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New Puppy = Everyone’s On the Same Page…Or Else

IMG_6345 Ever want to peek behind the curtain of life with a dog trainer? Here's your chance. Complements of my (really wonderful) husband (despite the story I'm about to tell, in which he's the villain.)

So. I'm working really hard to get Caysun's Crate Love going. I'm crating her at different times of the day. For varying amounts of time. With me in the room sometimes, and sometimes not. 

She's doing a great job. On the left you can see Caysun with her "big brother" Ike. She looks perfectly happy, doesn't she? 

All day today, I'm working with Caysun, fiddling with different criteria of Crate Love. In between, I still have a real job to do — dog training and all the administrative tasks that go along with the job. The admin work is a job all unto itself, but I digress… 

For me, crating is the ultimate "safety net" for both me and for the dog. I can work without worry or wonder. House training stays on track. There are no chewed shoes. It's great. 

So. After working all day in my office (and with Caysun), off I go, merrily on my way to actually train some dogs (go figure), and I leave the Crate Love task to that really wonderful husband I mentioned earlier. The dogs are in his care for about 5 hours. 

I come home and say to him "It smells like poop in here." (Hey, you wanted to peek behind the curtain, I'm not covering anything up – this is the real deal here.)

He says, "Yeah, the puppy pooped." 

"Yeah, no kidding," I'm thinking, but I'm smart enough to keep that in my head. I ask innocently: "Was she in her crate?"

"No, I was in the shower."

"In the shower?! IN THE SHOWER?! You can't leave a 9.5 week old puppy unattended to TAKE A SHOWER!" Again, these are my thoughts, not my words. (Ok, so now I'm editing a little bit. There was some cursing in my thoughts. Four letter words. That start with F.)

What I actually said: "You can crate her while you're in the shower. That's actually a really good time to crate her." (Doesn't that sound better than a lot of F words?)

I swallowed a lot more bad words and went about my business. It was difficult – I worked all day today (and yesterday, and the day before) on getting Caysun comfortable in her crate. Crating her while he was in the shower would have been perfect practice for her. (And clearly, for him, too!)

So while I'm going about my business, I find another pile of poop! This one's in the dog bed! In the dog bed! And I was wondering why none of the dogs wanted to sleep in the bed…I had just found my answer. 

I couldn't resist a see-I-told-you-so smart aleck remark about the value of crating, but I did limit it to just one. 

I come out to the living room to move the crate into the bedroom, where Caysun sleeps in her crate – happily, I might add! - each night, and what do I run into? A big puddle of puppy pee. 

I'm at work for 5 hours and there are (at least) three puddles or piles when I return. Really?!

Clearly, I need to spend a little more time working with my husband than I do the puppy. Clearly, the pup's got the Crate Love thing down pat. Just wished the husband did, too. 

Making Puppy Socialization Safer

Nemo_ball You hear it all the time: socialization is important for your puppy! Socialize, socialize, socialize!

It IS true: socialization before your pup is 16 weeks old is crazy-important if you want a well-adjusted, easy-going, can-handle-anything dog later in life. 

But.

You gotta be smart about it. You can’t recklessly expose the pup to potential germs and disease. 

I was outside teaching class last night in downtown Frederick, Maryland. I saw a tiny 11-week old puppy walking on Carroll Creek, a bustling and crowded metropolitan spot with eateries and beautiful scenery,  and the pup was meandering through the grass where every other dog had done it’s business.

It’s a terrific location for the pup to be exposed to all kinds of things: joggers, noisy kids on bikes, barking dogs, ducks, the list goes on. 

The trouble with that is that hundreds of other dogs have been through there, too. Leaving behind poop and pee — the carriers of disease. You don’t want your puppy needlessly exposed to all that. Who knows if those dogs:

  • have had their vaccinations
  • are healthy
  • are carrying diseases

It’s much safer for the pup to be carried through very public areas until he’s completed his puppy series of vaccinations. Walking a pup through your yard or even your neighborhood is probably safe, but you don’t want your pups paws hitting the ground in the dog park or anywhere where there are potentially unvaccinated dogs running through the same grass as your pup. 

The Perfect Age to Start Puppy Training?

DSC01636 Puppies don’t come with instructions. There isn’t an Owner’s Manual. From the minute you bring your puppy home, he’s learning. Your pup will develop habits whether you teach him or not. It’s much easier to instill good habits from the beginning, than to try to undo bad habits later. 

Confused about when to start your pup's education? Trainers and veterinarians agree: sooner is better! 

If your pup is healthy, you can start puppy class as soon as your pup has begun (and as long as he's kept on) his puppy vaccination schedule. Dr. Brenda Griffin states in DVM360: 

 For puppies, the single most important part of a behavioral wellness program is proper socialization during their critical developmental period, which ends by 16 weeks. Owners must begin socialization the day they bring their new puppies home, and the clock is ticking.

