In an Aussie, chasing moving objects is a very self rewarding behavior (meaning it feels good so it doesn't need an outside reward like praise or treats.) puppy. Learning to understand your dog's cues can help you assess how he feels about a given situation. Your dog will be more comfortable with you, knowing you have his back. He was the only puppy in the shelter at the time, so they decided to take him despite his shyness. The idea is that coming when called is fun and very have benefit though, as again the pup sees the wide variety of I have used these methods with foster dogs with great success. If you are allowed to go So many people reach over the head of a dog, which is another potentially threatening gesture. My two most stable protective dogs were also very social dogs. He had been at the shelter for two months half his life. The idea with all of this this stems from a quote by Okay, youve adopted a friendly pup with a sound temperament. don't scare the puppy! pup at first, and the other calls. If you set up the training to make it possible for your pup to succeed, and picture succeeding, you will. If it can't learn that control, just don't have the dog loose in those situations. Of course, if you can enroll your puppy in a reward based, quality training class, that is great. You must continue your pups socialization lessons assiduously until he is 16 weeks old, and then maintain his positive association to the world throughout his life. Instead, remain calm and let the dog approach you. true any time.) person call. Many dogs are threatened by a strange person rushing up to touch the dog, especially if the person is being loud and looming over the dog, or is trying to touch it. Sit on your tail gate if your vehicle has one, or take a blanket Since many states are only allowing essential The rest of the world terrifies them, and any positive exposures they get later in life must struggle against this early, very strong programming. During this period, you want to give your pup at least 100 new positive exposures and experiences, to vaccinate him against the possibility that he will feel compelled to bite someone, someday (see 100 Exposures In 100 Days sidebar). Permission to share as long as you credit Jill Porter/Faithwalk Aussies. Just like that child, your dog will feed off your reactions more than you will ever know. Youve reached the end of that magic socialization window, your 100 exposures list is all checked off, and your pup loves the world. If you meet a dog you already know and with whom your dog has a friendly relationship with, that's different. Whenthey are mobile, they will meet visitors and other "puppy safe" dogs and even other animals. I also feel that by only breeding dogs who CAN be good with puppies, we increase the chance of producing puppies who can inherit the ability to develop good social skills. I wait until my pup has his first shot, and then start takinghim for truck rides, and visits to the local stores which allow pets to visit. ideally work on crate training. Many dogs, Aussies included, may go through fear periods as they grow, meaning your normally outgoing puppy suddenly acts afraid of a new person or situation, or even things it used to be fine with. Teach him a "watch me" cue using food to reward him turning his gaze to your face, and practicing a lot at home first. I also try to let them see different dog breeds and other animals, around busy traffic areas, in other buildings and homes. Their owners lack basic understand of dog behavior and body language. First wait until the puppy is already been Train, socialize and succeed! your puppy to be okay being alone. still help our pups grow and develop into the best dogs we can! taken to potty and had a bit of exercise. puppy out and about but still keep everyone safe. The idea is getting the pup out to see the world in a way that is understanding, not a cocktail party." It's all normal and common canine behavior and it is instinctive in puppies. different room could work. than just physical exercise. Read that again. Same for vet visits, they are carried in to avoid being on the floor or ground, until they have completed their shots. I wanted to add some information for people to use to help them properly meet a new dog. However, if Mom and Pop are genetically unstable, Pup needs to be ultra-socialized if he is to become a safe and friendly member of society. This is VERY good information and I highly recommend you read it. Though people think it's wrong for a dog to bite in that situation, it is a perfectly natural reaction for the dog. If the dog seems comfortable and accepting, reach under it's jaw line to give a scratch. Even after 16 weeks of age, it is still very important to consider a well thought out socialization plan. What they didnt know was that at 16 weeks, Blue was reaching the end of a pups most important socialization period the time in his life when he learns what is safe and good, and what is scary. be happy engaged with chewing, and step out. Gradually increase the time you can leave the pup, based on Meeting the wrong dogs or people can give a bad experience and make your pup MORE fearful versus more confident. Nature versus nurture Something else that I consider VERY important in raising balanced dogs is that puppies get plenty of time with adults that have stable temperaments. As soon as the pup makes eye contact, give the treat. Unless you know the dog well don't try to hug the dog. So many people see a pretty dog and want to rush up to it, speaking in a high pitched or loud voice, and either pet or hug the dog. At one time in the last several decades, much ado was made about a pups critical fear periods. Behaviorists attempted to pinpoint those periods of time in puppyhood during which a bad experience would scar a pups psyche for life. You can keep working with the dog in that type of situation, but some may just find it too stimulating given their herding instincts. As he ventures out of his den he learns to be bold where it counts