiety or aggression.
A dog that isnt walked will have a backyard full of poo, because a dog that is walked daily holds onto its poo until it can poo outside of its yard. Dogs hate fouling up their own territory. but if you never walk a dog what else is it going to do?
All I can say for people in the southern states of Australia about winter time walks, is hold onto your never and keep it up. Your dog depends on you and you love your dog for how well behaved it generally is. Its a shame that so few other people know how much potential their dogs have to be an 'ideal dog' just through walks !
