What does it mean to properly socialize your puppy?

Many people understand the general importance but few understand the specifics. And in this case, the devil really is in the details! Fully understanding this question is one of the best things you will ever do for your furry companions.

 

The most important socialization period for dogs is from roughly 3 – 14 weeks of age. Breeders are responsible for a good portion of this so always make sure your breeder is informed and conscientious about puppy development. During this time the brain is like a sponge, literally soaking up experiences, and it is very important that puppy has a lot of positive associations with the world it will be living in as an adult. If not, it is possible life-long fears could develop.

Play between puppies is critical during this time because it helps with physical development, frustration tolerance, and teaching each puppy “dog communication skills”. Singleton (litter of one) puppies are prone to a lot of behavioural issues because they miss out on interactions with litter-mates. In many standard sized litters, puppies are moved to their new home between 7 – 9 weeks and most don’t get into classes until they are 12 – 14 weeks old. That can be a huge gap without socialization. They can forget their manners and skills because a third of their life has passed already with few puppy interactions. Getting dogs into socialization classes before 10 weeks of age is ideal. You can find some great resources at the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.

Good puppy classes are extremely valuable for almost all puppies. For dogs that ma

y be genetically or socially inclined to shyness, time without contact with other puppies could lead to a life-long fear of other dogs. For dogs born to be social, (Mr. Friendly who has to say “hi” to all dogs and people), puppy classes are important for teaching impulse control and polite greeting skills.

If you are not totally committed to teaching impulse control and manners daily on your own, puppy class is a great way to work in a group. Mr. Friendly should be working more on impulse control and owner focus, while a shyer puppy should be working on confidence and courage.

Impulse control and manners need to be taught to all puppies from a very early stage. This is part of socialization too! Good leadership and consistency should be in place by as early as 12 weeks.

But buyer beware, classes and socialization experiences vary greatly. What may seem like a great deal on the surface could be disastrous to your puppy’s well-being. New puppy owners should look for qualified professionals with a proven track record of helping puppies reach their maximum potential. Just as a lack of social experience can ruin a puppy, so can one or two bad socialization attempts. Owners should never leave the task of socializing their puppies to anyone else.

When searching out puppy socialization programs, look for several cornerstones:

• Puppy interactions should be structured and supervised.
• The puppy should learn value for interacting with their owner as well as other puppies.
• Exposure to noises and experiences, as well as body handling (both with the owner and with other people) should be positive experiences.

Puppy Interactions

The puppy to puppy interactions should be structured and supervised by trainers who give care and attention to helping the session unfold well for all the puppies in the group. Some dogs need to be reinforced for brave behaviour while others need to be reinforced for gentleness or calmness. Good trainers will actually train during the play session or better yet, help the owners to see ideal interactions and actively train and shape how a puppy play session unfolds. Remember some of these puppies have been isolated for weeks and may need help acting appropriately.

Good puppy socialization classes will never let the puppies work it out themselves. They are babies, some of whom may be shy and others who may be boisterous. Often it can go well, but when it doesn’t, good trainers will save the session every time! What goes on in these early play sessions is formative and it is absolutely possible to change the way your adult dog will be with other adult dogs.

Focus on Owners

Puppy socialization classes should also offer time spent building focus and connection with the owners.

There is value in puppy to puppy play, but if they do too much of this (especially for Mr. Friendly), where is the value being built for the puppies? With each other!

Where do we need it? With the owners!

Same species bonding is very powerful. Good classes will give owners the tools to build a connection with their dogs that can be stronger than the bonds to other dogs. Dogs need to understand very early on that their owners provide all the wonderful things in life and outgoing puppies should be put on a “Nothing in Life for Free” program which includes permission to go play and then returning to their owner when called.

Exposure and Body Handling

In good puppy socialization there should also be exposure to handling. The gift of good instructors is that they will teach you how to work with any handling issues your puppy may have.

Detailed guidelines about how to socialize your puppy out in the real world is a bonus. Fear is the number one cause of aggression and early effective experiences can almost eradicate the fear that underlies most issues with aggression.

Don’t wait until your dog is 12 weeks old to sign up for classes – they can start as early as 8 – 10 weeks! And remember a good deal is one that provides both value and expertise.