pouncing on prey, for example and cautious where prudent. A good breeder begins handling her pups gently and early, just as their eyes begin to open, giving them a positive association with human touch. It sets dogs up to fail, to react, to lash out after more subtle body language cues are ignored, and it makes the dog lose trust in you to keep him safe and honor his feelings. By behaving in this manner around new dogs, you will find most react much better to you than they would if you played the obnoxious animal lover. But with social distancing, What does this mean to a pet owner? If I approach a stranger anticipating the dog being afraid, they will be if they weren't inclined to be in the first place. I try to keep a close tab on how my pup is feeling, watching for signs of stress like calming signals. For mental stimulation while a bit and fall asleep. both because of local conditions and regulations, and your puppy has had I hear some people say they don't socialize because they want the dog to be protective but a normal, stable dog that is well socialized may still be protective if the genes are there. Do this a few times, making it a fun happy game, and stop Starting in a less distracting environment is good too. By that I mean I may practice holding them in various ways such as they may need to have blood drawn and so on. What happens to the puppy before that age will have more impact on the adult dog he becomes, than anything that happens later. When the pup comes running, use Wouldn't that be SO inappropriate in our human society, and possibly have a negative outcome? rewarding. That doesnt mean your job is done, however. Think of it like this, when you are out in public, do YOU rush up to every human you see, get into their personal space and touch them inappropriately, just because you are friendly and want to say "hi"? Their general assumption then becomes that people and other animals, places, and things are okay unless proven otherwise. The New Dog and Youngest Child Syndrome. -Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJs Training Editor. Also, just like some humans don't like EVERY person or situation he finds himself in, neither do dogs. Another game to teach is the "watch me" game. distressed by your absence. allowing your young pup to interact with strange dogs anyway (and that's his age and maturity. You may risk setting your pup up for separation anxiety if you More recently, we have come to realize that, although pups do seem to go through periods during which they are more fearful than others, that time can vary from one pup to the next. For those who live in neighborhoods, you can do a Written August 2020, I have been in dogs over 35 years as an adult and have seen a lot of so-called "friendly" dogs. Give him a minute or so and let the other steps, not to be afraid or stressed by being alone. LOT of puppies who will need to be trained and socialized well to Rather than trying to force the dog to behave in such a situation, don't be afraid to simply remove the dog. If a pup comes from parents who have very genetically sound temperaments, then the pup can get by with an average amount of socialization or even less. If it's a tiny pup you can do this sitting on the ground. Jane Killion of Puppy Culture. It is uncomfortable for most dogs, and even worse when they are on leash. During this period, puppies who live with humans need to learn that the world is a good and safe place. A pup who inherited poor genes for temperament and wasnt well socialized early is often a lost cause or, at least, a huge challenge for someone who is well-prepared, educated, and equipped to deal with him or her. While dogs can't become infected with COVID19, In fact, for more cautious pups, being Use shorter distances for younger pups. The fact that Blue and all his siblings were deemed to be shy when they were dropped off at the shelter indicated that they hadnt received adequate early socialization. One holds the You can also teach basic manners and tricks like In the last of the three photos, one puppy is putting his muzzle in the mouth of his father. Are you done? How do you know whether to give your new pup average socialization or the ultra package? I would never breed dogs who are not good with puppies as all parts of temperament are a mix of inherited and learned, and if their genetic temperament is not stable, they are not likely to produce puppies who can have stable temperaments. Leashed dogs can't get away so may be pushed past their limit to NOT react. Start small, and One thing to note, don't make coming and going a Also, dogs don't instinctively enjoy being patted on the head. not fear based methods intended to shut down or suppress behaviors. Give a very high value, safe Never let a trainer do something to your dog, or instruct you to, that makes the dog afraid of you or other people, or damages the trust and confidenceyou are building. Use reward based methods that encourage your puppy, Quietly and calming come have the treat. The more they practice it, the more they will do it. I highly recommend it! Even if you miss I am doing Early Neurological Stimulation, from days 3-16, and I handle them daily in other ways as well. Every dog is a product of the influence of his genes and his environment. wide variety of shapes, sizes and behaviors. leash. Again, be respectful of regulations and social show the dog there is a reason to get all worked up. and go. I think it builds confidence for them to decide how to relate to things, and I set them up to succeed by trying not to put them in situations they aren't ready to experience, but I reward them (often with food) for exploring and visiting. That means there are a I don't mean we never tell our dogs no, but we don't use fear and suppression as a core of our training and interaction. beneficial. where he can observe people or other animal activity, from a safe and I really encourage anyone wanting to understand temperament and why it is genetic, not "how they are raised" to ready this.