Proper socialization combined with positive reinforcement-based training in the context of a group puppy class helps puppies grow into well-adjusted pets. Classes provide critical socialization time with a variety of people and other puppies. 

Smart Dog University makes it easy for you to get your puppy socialization and dog-friendly positive reinforcement training with Puppy Charm School (PCS). Designed specifically for puppies (8-18 weeks old), PCS will help you build the dog of your dreams. 

Focusing on five critical areas, PCS makes it easy for you to teach your pup what he needs to know, when he needs to know it. There are five areas of concentration in PCS: Confident Puppy, Social Puppy, Happy & Healthy Puppy, Good Puppy, and Parenting Your Puppy. 

Confident Puppy teaches your pup to feel comfortable in any environment and to accept new experiences easily. Your pup will be an “easy keeper” because he’ll be just as comfortable at soccer practice as he is at the bus stop, and even at the veterinarian!

The more experiences your pup has before 16 weeks of age (4 months), the more laid back and easy going he’ll be as he grows up. A laid back pup grows into a well-adjusted dog.

Why It’s Important: Living in our world doesn’t come naturally to dogs. Their developing minds are wide open until 16 weeks of age. After that, they become less willing to accept new things, people, and experiences. 

Social Puppy teaches your pup to play nicely with other dogs, to recognize and use appropriate dog signals around other dogs. PCS will have controlled off-leash puppy play during each class. We’ll narrate the activities of the pups, pointing out the important things for you to watch for when you’re at home. We’ll show you warning signals as well as good signs that mean your pup is having a blast!

Why It’s Important: A dog needs repeated exposure to friendly and appropriate dogs his entire life. Dogs who can’t get along with other dogs have a “shorter leash” on life and don’t get to experience as much, or have as much fun as a dog who is easy-going and nice to other dogs.

Happy + Healthy Puppy teaches your puppy to be comfortable with routine grooming tasks such as nail trims and vet exams.

Why It’s Important: The earlier your pup learns the veterinarian isn’t scary, the easier it will be for you (and your dog, and your vet) to keep your dog happy and healthy. Your dog will need routine grooming and vet care to keep him happy and healthy – it’s easier if he’s cooperative (instead of combative).

Good Puppy teaches your pup basic “good manners” behaviors like sit, give it up, come when called, loose leash walking, name recognition.

Why It’s Important: Teaching appropriate behaviors from the start is the easiest and fastest way to a well-behaved dog. Teaching the pup what to do is a sure way to avoid problem behaviors (like jumping, barking, stealing socks, etc.).

Parenting Your Puppy teaches you how to deal with the most common (and the most frustrating) puppy problems. You’ll learn how to conquer puppy nipping, house training, crate training, barking, and stealing.

Why It’s Important: Giving you tools for dealing with the most vexing of puppy problems will allow you to spend more time enjoying your pup (and less time cursing the day you brought him home). Having the knowledge to deal with these common puppy issues ensures that the pup will have a consistent and predictable environment – one of the most important pieces of a well-adjusted pup’s life. 

Scheduling
Puppy Charm School opens August 1 and we expect it to be popular. Register early to ensure you and your pup get in — before your pup reaches 18 weeks of age! Classes have ongoing registration — Register today and you can usually start classes the very next week, no waiting!

Where?
Classes will be held in two locations each week. In Frederick, PCS will be held Mondays (6:30p – 7:15p) Yellow Springs Veterinary Clinic (25 Thomas Johnson Drive, Frederick), and Thursdays (7:30p – 8:15p) at Mount Airy Animal Hospital (1308 S. Main Street, Mt. Airy). 

Cost
When you register, you'll receive five PCS sessions. You have seven weeks to fit in those five sessions, meaning if you can't make it one week (going on vacation, business travel, etc.), you won't lose out on that session. PCS is $159 and is available only to puppies 8 – 18 weeks of age. If your pup turns 19 weeks before you finish your PCS sessions, you can use your remaining sessions in Canine Building Blocks.  

Questions?
We're here to help!  Please email Smart Dog U (laurie@smartdoguniversity.com) or give us a call (240) 394-1112 if you have any questions about Puppy Charm School. We'll see you in class!

Teaching is Time Well Spent

I'm sitting in a wheelchair, Ike faithfully by my side. I cue "let's go" and Ike moves forward with me. Going straight is pretty easy for Ike, he learns quickly to keep his feet out of the way and settles at an even pace. We're at Harris Teeter grocery store, doing a training field trip and I'm in a wheelchair to help mimic Ike's future surroundings.

Here comes the hard part — now we have to turn. It's an inside turn, which means Ike has to actually go backward just a bit to keep out of the way. His circle has to be tighter (smaller) than the wheelchair's circle. Uh-oh. We've not practiced this before. 

With the clicker, all things are possible. And fast. 

In only three tries, I'm communicating to Ike that moving backward is a good thing. It's a pretty complex skill, I think, for a dog to acquire. He has to go the opposite way from his handler. I've spent a year teaching him that being next to me is a really good idea. 