For puppy socialization classes look at the credentials of those running the classes. Have they been training for awhile? Are they certified? If so, does the certification program have a solid reputation and make sense for you and your puppy? This will ensure that your new furry family member gets the best education you can provide.

© 2012 SmartDog Training & Consulting. All Rights Reserved

 

Good For You and Your Dog

There’s no question – crate training your dog is the single best thing you can do to promote happy, healthy, and harmonious human/canine relationships in your family. Most of the problems that result in dogs being left at shelters: behaviours such as chewing, eliminating in the house, jumping up on visitors, separation anxiety, excessive barking, and more can be prevented through proper and effective crate training. This article provides information on the right ways to use your dog’s crate, and how to deal with difficulties that may arise.

Your Dog Is Not a Human!

A common belief among people who don’t really understand the nature of dogs is that putting a dog in a crate is cruel, that it’s like putting them in jail. This is an understandable reaction from a human who values freedom and considers their dog to be part of their human family. It’s only natural to feel that putting him in a crate would be mean and inhumane, and perhaps cause him to resent or even hate you, or maybe result in psychological damage. But you are not a dog, and your dog is not a human.

Dog crates have long been taken for granted by dog show exhibitors, obedience and field trial competitors, trainers, breeders, groomers, veterinarians, and anyone else who handles dogs regularly. Individual pet owners, however, often reject the idea of using a crate because they consider such enforced close confinement unfair, and even harmful, to the dog.

It’s very important that dog owners understand issues relating to dogs from a canine point of view. Dogs can’t see the world from a human point of view; it’s up to us to see the world from theirs. And for a dog, their crate is their own space, their retreat, their safe place, their security blanket. The crate helps to satisfy the strong denning instinct that is part of the nature of a dog. A dog that has learned to be in a crate will often choose to be in it even when he is not required to be. He is not afraid or frustrated when he is closed in; on the contrary he is happy to have that safe refuge. Dogs are more content and more secure having their lives controlled and structured by humans and would far rather be prevented from causing trouble than to be punished for it later. To you the crate may be a cage, but to your dog, it is home.

Why Use A Crate?

Properly used, a crate provides many advantages for you and your dog. A crate can help you to:

• enjoy complete peace of mind when leaving your dog home alone, knowing that nothing can be soiled or destroyed and that he is comfortable, protected, and not developing bad habits. A crate keeps your dog away from potentially dangerous things such as toxic house plants, household chemicals, and electrical wires
• housebreak your dog more quickly by using close confinement to encourage control, establish a regular routine for outdoor elimination, and to prevent “accidents” at night or when left alone. A crate is an effective housebreaking tool because it takes advantage of the dog’s natural reluctance to soil its den
• effectively confine your dog at times when he may be underfoot, such as during meals or family activities, when his presence is unwelcome, such as when guests or workmen are in the house, or when he is overexcited or bothered by too much confusion or too many children, or when he is ill
• travel with your dog without risk or the driver being dangerously distracted or the dog getting loose and possibly lost, and with the assurance that he has his familiar “security blanket” along

Your Dog Can:

• enjoy the privacy and security of a den of his own to which he can retreat when tired, stressed, or ill. Dogs learn to love their crate as their very own special place. It becomes a familiar and secure place, at home, when away, when in the car, or wherever you and your dog may be.
• avoid much of the fear, confusion, and punishment caused by your reaction to problem behaviours
• more easily learn to control his bladder and bowels and to associate elimination only with the outdoors or other designated location
• be spared the loneliness and frustration of having to be isolated in the basement, garage, or outside when being restricted or left alone
• be conveniently included in family outings, visits, and trips instead of being left behind alone at home or in a boarding kennel
• You want to enjoy your dog and be pleased with his behaviour, and your dog wants little more from life than to please you. A dog crate can help to make your relationship what each of you wants it to be.

What Size Should The Crate Be?

A crate should be large enough to allow the adult dog to stand, stretch out on his side without being cramped, and to sit up without hitting his head on the top. Appropriately sized, the crate will allow the dog to easily turn around. With a puppy, it’s best to start with a smaller crate and increase the crate size as he grows. Another option is to block off the back end so he is unable to use one end for sleeping and the other end for eliminating. Crate training uses the dog’s instinctual behaviour to keep his den clean, that is to not eliminate where he sleeps. Dogs that are kept in a bigger area are much harder to housetrain, because they have been forced to eliminate in their sleeping quarters.

