Conspecific social competence in domestic dogs: a theoretical framework for practitioners

Conspecific social competence - the capacity of domestic dogs to engage in contextually appropriate interactions with other dogs - is a clinically significant yet systematically underaddressed construct in canine behavioural science. Existing approaches to reactivity and fear-based behaviour reduce problematic responses effectively, but are oriented toward managing conspecific exposure rather than developing genuine communicative and regulatory competence, and no framework currently exists for developing these capacities in adult dogs who have passed the early socialisation window. This paper proposes a definition of conspecific social competence, distinguishing it from human-directed social competence and from the absence of reactive behaviour, and presents the Canine Social Competence Development Framework. Each component was retained only where it could be grounded in published findings on canine social learning, communication, or welfare (Pongrácz et al., 2001; Bradshaw and Rooney, 2016; Fugazza et al., 2018), while its formulation as a distinct and applicable component of practice draws on clinical observation. The framework identifies one foundational prerequisite - allowing direct conspecific contact - and three interdependent pillars: experiencing social consequences, interacting with conspecifics of varying behavioural profiles, and minimising human interference in interaction dynamics. Clinical implications are discussed, including partner selection, session structure, indicators of progress, and the management of safety risks inherent in facilitating direct conspecific contact. The limitations of the framework are acknowledged, including its current reliance on clinical observation rather than empirical testing, and directions are outlined for the empirical validation it requires.