Namastay Training, LLC
Located in Westminster CO
Call us at 720-261-6250
  • Home
  • Training
    • Which class do I take?
    • Private Training
    • Group Classes >
      • Beginner Classes
      • Intermediate Classes
      • Advanced Classes
      • Mini & Monthly Classes
    • Babies, Toddlers and Kids >
      • Expecting Couples and New Baby
      • Toddlers and Young Children
  • Registration Form
  • Upcoming Special Events
  • Canine Conversations
  • Store
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Snuffle Mats
  • Pet Photography
  • Nail Trim Clinic
  • Seminars
  • Testimonials
  • FREE Info
  • FAQ
  • Other Resources
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Don't mess up your pup during socialization!  How to avoid the biggest mistake new guardians make with their puppies.

6/19/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
We have all heard the advice to “Socialize!  Socialize!  Socialize!” your puppy. But what exactly does that mean? When I ask this to new puppy owners invariably the response I get is “Expose them to lots of different things.”  And they are right. At least partially. The one key component that they are missing is that it is should be POSITIVE exposure to the world around them.   The socialization window is the time to say to your puppy, “Welcome to the world!  It’s a great place and you don’t need to be scared because I have your back.” 

The biggest mistake I see new puppy owners make is that in an effort to socialize their puppy they allow a multitude of inappropriate interactions to occur repeatedly which can create behavior problems. Imagine for a moment that EVERY time you went out in public EVERY single person you saw TOUCHED you.  How would that make you feel?  Some people would love that much attention but for the vast majority of people they would hate having their space invaded every single time they go out.  And puppies are the same.  Some love the attention and some endure it.  Over the years I have worked with many adult dogs who have a fear of humans.  Nine times out of ten I can trace it back to their puppy hood.  These are typically really attractive dogs and when they go out into the world everybody wants to touch them.  So, from a very early age they learned that every time I go out people I don't know or I don't like are going to be touching me.  My guardian has failed to keep me safe and the only way that I can keep myself safe is to set my own personal bubble boundary.  Usually they try to avoid people and then owners make it worse by forcing the issue.  They MAKE the puppy approach people.  If avoidance doesn’t work to give them the space they need to feel safe then they will escalate their communication to growling, snapping or biting.  That is usually when they call me.

We don't want this to happen to your dog so you need to be very smart about how you socialize your dog.  Especially to people and other dogs.

The easiest way to do that is to adopt a 75/25 rule.  When out and about in the real world 75% of the time they look at the environment and 25% of the time they engage with the environment.  That means one out of four people or dogs get to potentially engage with your puppy.  It shouldn’t be zero or 100%.  A nice mix between sometimes we stop and greet and sometimes we say a friendly “hello!” and keep moving.  When you do decide to greet I encourage you to allow your puppy bodily autonomy. Ask the person who wants to pet your puppy to kneel down pat their leg and encouraged the puppy to come over to them. If the puppy comes over to them then they get to engage with the puppy. If the puppy does not come over then clearly the puppy does not want to be touched. And that's okay!  When it comes to dog greeting don’t let a big dog loom over a small puppy.  Ask the other dog to sit and see if your puppy approaches.  If they do that's great they can say hello for a few seconds and if they don’t that’s ok too.  They can just look at the big dog.

You can become social with proximity and not physical touch. I don't touch every single person I meet and I'm quite social.  When I am at the park I don’t stop and shake hands with every human I meet.  If I have a human infant I put that child in a stroller or carry them and SHOW them the world.  I don’t hand my child off to every stranger I see to hold and touch them.  It’s the same concept with your puppy.  Your dog doesn’t need to sniff greet every human or dog they see either but they DO need to SEE the world at their pace and comfort level.

The other benefit of the 75/25 rule is that they are learning personal space boundaries in the other direction.  Not every human they see or dog they pass will want their attention.  Not every human wants to pet them and not every dog wants to play.   This should prevent them from turning into an big adolescent dog that drags you over to every single person or dog they meet.  

None of this means that you should keep your puppy home and not have them experience the world!

What it does mean is that you need to be SMART and pay attention to how your puppy feels about being out in the world. If they are nervous, scared or overwhelmed you need to acknowledge that and help them overcome that fear.  If they are happy and playful with people and dogs keep it up but give them boundaries so they don’t turn into a demanding adult.  It’s a balancing act but if you keep these points in mind you’ll do just fine.

