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Socialising Puppies

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  Neonatal Period

  It is well documented and accepted that puppies should not be homed until they are 7/8 weeks old. To take on a puppy before this time will mean that it has not been with its mother and siblings for enough time to learn some extremely important lessons. During this period, the puppy learns about social interaction, play, and inhibiting aggression from its mother and littermates. Puppies must stay with their mother and littermates during this critical period. Puppies learn the most important lesson in their lives at this time - they learn to accept discipline. Quite often it is the fact that the mother stops eating the pups faeces and it is then down to the breeder to clean up after the pups, that causes these lazy and immoral breeders who are often puppy farmers to sell them on before the all important 7 week watershed. Those last couple of weeks have an enormous impact on the dogs adult life.

  Human Socialisation Period

  The first 14 weeks of life are what is known as the "Human Socialisation Period". This is the time when you need to really mix your puppy with as many things as is humanly possible. Learning at this age is permanent so this is a perfect time to start training. Also, this is the ideal time to introduce the puppy to things that will play an important part in his life. Introduce the puppy to different people, places, animals, and sounds in a positive, non-threatening way. You can have him meet other dogs and cats, as long as they are vaccinated, before your puppy is twelve weeks.

  Training

  Make training fun. Begin to teach your puppy to understand sit, heel, come and down from the day you get her/him. Use toys and chews, make sure you are controlling the game by taking them from him and giving them back or throwing them. At the end of the game, make sure that you win by taking the toy away, to avoid dominance problems later in life. Discourage bad habits from day one. If your puppy jumps up, push him down, saying 'off sit'. Most dogs learn to control their bite, by nipping their litter-mates whilst playing. This is called bite inhibition. If they bite another puppy too hard, the pup will cry-out and move away. Most puppies when they arrive in our homes for the first time, treat us and our families as play-mates, and may nip. By copying the litter-mates behaviour, and crying-out and pulling away no matter how gently your puppy bites, you must discourage biting and mouthing in later life. Make sure that your children and any others that visit do not treat the puppy as a play thing or toy. Teach the children and any other visitor that they must abide by the rules regarding your new pup.

  Dog Manners

  Some people think it is funny to see puppies abusing older adult dogs. Do not allow your puppy to constantly harrass and bite other dogs, or leap on other dogs. If you do not adide by this advice, you may find that an adult dog may suddenly snap at your puppy. This is normal behaviour, therefore you shouldn't chastise the adult dog but if you do allow the pup to continue to pester, the reprimand from the adult dog may get severe, causing your pup to become fearful of other dogs and therefore defensive, and cause aggression problems in later life.

  Hindsight

  Hindsight is an exact science whilst forsight rarely is. Therefore set out your rules and stick by them. Be consistent, firm but fair: never let a puppy ignore your commands or do anything you wouldn't want an adult dog to do, or to show aggression. However let me clear up a few misconceptions about what constitutes aggression. If your dog growls at you while you are playing tug o' war, but not at any other time, then you don't have an aggression problem. It's a "play issue". However left unchecked it can lead to aggression in the future. I do not recommend any games of "tug" or "strength" with your dog whatever the breed.

  If however your dog growls at you, or the children, while he is eating, putting on his lead and collar, or when you give him a command, then you DO have an aggression problem. If the dog nips when young, then the likelihood is that all you need to learn are some positive and negative reinforcement techniques to cure the problem. However, if the dog bites and it is passed the puppy stage, then you have a much more serious problem and require professional help. Biting, for whatever reason, can be the most difficult problem to correct. Professionally handled, it is considerably easier than you might think! Left unchecked, it is the most serious problem you will have to face with your dog!

  This article was written by Stan Rawlinson, a full time Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer.
  You can visit his website at www.doglistener.co.uk for more articles and training information.