The clicker gives Ike the information he needs: what behavior he should repeat. The precision of the click — and the fact that Ike's been clicker trained from 8-weeks of age — gets a behavior happening pretty darn quick. 

The turn/back still needs work. A lot of it. But with the clicker, nothing's out of our reach. And it's fast. Because Ike knows the clicker, knows he can count on the clicker for information, he's ready and willing to learn. He wants to figure out this new game. He's a full and willing partner. 

And did I mention he's not only smart, but pretty stinkin' cute, too? Brains and beauty… This picture's from Ike's adventure to Lake Anna, more on that in the next post.

IMG_5824

Cause for Celebration

Sleeping_tango_close_chaise Today's a celebratory day here in our family. It's Tango's birthday!

We celebrate every birthday in this house, dogs included. We also celebrate anniversaries — the date the dogs came to us. 

Eight years ago today, Tango was born. He was slated to be a hunting dog, but by nine weeks, the kennel knew he didn't have what it takes to be a successful hunter. So they called Service Dogs of Virginia (SDV) and suggested they come take a look at this very laid back boy. 

I happened to be at SDV that day with Lily, our little black Labrador who was then a service dog in-training. I remember seeing Tango for the first time: a roly-poly, squeezable little Labrador. He was indeed laid back. He went through the temperament test like a champ and just like that, he was a service dog in training. It was decided that he would come and live with us for his training and he fit into the fold like he'd been there forever. 

He was the fastest house trained pup we've had to date. He came to work with me and soon became a favorite of the Director of the federal agency. We were invited up to the holiday party, even. Well, if I'm being honest, it was Tango who was invited. I was merely the leash holder!

It was discovered that Tango had a bad shoulder. Tests were conducted that eventually led to Tango's dismissal from the program. I was elated! 

Tango wasn't elated at all. Being dismissed from the program meant he couldn't come to work with me any longer. No more grocery store runs, no more movie theaters, or dinners out. He was now a house dog, a pet. It was a tough transition for him. I quickly got him Delta certified so he could be a registered therapy dog. We now visit elementary schools where kids read to him – he's happy again!

LaurieLuck-017-XL Tango's my heart-dog. He's mine and I'm his. We're each other's favorites. He chose me and I chose him. He's singled out for all things special. All the dogs have gotten used to the hierarchy and they know that Tango always gets the best or biggest treat, he gets to clean my plate, he gets whatever he wants. 

He's my traveling companion. He's happy to do whatever it is I want to do. He doesn't care what it is, he just wants to be included. He's easy, he's sweet, he's a dream. And today he's eight. 

His muzzle's getting a little grey. He's slowing down just a little. But he's still a tennis-ball-chasing fool. He still jumps off the dock and swims all day at Lake Anna . We've got a lot of adventures in front of us yet. Here's to many more good years, Tango!

What Puppies Need

Sleeping_tango_close_chaise
Puppies. Irresistible. Absolutely wonderful. 

And oh so needy! Did you know that…

…puppies need to be pleasantly introduced to as many different:

  • people
  • locations
  • noises
  • surfaces
  • other dogs
  • vehicles
  • situations
  • the list goes on and on…

And the real shocker: this needs to be done between the age of 8 and 16 weeks! Which means if you get your pup at 8 weeks old, you have only 8 weeks to show your pup that the world is a friendly, welcoming place. Zoinks, that's a lot of pressure on you!

Nemo_sit Ideally, your pup is experiencing new things and meeting new people every day. The same neighborhood and friends don't count — they need to see different stuff every single day. And in a friendly, relaxed manner. 

Without this socialization, your pup runs the very real risk of becoming shy, fearful, growly, skittish, even downright unfriendly. 

I will be writing a lot more about puppies, what they need, and how you can provide it to them in the next few months here on the Smart Dog Blog. If you have specific questions about puppies and puppyhood, please leave them in the Comments secction!

 

 

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Testimonials

What People Are Saying

Smart Dog U really helped me deal with my first puppy and help me grow her (Etta) into a sweet little girl. Without that training from SDU this would have been a tough journey.

Ingrid Copeland

We did in-home training and group classes which helped us welcome Ember into our family. Her understanding of both dogs and busy families made the training easy and guilt-free.

Beth Schillaci

Thank goodness I discovered Smart Dog University! Laurie’s methods quickly made me realize that I was the one in need of training. The end result: A well behaved pup (Kasey) who is a true companion!

Matt Church

Laurie is someone Your Dog’s Friend depends on for good information on dog behavior and training presented in an engaging, understandable way. She has done free workshops for us; we have used her articles in our newsletter; and she is a trainer whom I can refer people to with total confidence.

Debra Ekman, Your Dog’s Friend

Laurie is a very knowledgeable and experienced trainer. She does a wonderful job with both the dog and owner. She is easily approachable and genuinely wants to make sure you and your dog are getting the most out of her classes.

Suzie Brown
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