Keys to successful socialization
  • Provide your dog with POSITIVE experiences to NEW THINGS
  • Let your dog APPROACH at their own pace
  • YUMMY treats will create an association that new things are GREAT
  • Sometimes we just WATCH the world and eat yummy treats
  • Sometimes we actively ENGAGE with the world while eating yummy treats
  • My guardian keeps me safe by going slow if I am FEARFUL while feeding me yummy treats
  • A puppy class with other puppies is a must.  If the only dogs your puppy meets are older dogs, family dogs, or dogs at the dog park they won't have a well rounded "dog" experience.

Dogs don’t just “get over” issues by repeated exposure so if your dog is shy or cautious get help from a professional before they become a bigger issue.

If you dog is happy and comfortable you are doing a great job.  Keep it up!


0 Comments

What you really need for your new puppy.  A dog trainer’s perspective.

6/17/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
There is no denying that a new puppy is exciting and fun but also a LOT of work.  What you do now makes a big difference on their behavior later in life so if you are getting ready to bring a new puppy home here is my list of what you need to be successful.

Food and Treats - This the fuel your puppy uses to grow big and strong   
  • Food designed specifically for puppies – This is a must.  It’s ideal to get a small bag of food from the breeder and use it to transition to the food you are going to be feeding the dog.  Feed the best food you can afford and education yourself about nutrition.
  • Treats for training – Training starts the moment you get home so you better have some treats ready to go.   Keep the treats small and reward everything that the puppy does right and soon he will be doing more right than wrong things.  Look for treats with ingredients that you can pronounce and stay away from inferior treats with colors added. 
 
Supplies – This is all the “boring” stuff you need.   
  • Water bowl – You need a water bowl that is easy to clean and hard to tip over.  I recommend using food toys for meals so you don’t need a food bowl.  Just a water bowl.
  • A treat bag – You should be rewarding your puppy for all the right things and if you put treats in your pocket you’ll end up washing more than you care to admit.  If you leave them in the bag you will inadvertently teach your puppy the wrong thing.  If you use a treat bag your voice “Yes, Smart Puppy!” indicates great things are going to happen not the crinkle of a treat bag.
  • Crate (to be replaced by a bigger one as he grows) – Using a crate will help with housetraining and it’s not “mean”.  What is “mean” is letting your puppy roam, make a bad choice and then yell at them about it.
  • Dog gate(s) – Need to keep the puppy out of the fancy dining room?  No problem, use a dog gate!  Limiting the areas of the house that your puppy can roam will reduce destructive chewing and housetraining accidents.
  • Soft, adjustable collar and harness -Don’t spend a lot of money on these items.  They are going to outgrow them and you’ll have to get new ones soon.  Save your money now to afford high quality equipment when they are almost adults and won’t outgrow them.
  • At least one 6-foot leash -NO retractable leashes!  Just a plain leather or nylon web leash.  Again, I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on this right now.  Puppies like to chew and it’s not uncommon for a puppy to chew through a leash if you aren’t paying attention and if you buy the fancy fun leash now and your puppy chews through it you will be disappointed.
  • Incontinence pads -I don’t recommend pee pads.  They are a waste of money and because you just end up throwing them away they are not good for the environment either.  If you get a few incontinence pads from a medical supply store you can wash them and reuse them.  Much kinder the to environment and a better investment in the long run.
  • Cleaner – What will you use when they pee on the floor?  Better get it now and make sure it’s an enzymatic cleaner.
  • Play pen / Exercise pen -Think of a crate as a crib where you puppy sleeps and a playpen as a safe place that they can hang out and play.  They have a few toys, a water bowl with ice cubes and a toilet.  This is where they stay when you can’t be monitoring them, like when you go to work.  I encourage you to get a scrap of linoleum from the hardware store so you can make a playpen area anywhere in your home.  I use ice cubes in the bowl so they can’t spill it or drink it all at once and then have to urinate.  See my handout below on “Housetraining” for additional information. 
  • Grooming tools - Ask your breeder what grooming tools and shampoo you need for your breed.  Don’t skimp on quality.  Like everything, get the best you can afford because not all tools are created equally and better quality tools make the job easier.     
  • Dog Bed / Cooler Bed – Which do I get?  It depends on the time of year you get your puppy and your climate.  In the summer or warmer climates it’s not uncommon to see puppies seeking out the tile floor to sleep.  Why is that?  Dogs run hotter than humans to start with and when you have a puppy who is spending their energy on growing they can run even hotter!  Use a cooler bed so that your puppy has a cool place to sleep while still protecting their growing bodies.  If you get your puppy in the winter or live in a colder climate you will need a warm bed that is designed to retain heat.  If you live someplace that has seasons you might need to get both types of bed for your puppy.    
  • Temporary contact information -If you get a cheap dog name tag it’s going to wear off.  Make an investment in a stainless steel guaranteed for life tag like Red Dingo or a stamped tag from Etsy.  If you aren’t sure what style fits your puppy or they are going to grow quite a bit and can’t carry an adult size tag you can make a temporary tag.  Go to the hobby store and get a package of shrinky dinks and make your own.  If you have kids in the house it can be a fun activity for them as well.  Make sure to poke a hole in before you bake it!  This is a great option for camping and traveling as well.  You can put your campsite info or destination address on a temporary tag.
 
