why do people insist that a dog needs to run and play with other dogs?

IGNORANCE and the usual emotional crap that accompanies every answer in here. Dogs need to interact with YOU, the human, in order to become a functional animal.

Dog parks, dog dates, dog play groups and day cares are ALL grounds for the amateur and those who know nothing about what a dog really is.

My dog would rather be with me than another dog any day of the week - and that's how it should be and how I want it.

My dog is a highly driven, very physical breed and big brat when he interacts with other dogs - body-slamming is the only game he's really good at and he's naturally a humper - I trust him entirely under command or with people but since he would rather do an obedience training session and that's safer for everyone, we don't go out of our way to let him play with other dogs.

Dogs DO need to run and they DO need to play, but so long as they have been adequately socialized to not be aggressive or uncontrollable around other dogs, this running and playing is often much better accomplished with their owner/handler.

I believe it is unfair to keep a dog who loves other dogs away from them all the time but I think it is also unfair that humans seem to think that EVERY dog needs to have other dog friends. Some dogs don't want to be near other dogs. Other dogs thrive when allowed to interact with other dogs.

If you have a dog that has no desire for canine company then no, I don't feel that the dog is being deprived. However, if you have a dog that thrives in the company of other dogs then yes, I do feel that you are depriving the dog. Each dog is an individual. There is no cookie cutter lifestyle.

Some people think they know things that apply to every dog, when in fact very few things ever do.

Certainly a big one is that "all dogs should go to the dog park".

I never go to dog parks- ever.

It is fine so long as it is a small, closed setting that involves dogs and owners that are familiar and well matched, and well monitored - but that is hard to control. So are dogs that are either new to the setting, or too dominant or aggressive for the other dogs. I know of a couple that were attacked by packs of dogs and hurt very badly - in separate incidents in different parks.

The best thing is to have tandem walks with dogs that are familiar, or playdates in private yards with dogs that see each other on a regular basis under good supervision. they can have their pack time, without feeling the need to establish new hierarchies or feel out new additions.

There are in fact some dogs for which it is just too anxiety-producing to be mixed with other dogs, and this can be as a result of bad breeding- and there is nothing one can safely do to unravel that.

Dogs are all different, and the only rule is to Know Thy Dog, before you decide what is good for them. Very few people are qualified to tell you what is good for YOUR dog, and that is often true of free advice given by amateurs over the internet- or TV, or sometimes by people who put themselves forth as experts, who are not.

A well balanced, mentally healthy dog thoroughly enjoys playing with members of its own species. No human can replace dog buddies, so why would anyone deprive them of the obvious joy they get from this socialization? They are social, pack oriented animals. But all dogs are different. If the dog chooses not to play then so be it, but I think dogs that genuinely WANT to socialize and play should first be given the chance to make such decisions, and then given ample opportunity to indulge in this healthy, fun behaviour. You can't do any harm by allowing them to have fun, but there is great potential for behavioural harm should that dog never have the chance to interact and let loose with it's own kind.

I have ONE dog out of four that actually likes to play with and interact with other dogs/puppies. Of all the dogs my family has, she's the only one who has ever shown any interest.

Personally, it doesn't bother me if my dog doesn't want to have a "play date". As long as my dog is well behaved and isn't aggressive toward the other dog, I count it as a success and call it good.

In what hypothetical world to all these crazy people from these types of questions exist?

I've run into alot of people who think socialization may help some initially dog-aggressive dogs to learn that other dogs are not enemies and that being relaxed and interacting with other dogs is normal, and they can also learn some "dog manners" that way.

I've also run into alot of people who think socialization and inter-dog play for dogs that are inclined to it is a really nice thing to do for the dogs - as the dogs have a ton of fun and it helps teach them "dog manners".

But people who insist that all dogs should be forced to socialize/play with other dogs, and if they're not naturally inclined to it that there's something wrong with them? Rare if ever.

Let's not take the cheap shot of using the rare outlier extremists to smear a larger, broader, more moderate philosophy.

Personally, my own dogs have benefited from being allowed to interact with other dogs. They get great excercise and have great fun playing, and I've seen them learn dog 'manners' and grow more confident through it.... perhaps its for anyone, but it works great for me.

but then again, I see my dogs as more than just furry tools for humans, so I guess that makes me an outlier to some here...

Conditioning from dog trainers that begins with puppy socialization, with time set aside to let all the puppies off lead to play and get used to being in the company of other dogs and associate it in their minds as something fun and to seek out the company of other dogs when taken out for exercise. That so many dog clubs tell people is the way to have a well adjusted dog that does not cringe when it encounters other dogs.

That is not how I define socialization. I want my dogs to be relaxed and confident when exposed to dogs outside the pack, but pay attention to me and not whatever is going on around them, and definitely not condition the dog that there is fun to be had running over to unknown dogs. Socialization is exposing a dog to the sights, situations and sounds you want it to accept as a normal part of everyday life and not react nervously to or become highly excited by and not playing with other dogs.

My current male Doberman is a steady, well balanced easy going dog that does not seek out or want the company of unknown dogs outside his pack and loves to challenge his mind leaning something new related to gundog training working in partnership with me or track ahead, than play chase or meander along in the company of other dogs.

dogs do not need doggie friends ... some dogs might enjoy the company of other dogs and it is fine to let those kinds of dogs play but it is definitely not a requirement ... dog parks are full of people with anti-social dogs whose owners think their dog needs "friends" ... or the dogs who strain at the end of their leash to get to other dogs, and the owner thinks it is because their dog is "friendly" when in reality it is just poorly trained ...

Mostly ignorance. I think that if a dog likes to play with other dogs it should be allowed to do so, and if they don't like to then so be it. What I don't understand is people who think every single dog should like other dogs. My Tibetan Mastiff mix doesn't like other males, and couldn't give a rat's *** if he plays with other dogs. People think that bc he doesn't like other dogs, he's some kind of horrible monster. I don't get it...