Socialization: Tight spaces & busy places

With the KW Pet Expo coming up I've been asked by a few people if they think its a good place to take their dog for socialization. My answer on this one depends on if you have built up to crowds/close passes with strange dogs and if your dog is bombproof enough to handle other dogs potentially barking/lunging at them if another owner fails to maintain enough space/control of their dog. Think about it like defensive driving - it's not just you but others on the road or in the space that could cause problems for you and your dog. If you've built up to this level of stimulation and feel confident navigating your dog through it - Great! I'm not saying it's a bad place for every dog, BUT for many dogs this could be an overwhelming and stressful situation, in which case it is not an ideal place to work on socializing your dog. Having enough space to move away from scary things is important and often not an option in crowded areas/aisles. Karen Pryor has a great article for more information on appropriate socialization: https://clickertraining.com/dont-socialize-the-dog. If it seems like it might be overwhelming, your pup might prefer that you go without him/her and focus on your shopping and bring him/her back some new swag!