Where Should The Crate Be?

Dogs are social animals, and should not be isolated. Confining the dog without making him feel isolated is really important, so don’t put the crate in the basement away from the family. The crate needs to be where the dog’s pack is, that is close to the humans, where he can be a part of family activities, even as an observer. This may be the kitchen or family room. If possible the crate should be moved around with you. At night, the crate should be in your bedroom. This provides comfort to the dog and allows him to adapt your own sleeping patterns. Having the crate nearby at night allows you to easily deal with any fussing that he might do.

Crating a Puppy

A young puppy (8 to 16 weeks) will normally have no problem accepting a crate as his own place. Any complaining or whining he might do at first is caused not by the crate, but by the process of his learning to accept the controls of an unfamiliar environment. In the majority of cases, the crate will help the puppy to adapt more easily and quickly to his new world.

How To Use The Crate

Be sure that children understand that the crate is not for them to play in, but that it is a private place for the puppy, and insist that this is respected. You must, however, accustom the puppy to letting you reach in to the crate at any time, and not allow him to become overprotective of it.

Never, ever use the crate as a form of punishment. All this will do is cause your dog to resent and perhaps be afraid of the crate. It’s very important that your dog learns that being in the crate is a good thing, and once this happens, most dogs are happy to go in their crate at any time. You can, however, use the crate for a time-out if your dog becomes exuberant or over active.

Note that it’s really important that your dog gets adequate daily exercise, for both his physical and mental well being. He needs to be able to burn off energy, which helps to promote calmness.

When you first introduce either a puppy or an adult dog to the crate, leave the door open and entice him to go in using treats or a favourite toy. The goal is to create positive associations with the crate. Feeding him in the crate will also help. Be patient. If he hesitates to go in the crate, be satisfied with him being near it at first. Try feeding him in front of the open crate door, then move his dish just inside the door, then gradually move it towards the back of the crate. Again, be patient.

Never force the puppy into the crate. During his introduction to the crate you want to keep it positive. Entice him to go in the crate with treats frequently, leaving the door open and allowing him to come right back out. Give him lots of praise when he does go in. Let him see you toss a treat in the crate and encourage him to go in and get it. Keep it positive, and be patient.

At first, when you close the door, stay with him and keep his confinement to very short periods. During this introductory time, don’t let him create an association with being in the crate and being alone. Gradually lengthen the periods he is in the crate. If things do not go too smoothly at first, don’t worry, just be persistent and be consistent. Remember, you are doing your dog a real favour by preventing him from getting into trouble while left alone.

Don’t take him out of the crate if he is fussing or whining, as that will only teach him to fuss or whine again. Wait until he stops for several minutes, and then take him out as a reward for being quiet. Keep this low key, you want him to learn that going in and out of the crate is not a big deal.

It’s important to realize that crating the puppy does not by itself teach him to be housetrained. You must use his natural instinct to not soil his den to teach him that outside is the proper place for elimination. First, be sure he has eliminated shortly before being put in the crate. As a rule of thumb, your puppy can be crated for the same number of hours as his age in months (e.g. three hours at three months). Immediately on taking him out of the crate, take him outside to the area you want him to eliminate in. Keep it strictly business – you are taking him out to eliminate, it’s not to play or have fun. As soon as he eliminates, give him a reward: tell him what a clever dog he is, give him a treat, or play with him. He’ll quickly learn the routine: crate, outside, pee, fun!

To be successful and housetrain your puppy quickly, you want to prevent him from making mistakes. Never let your puppy have the run of the house. He must either be supervised all the time or confined. If you have to leave the room, even for a minute, either take him with you or put him in his crate. Learn to anticipate the times he will need to eliminate, such as right after a sleep, after eating or drinking, after playing, and immediately after being in his crate for any length of time. Take him outside so he can eliminate and then reward him. If he makes a mistake, it’s not his fault, but rather it is yours. Do not punish him, the old “stick his nose in it” does not work.

With persistence and consistency, your puppy will quickly learn to go outside to eliminate.

Crating The Adult Dog

Most of the common problem behaviours of adult dogs are caused by the lack of a feeling of security when left alone. A crate can provide the security he desires and usually solve these problems, but it must still be introduced gradually, and it is very important that the dog’s first association with it is positive and pleasant.