Toys & Chews – Can end up being expensive so make an investment instead of just an expense.
  • Stuffable Food Toy – Kong™ is by far my favorite stuffable food toy for dogs.  I recommend getting at least 5 adult size (based on predicted adult weight) Kongs to use with your puppy.  One day out of the week you will stuff these Kongs using their dinner kibble.  See my handout below on “How to stuff a Kong” for more information and recipes.  I don’t use peanut butter but rather food and treats that benefit the dog, not just empty calories.  They should be getting at least one of their meals from a Kong every day.
  • Food Toy for dry kibble - If you plan on feeding a dry food get at least two food toys that hold dry kibble that the puppy needs to manipulate to get the food.  See my handout below “Mental Enrichment Food Toys” for more information.  For young puppies I love a Wobbler by Kong and a Snoop by Planet Dog as my first food toys.
  • Animal Chews – Bully sticks, pig’s ears, lambs ears, tracheas, no hide chews are fall into this category.  I use these sparingly and as a special treat.  All puppies are teething and need chew toys which is why I recommend using a Kong as a refillable “bone”.  I use bully sticks for bone sharing, animal handling and grooming training exercises.  See my handout below on “Bone Sharing” for more information
  • Play Toys – These are toys that they get access to when they are playing with you.  These are the cute, soft, fuzzy toys that make us smile.  They are also the toys that dogs love to rip apart and can sometimes each the fabric.  So, until you know what your puppy will do with a style of toy keep these in the cabinet and pull them out when you have time to monitor and play with them.
  • Balls & Bumpers – If you are going to have a hunting dog don’t let them have squeaky balls and give them bumpers instead.  If your dog is going to be a pet go ahead and give them balls, bumpers and frisbees.  If you stay in the rubber category you will still need to monitor them but they are usually more durable and therefore appropriate for self-guided play.  I love just about anything from West Paw and Planet Dog for this.
  • Tug Toys – I LOVE soft fleece tug toys for puppies.  I have them in every room of the house because they are easy to make (or cheap to buy) and work great as a soft toy to redirect a biting puppy.  Don’t bite my pants, bite this instead!
  • Toys - Get a variety of toys and rotate them.  It won't take long and you will discover their toy preference and then you can go get more of the toys they really like.
Education - ”I am still learning” ~Michelangelo at age 87  
  • Puppy Training Class – Every puppy should attend a well-run puppy class that is taught by a trainer who specializes in puppy training.  Just like every profession there are specialties and you want someone who has the experience to spot problems early before they become major behavior issues.  You get what you pay for and this is the last place you want to pinch a few pennies. Stay away from harsh training methods and use positive age appropriate training.
  • Adult Training Class – Learning with your dog should become a way of life.  Plan to attend multiple training classes (and budget for it now) so that as your dog grows their education does too.
  • Books – You can learn a lot by reading but what you read matters.  Two of my favorite dog trainer’s are Suzanne Clothier and Patricia McConnell, Ph.D. 
  • A Vet - You need someone who you are comfortable asking silly questions to so make sure you have a vet that will listen and talk WITH you not AT you.  If they are condescending or patronizing find someone else. 

mental_enrichment_food_toys.pdf
File Size: 453 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

how_to_stuff_a_kong_toy.pdf
File Size: 225 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

bone_sharing.pdf
File Size: 571 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

housetraining.pdf
File Size: 491 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

1 Comment

    Author

    I have been working with dogs for over 14 years.  I have three dogs-Maverick, Jasper, & Stanley.

    Archives

    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    May 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All
    Adolescence
    Canine Cancer
    Relationship
    Walking Your Dog

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly