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Thursday, 11 January 2018 16:05

For Puppies Ages 10-16 Weeks of Age

NEW   'THE YOUNG DOG'   PROGRAM   

Mark Your Calendar: TBA
Program's Content: 
  The young dog is 10 - 16 weeks old.  This program is a drop in meet and greet with instructional information helpful to endure life with a young puppy.  This class is perfect for those puppies who have had their first successful visit with the vet of choice AND came from a healthy environment. 
In order to drop in you must text or call me:  828-712-4245 if you already registered by hitting the Sign Up Now button below GREAT ... I'll be in touch. 
Signing up is essential in order to come attend 'The Young Dog' program.  The Price:  $35 per class

Puppies 4-5 months are now coming into the K9 Manners - Level 1 

Interested?  Simply click the "Sign Up Now" bottom below.

Sign Up Now

Instructor:  
Gail Hubbard   gail@wnck9.com

Published in 'The Young Dog' Program
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Saturday, 12 October 2019 22:19

What is Puppy Socialization?

WHAT IS SOCIALIZATION?  

Dr. Seuss reminds us all about broadening our horizons with a little bit of humor and rhythm in his popular book, Green Eggs and Ham, written in the 1960’s using fifty words.  Using his simple animated writing style is a great way to illustrate the importance of socialization!!

  

Some choose not to deal with socialization. 
It’s sad, I know!           More desensitization.
You will not find the answer in the sky;


And Mister, I will tell you why!
We live in a busy world that races;
Too busy to take puppies to new places.

 

Oh My!    Another fearful reaction;
That leaves you in such dissatisfaction.
Hmm, socialization is indeed a need.
There you go!  Going new places most proceed.

 

Confidence. Clarity.     And Thresholds rise.
No more anxiety, fear and frustrated “Whys?”
Look!    A neutral reaction to a novel situation.
What a relief. Time well spent on socialization!

 

Almost everyone can relate to Sam-I-Am as he demonstrated his persistence and creativity while trying to help his friend to try green eggs and ham. Dr. Seuss’s fun and simple text reminds us all that meeting new people, going new places, and doing new things is only the beginning … a fun way of winning!  See, socialization is a process that we have to do with our puppies - it is not a one time event.  The outcome usually produces a well-adjusted adult dog willing to except different people, small children, new animals and unfamiliar environments … like bicycles and other things with a lot of movements!  The key is NEW things.  First impressions need to be GOOD impressions. An overwhelming wonderful impression!

So, take your puppy new places.
Touch different surfaces and see new faces.
Try it! You might like it, so I say!
The world is simply a free buffet.

There are different periods in a puppy’s life that we all should be aware of. A good breeder will usually take care of the first period, the puppy canine socialization period. Here puppies usually learn from their mother the meaning of discipline and to regulate the strength of a bite from the other litter brothers and sisters. So it is really important for puppies to stay with their litter mates and mother until they are 7-8 weeks old. After 8 weeks, your puppy will fall into the sensitive period of life and the first fear period hits rapidly there after. Anything during this first fear period (between 8-11 weeks) that scares the puppy usually stays with him for life unless the owner recognizes the fear and is able to react properly and distracts with treats and toys — anything of high value. It goes without saying that socialization is limited by the puppy’s increasing and unpredictable fear of the unfamiliar, but we should not let that limit us. Studies have shown that the environment in which a new puppy lives will have an impact on his temperament when he reaches adulthood. Simply focus on pleasant experiences during this period and you’ll make it through with a happy puppy.  Between 12-16 weeks starts the cutting period where the new teeth are cutting in and the puppies are cutting off mother’s apron strings. This puppy needs to get out and go here, there, and everywhere! 

At 4 months (16 weeks) up to 20-24 weeks (5-6 months) the puppy reaches a flight … call to the wild, period and stays here until puberty sets in. What? During this period the owner’s are encouraged to play and create a valued position in the puppy’s mind. 

Last but not least is the puberty period. Between 6-14 months the puppy will start to experience hormonal changes. The parents reading this know how challenging this hormone surge can be for a child. For the puppy, they can experience anything from hot spots to irrational attitude problems usually from a fear of what used to be familiar situations. There are tricks to make it through all of these periods, please consider me at WNC K9 Dog Training for help.

You will find a puppy program that helps you teach fundamentals that will take your puppy places.  You are in charge of your puppies confidence.  And new experiences on a daily basis will help.  New things, not the same patterns and places - new things and places.  This is not playing with other puppies.  This does not include dog parks or day cares.

Start with an area where there are not a lot of other dogs, perhaps a playground with swings!  First find one without the sounds that a child brings!

Would your puppy like the mulch? The sand? The snow?
Would your puppy like you swinging from head toe? 

Could your puppy figure out how to slide?
Could your puppy find you if you were to hide?

Small things that bring about stress;
Will only strengthen your puppy’s threshold — positive progress!! 

 I challenge everyone to get out there -- even if it is a cart ride at Hobby Lobby. A well-socialized puppy living an adult existence is more at ease, confident, easier to train and less likely to develop behavior problems. So, to me, socialization increases the probability of dogs staying in the original homes and decrease the number of dogs placed in the adoption systems.

It is very important to bring the “here, there and EVERYWHERE!” lesson into the training process as well. I challenge everyone to help their puppy offer simple and easy behaviors that they do around the nieghborhood “here and there.”   Depending on the environment, have patience and lower your expectations.  Give a young dog a break - deliver grace, love and help.

Creatively motivate proper focus on you “EVERYWHERE!” This is also called a connection. Develop focus, name recognition, and a love of the learning games at home … under a dome … in the car … at the North Star!  On a boat .. next to a mountain goat!  In the rain … no, I’m not insane!!

If you train and socialize here, there, and EVERYWHERE, you will better your changes of having a good adult family dog.

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN SOCIALIZING!

  1. CREATE PLEASANT, POSITIVE EXPERIENCES for your puppy with a variety of people and in a variety of places.  Introduce them to animals and novel objects like umbrellas, canes, baby strollers, vacuum cleaners, brooms … etc.
  2. DO NOT FORCE YOUR PUPPY to experience something she fears.  Dragging any fearful dog to visit a child is not socialization … sorry!  Punishment is not part of socialization and neither is contributing to any unpleasant experiences.
  3. ALLOW YOUR PUPPY TO TAKE TIME with new, novel stimuli. Encourage the puppy to make small successful steps by laying a trail of treats. If your puppy is repeatedly exposed to situations that elicit a fearful response, the goal of socialization is not being accomplished.
  4. If you puppy displays UNWANTED PROBLEM BEHAVIORS during an encounter such as fear or aggression, you may want to inquire about a private coaching session so you can learn about behavior modification games and counter-conditioning.
  5. ALWAYS SET THE PUPPY UP TO WIN by making the situation less intimidating. For example, ask that tall bearded man to sit on the floor without direct eye contact and hand him high valued treats.  Perhaps he could create a “train” to his hand with treats.
  6. Make sure the puppy IS HAVING FUN by playing with favorite toys and by feeding high valued treats.

Socialization helps a puppy overcome emotional responses and accept unfamiliar things. So start today! You’ll be surprised at the positive relationship that it brings.

This was originally written in 2001 … and now a perfect thing to post.

Here are ways to connect with me:

Call Me — 828-712-4245
Email Me — gail@wnck9.com
Send a iMessage — @wnck9DOGtraining
Post an Instagram Pic — https://www.instagram.com/wnck9/

Gail Hubbard
Founder of WNC K9

Published in Blog
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Friday, 14 August 2020 12:22

When the socialization door closes ... does another one open?

Doors will be closing soon on puppy socialization skills
 
You know the saying, “when one door closes, another one opens?” 
But with respect to raising a well-adjusted puppy, Alexander Graham Bell lied.  Though experts disagree on ages, the door to socialization for your puppy opens at around 4 weeks and closes about 8 weeks later, when your puppy is 12 weeks old.  The sooner the better.
 
To be a well-adjusted dog, your young puppy needs to get out of the house with you having some good tasty treats in a food pouch!  He needs to meet people--tall people, fat people, people in wheelchairs, people in cowboy hats and people with umbrellas.  And children.  He needs to meet dogs--friendly, healthy dogs in safe places.  He needs to experience so many things in such a short period of time--grass and gravel under his paws; elevators and stairwells; eating out of metal bowls and off paper plates; bicycles, strollers, a marching band.  Throngs.  No one said it would be easy.  But it will be fun.  (For a more information, see what is puppy socialization)
 
But my veterinarian says I should wait ... 
 
In their socialization statement, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior says that: "The Primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life.  During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this reason, the AVSAB believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated."

Personally, as I've held several hundred puppy classes throughout the years and had the preveledge of meeting a local vet tech who brought a 10 week old puppy to class.  She informed me that she hasn't given this puppy any shots yet, but she did do a titer test and she had a very high antibody present in her serum.  Continuing to explain to me that the titer test indicate she got enough immunity from her mother and the healthy environment she was raised in prior to coming home.    This is not to suggest puppies do not need to get their immunity shots at your favorite veterinarian office, but to strongly urge you to seek out information about immunity shots that your puppy needs in order to go to a safe structured environment that slowly and carefully exposes them to new people, smells, sounds and other puppies.
 
What’s more heartbreaking than Parvo?
Here’s what you can learn from informative dog trainers and vets and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB).  
 
Behavioral problems should be more important then the fear of parvo. Behavior problems are the number one reason dogs are left outside, taken to the shelter, and/or abused and misunderstood.
 
The fact that your puppy may grow up fearful and anxious is higher, then your puppy getting parvo from a puppy class.  There is as many diseases tracked into a pet store and your favorite veterinarian office, then a safe and structured puppy class.
  
A compromise and a plan
You have so many options for socializing your puppy in a safe environment to minimize his risk of yucky stuff. 
Call Gail Hubbard at WNC K9 Dog Training  at 828-712-4245 for suggestions if you have been given some information that has scared you.
 
First of all, avoid inappropriate places full of dogs with questionable vaccination status--dog parks, pet stores, dog events, the groomer ... and some vet offices.  
 
Second, the compromise.  You may choose to wait until his second set of vaccines (at 10-11 weeks old) to let him start meeting strange dogs in a controlled puppy program that you know have been vaccinated.  
 
Third, enroll him in puppy school, sooner rather than later.  Choose a facility that requires vaccinations and is clean and enclosed.  Puppy school will go a long way towards exposing your puppy to lots of new people, other puppies, children.  At a WNC K9, our Puppy Program will give your puppy the skills she needs to love life and greet every experience with a wagging tail.  Click here to learn more and to sign up for one of several convenient puppy classes.
  
What did you do to socialize your puppy?  Leave a comment below and let us know three things you think a puppy should experience before the door closes on socialization.
Published in Blog
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Articles

  • Gail Hubbard When the socialization door closes ... does another one open?
    Written by Gail Hubbard
    Doors will be closing soon on puppy socialization skills   You know the saying, “when one door closes, another one…
  • Gail Hubbard What is Puppy Socialization?
    Written by Gail Hubbard
    WHAT IS SOCIALIZATION?   Dr. Seuss reminds us all about broadening our horizons with a little bit of humor and rhythm…
Read More Articles...

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