Does The Crate Always Work?

Most of the time? Yes. Always? No. Crates are used successfully by most dog owners, but there are some dogs which simply cannot or will not tolerate this form of confinement. This is not nearly as common with young puppies as with adult dogs, but it does happen, particularly with adopted or rescued dogs, dogs which may have suffered a traumatic experience while crated, or an unadaptable senior dog. In some cases a dog will use a crate readily as long as the door is open, but will object the moment it is closed or when he is left alone. These reactions definitely represent the small minority, and most dogs can successfully be trained to use a crate.

While a crate may not always work, it is always worth a try. When it does prevent or solve problem behaviour, it is truly the “best friend” you and your dog could ever have.

A Pet’s Life carries a wide range of crates, including Furrarri, Great Crate, Kennel Cab, Vari Kennel and Sof Crate. For more information and advice about the options and to find the crate best suited to you and your dog, talk to any of our knowledgeable staff.

 

When Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety is a crippling state of mind for a dog. It is heart rending for owners to see the manifestations of their dog’s fear when they are left alone. Dogs are inherently social animals that crave being part of a group or pack. For some dogs, being separated from their pack and family causes intense fear.

It is a behaviour that is sometimes formed early in a dog’s life. It can be caused by experiences such as the loss of a mother before eight weeks of age. Isolation from lack of companionship between eight and sixteen weeks of age, abandonment by a previous owner, dramatic changes in their environment, and even breeding may be the cause for separation anxiety. Dogs that have been strays or were in a neglectful or abusive circumstance which are re-homed and then receive all the love and affection they deserve can become separation anxious due to their fear of losing their new life circumstance whenever their guardians leave them on their own. In some cases “anaclitic depression” can occur. One form of anaclitic depression concerns itself with what happens if the attachment to a dog’s caregiver is disrupted for a long period of time during the dog’s first year of life. The other may be more likely to occur in an adult setting, when a dog forms an extremely dependent attachment on others: dog or human. This “depression” can manifest itself as an extreme fear of being left alone that may result in a refusal to eat or relax when alone and anxiety and neediness even when you are together.

One of the most common manifestations of behaviour with dogs experiencing separation anxiety is excessive vocals, whereby the dog whines or barks incessantly, or destructive behaviour when the dog is left alone. Especially, “point of entry destruction”, which takes place at the doorway where the dog’s owners typically leave the home. Scratched doors, chewed door frames or door handle. I’ve seen flooring ripped up at the doorway, side windows cracked and some years ago, a German Shepherd I helped had ripped the metal mail slot right out of a solid wood door.

There are many reasons why a dog may misbehave when left alone but if your dog fits the profile of an animal who might be prone to separation anxiety and if your dog is only destructive or eliminates inside when no one is home, and does not display this kind of behaviour at any other time, separation anxiety is most likely the problem.

When your dog chews destructively when left alone, it is not being vengeful for having been left alone. Chewing helps a dog feel better when it is anxious. It’s distracting and helps relieve nervous energy. Dogs are sometimes more likely to chew something that smells of their human companion, such as a shoe.

When dogs are anxious they often do not have the same control over their bladder and bowels. The more anxious they become, the less likely they are to be able to wait until they are let outside. It could also be possible that there is some scent marking that occurs with the house soiling, it comforts the dog, knowing that its living area is filled with its familiar scent, though this is more likely in the case of a dog that is new to a home.

Prevention

We can avoid the possibility of our dog becoming separation anxious by setting them up for success the moment they enter your life and home. Following some of these guidelines can be very helpful:

