Dogs
All dog posts will be reposted here, in order to create a clickable category. Oldest posts will appear at the top. Scroll down to see newer posts.Thursday, February 1, 2007
New Puppy Socialization
There are a lot of new Christmas puppies out there, and many of them are about 3 months old now. Socialization is a most important issue, and our next 3 posts will deal with it in detail as it pertains to your puppy's life right now.
Puppies have definite times in their lives when they SHOULD be socialized in certain ways.
The first of these socialization opportunities will take place as the puppy first begins to explore and interact with others.
That is one of the reasons that a newborn puppy should be left with its littermates and mother for the first couple of months. Not only does he need to nurse from the mother in order to grow properly and be as healthy as possible, he also needs to learn how to be a dog, and this can only be learned from other dogs. Puppies should always be socialized with their littermates if possible until about 8 weeks of age.
To be continued ...
Sunday, February 4, 2007
New Puppy Socialization Part 2
During this early socialization time, the puppy should begin to be socialized with people as well. The time when a puppy best learns to interact with and trust humans is from the ages of about 4-1/2 or 5 weeks through about 3 months old. A pup that has been ignored and neglected up to that age will have MUCH more trouble adjusting and behaving normally with people after that time, if he is ever able to do so.
It can take a professional behaviorist and many, MANY hours of patient work to bring a dog that has had his social development neglected in this way to even a basic level of interaction and trust of humans, and it may be that he may never be fully trustworthy.
To be continued ...
Monday, February 5, 2007
New Puppy Socialization Part 3
All of this brings us to the period we wished to talk about. Puppies also need to be socialized to the WORLD. From about 3 months old to 5 months old they are in a period of learning about the world around them. They should of course have already experienced things like grass, sunshine, wind, hard surfaces, and more before this period. However, it now becomes important to broaden their horizons.
If you ever plan on being able to take your dog ANYwhere (and you will want to be able to visit the vet when necessary, and remember that you may have to move during your pet's life ... you never know what will come so you should prepare your puppy now) ... if you ever want to be able to take him anywhere and have him be calm and well behaved, the period from 3-5 months is the time to prepare him for it.
Your vet may have advised you to keep your puppy strictly isolated until after all vaccinations are completed and effective. However, you can take your puppy with you and exercise reasonable caution. You won't of course want him to run around in a park where other dogs have been, and defecated.
However, you can take him for rides in your car. Allow him to wait in the car with the window down (restrained if necessary, and with you in sight if necessary). Visit the homes of cooperative friends. Some stores will allow dogs inside, particuarly pet shops and feed stores. Carry your pup if you are concerned about contacting surfaces.
Walk him on hard surfaces outside. Let him see many people, and other animals of various kinds. If you live near farmlands or forests, let him see horses or explore the woods. He will encounter many smells in the process as well. Let him hear many sounds ... traffic, horns, sirens, thunder, shouting, fireworks, and perhaps gunshots if you will live around hunting. Let him experience the city as well as countryside, and various kinds of weather. Take him to construction sites and let him see and hear what goes on there. If there is a beach or stream nearby, take him. Let him visit a ballpark with a game going on.
The idea is to give the puppy as much and as varied experience as possible, under your guidance, so that he knows all these things are normal. Later he will not be likely to suddenly become frightened and slip off the leash and run into traffic the first time he visits a city, or to disappear the first time he hears a gunshot or fireworks explosions, never to be seen again.
He will also be far less likely to become frightened at some novel experience or loud noise and lash out at someone in nervousness or fear, biting them, and possibly subjecting you to a lawsuit.
Another benefit of all this experience is that he will learn what is NOT normal and be a more effective helper to you, using his acute senses and warning you when something is not safe or something strange is going on around you. He will also be a more natural guard or watchdog, without training along those lines.
So in order to enjoy your dog to the fullest, make sure he has a well-rounded socialization and experiences as much of life as possible at an early age, so he will be confident and steady as he grows.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Rope bone
Looking for an inexpensive but safe toy for your dog?
Buy a length of heavy cotton rope at a hardware store, suitable in diameter for your pet.
Tie a knot in both ends (for heavier ropes, this will require a LOT of strength) and you have a rope bone!
This can be tossed in the washing machine when necessary, but should be double-rinsed and then dried with no added fabric softeners.