• Allow your puppy time to be alone. If your pup chooses to have alone time for a nap or to play by itself, allow it to do so. If you suddenly notice that your pup is nowhere in sight, do check on its location in your home but let them spend time alone. When a pup joins a family, all the family members want their snuggles or play time with the pup. The larger the family the more likely that the pup’s day and evening will be filled with attention, so be sure to let your children know that your new family member needs alone time. It can be helpful to schedule downtime for your pup and make certain everyone follows the schedule. If you are scheduling alone time it should be varied throughout the pup’s day so that a pattern of behaviour is avoided.
• Within a few days of the pup’s arrival begin introducing the puppy to the experience of being alone as the family leaves the house for an outing. You will want to constrain your puppy to its introductory living area; usually an area that can be closed off and has tile or wood flooring for the inevitable potty accidents. (I don’t recommend using the bathroom for this learning experience.) Another good option, especially if you don’t have an area of your home where you can easily contain your pup, is to introduce your pup to being in a crate or kennel. This assists with housetraining and prepares your pup for those times when you may need to kennel your dog when travelling. Leave your pup on its own for a few minutes while you go for a short family walk and gradually over the next week or two, work your way up to an hour. (Ed. note: For a specific article on crate training, click here)
• Departures should be calm and matter-of-fact. No hugs and kisses goodbye and no need for assurances that you are only going for a short while and will be back soon. Simply set your pup up in its area with water in place then out the door you go. The more that your departure is a non-event the less worried your pup will be about your leaving.
• Your arrivals are by far the most important part of this experience for your pup. It is vitally important that on your return, you must not match the level of excitement that your pup displays on your return. Your puppy is going to be very excited to see you and we are very gratified and excited to see our puppy but… you must display a calm greeting and send the message that being apart is no big deal. Please don’t worry that if you don’t act excited to see your pup, they won’t feel appreciated. Do feel free to make eye contact with your pup and offer a smile and you can even say hello as long as your voice does not sound excited or higher pitched. But if your greeting produces an excited response you need to mellow your greeting. Once you’ve been back with your pup for 5 minutes or so and your puppy has calmed down (relatively speaking), you can interact and play with your pup as you normally do. It is that first few minutes of greeting that can possibly reinforce their fear at being apart from you.

Your excited puppy might simply be thinking… Yahoo! It’s play time again! But there’s a possibility their thoughts are… They’re back. I’m going to live!!

Managing Separation Anxiety

Though the experiences of the past that created your dog’s anxiety cannot be undone, it is possible to diminish the experience and train your dog to accept being left alone or reduce their general anxiety level. Utilizing a behaviour modification program, designed specifically to meet the needs of both you and your dog, it is possible to help your dog understand that they have not been abandoned whenever they are left alone.

Since the reason for a dog being separation anxious varies, and every dog, living circumstance and behavioural manifestation of the anxiety differs, the cure very much needs to match the ability of the dog to learn. The most challenging aspect of resolving your dogs anxiety is… time. There is no fast-track to resolution. If you try to progress too quickly your dog is likely to fail and you will experience set back after set back. However, there are some standards of approach to resolving separation anxiety.

No big deal departures.

Departures should be very calm and matter-of-fact. No hugs and kisses goodbye and no need for assurances that you are only going for a short while and will be back soon. Simply set your pup up in its area or kennel if you are using one with water in place then out the door you go. The more that your departure is a non-event the less worried your dog will be about your leaving.

There are cues that trigger the start of your dog’s anxious behaviour such as grabbing your keys or putting on your shoes or coat. It can be helpful to avoid a pattern of preparation to leave. Put your keys in your pocket well in advance, place your shoes outside before you leave, etc. It can also help to put on your coat or pick up your keys or shoes and simply walk about your home for a few moments then put down you keys, take off your coat and so on. By handling those triggers randomly and at times not even leaving your home, your dog should become desensitized to them as being cues that you are about to leave.

Greetings when you return.

Whenever greeting your dog, at any time, make your greeting very calm and matter-of-fact by making short eye contact and delivering a calm greeting. Many trainers recommend that you completely ignore your dog when greeting them; however it has been my experience that some dogs will jump through hoops trying to gain your attention. I feel that there is value to making short eye contact as a quick acknowledgement but thereafter do not look at, speak to or touch your dog until they are calm and relaxed so not to reinforce their anxious excitement.

Even when they have relaxed and you feel the timing is right to say hello, be sure to make your greeting very calm and mellow.

Alleviate “needy” behaviour

If ever you suspect that your dog is coming to you for affection/support because they are anxious, it would be wise to ignore the “needy” behaviour and give them your attention/affection when they are in a more relaxed state of mind and less fearful. This is a subtle way of helping them confront their anxieties on their own so that they learn that the world won’t come apart for them without your support. Recognize that your dog is seeking your attention but patiently wait for them to relax and give them your affection at a time when you won’t be inadvertently rewarding their anxiety and neediness.

Practice coming and going as often as possible.

The only thing that desensitizes animals to a fearful circumstance is for them to confront their fear by experiencing the circumstance time and time again until they come to realize that their life is not threatened, and in the case of separation anxiety, that there is no terrible consequence to being left on their own. We can hasten the process by helping them learn the lesson in small ways many times. The more often they experience your calm and nonchalant departures and especially… arrivals, the quicker they will learn.

You can begin this process by simply going into one of the rooms within your home and close the door behind you, leaving your dog by themselves for a minute or two. Make certain they see you going into the other room. After a minute or two open the door and exit the room making short eye contact but not engaging them in any way until such time as they are displaying calm and relaxed behaviour. Once they are more relaxed give them simple praise for being calm and if they remain relatively calm then interact with them as you normally would.

In addition to practicing within your home you should also practice exiting through the door leading outside your home. Initially, only for a few moments and then begin increasing the amount of time you are outside as you see less anxious/excited greetings when you return.

When practicing separations from your dog, when you intend on re-entering your home try do so before they start to bark, whine or scratch at the door, otherwise they may learn that their barking or scratching encouraged you to return. Wait for a 30 second break in the barking or scratching and then open the door.

Once their greeting to you is calmer during a short exit/re-entry you can start extending the amount of time that you are separated from them.

When you can successfully exit and re-enter your home after a 15 minute practice separation and your dog is happy to see you but not displaying an anxious-excited greeting, you can start to do those things that you would normally do when actually leaving the house. Put on your coat, pick up your car keys, etc., as you would if you were going to work, an appointment, shopping, and so on.

Crating or Kennelling

As a rule I encourage dog owners to teach their dogs to accept being in a crate or kennel. It is best to start this when your dog is a puppy and can be necessary to constrain your pup from getting into mischief when you need to go out; especially if your “open concept” home doesn’t allow you to close off a particular area of your home. As well, if you like to travel and kennelling your dog will be necessary for air travel, etc., it will be especially stressful for your dog if they have not been trained to accept being in a kennel.

If your dog has minimal or no experience being kennelled, I do not recommend crating or kennelling a dog suffering with separation anxiety. Even for those dogs that have previously been comfortable in their kennel it could possibly be detrimental to place them in a kennel when they are separation anxious. Contrary to popular belief, it does not help them feel like they are in their comforting den. Instead it provides a more intense feeling of being restricted from searching for you and greatly increases their anxiety and fear. Once a feral dog has left the den they do not desire returning to their den as a comforting experience. (When was the last time you wished to be back in your crib when you were having a stressful day?) I’ve worked with a few dogs whose owners were advised to crate their dog which resulted in the dogs injuring themselves and suffered lacerations and broken teeth in their feverish attempt to escape the kennel.

Medication to support training.

There are a few medications that can be very helpful in resolving severe cases. One such medication is Clomicalm (clomipramine hydrochloride). It is designed and approved for the treatment of separation anxiety in dogs. It is not a tranquilizer or a sedative, and will not affect your dog’s personality or memory. The medication helps to lower a dog’s anxiety level making it easier for your dog to learn. The medication alone will not resolve the separation anxiety it must be accompanied by behaviour modification support from an experienced animal behaviourist or trainer.

Measuring progress and success.

Throughout the process it will be important to measure your dog’s reactions when you are returning after being separated. Always keep in mind their level of excitement whenever you return after a separation and look for indicators that the level of intensity in their excited greeting is lessoning.

Observe their body movements that indicate levels of excitement such as:

• Rapidity of tail wagging. (very active, moderately active, calm active.)
• Is their hind end moving vigorously or gently?
• Do they appear extremely submissive by dropping their head down and turning their head slightly to the side (anxious) or does his head drop down a bit but remains straight? (confident)
• Does their body bend as he greets you (anxious) or does their body remain fairly straight (confident).

As they become desensitized to being separated from you, their greetings will still be energetic but less so as they progress and are less concerned about being away from you.

Success is when their greeting to you is head up, body straight, tail gently wagging but a fairly relaxed hind end. Ultimate success is when you arrive home and have to go looking for them in order to say hello.

© 2011 Steven J. Huxter. All Rights Reserved