Archives for July 2018

Common Socialization Pitfalls and What to Do Instead

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Vinny Olito - Camp Ruff Ruff
Vinny Olito | Camp Ruff Ruff

Common Socialization Pitfalls and What to Do Instead

Many pet parents come to dog trainers with behaviors that stem from experiences during socialization. One example of how a single experience can affect an otherwise well socialized dog is Heidi, as shown in a story shared by Dr. Jen Summerfield on her blog1. Heidi was a typical, happy puppy who enjoyed playing with the neighborhood dog in her yard. One day Heidi came too close to an electric fence while playing and received a shock, which Heidi associated with the other dog. She acted aggressively to the other dog, who returned aggression, resulting in a full-fledged fight. That experience stayed with Heidi for life, and she slowly became more and more aggressive to other dogs based off one experience.

People know how important socialization is for other pets, but many do not know how common socialization experiences can be negative for pets. The following are all ways caring pet parents don’t realize they are sabotaging socialization efforts.

Starting with Too Much, Too Soon:

Once you bring your furry bundle of joy home, it can be difficult not to start toting them around with you everywhere. After all, you want to include them in your daily life and get a jump start on socialization, right? What many pet parents forget, however, is that puppies are just starting out getting used to our world and living without mom can be a huge adjustment in itself. For the first few weeks, even household experiences like carpets, tv’s, stairs and all the different smells, can be overwhelming for many pups.

Puppies who are introduced to too much too soon can develop negative reactions to new experiences just because it is more than they are ready for. Even if pet parents are doing exactly what is suggested for socialization (getting them out there as much as possible), the result of overwhelming a puppy not ready to experience so much can result in the same fearfulness that comes from lack of socialization.

Start your puppy off slowly by providing household stimulation with different textures, smells and sounds. When your puppy is very young, be sure to take structured breaks in a space where your dog feels secure before venturing out and taking in more of life’s adventures. Once they welcome these experiences with tail wagging and playful body language, move on to the more stimulating experiences of outside people, cars and animals. As they get older, you can pepper in longer adventure periods and more challenging environments.

Forgetting to Make It Fun:

Many parents forget that socialization is more than just exposing your pet to new things, it is also making sure they enjoy them. It can be difficult to keep an eye on Fluffy’s body language to make sure they are enjoying the experience, especially when you are learning to interpret your dog’s signals. We previously covered metacommunications in our article covering play behaviors, as well as ways to read a dog’s body language.

The reason why you should always be in tune with how your dog is reacting is because an experience that your puppy perceives as negative, even once, can change their reaction for life (just like with Heidi). Widened eyes, a stiffened body, and laid-back ears means your pooch is feeling fearful of that loud car nearby (or any other new experience). If not counteracted, that fear response can remain for the rest of their lives.

Fortunately, pet parents in tune with their dog’s body language can put extra effort into making the new experience fun, creating a positive association. By giving treats, praise, or interactive play, pet parents can create strong positive connections with potential phobias. Your dog may be afraid of that really big dog in the next yard, but they will still come to love exploring their lawn with you if you are sure to play plenty of games there. Remember that the scarier the experience, the greater value you should use with the reward. Bring out the bacon snacks for their first encounter with a passing train, leave the dry kibble rewards for encouragement to play fetch.

Tailor Experiences for the Puppy:

Just like with human siblings, puppies have all different sorts of personalities right from birth. There will always be one puppy content to sit in the corner, one who tries to climb all over you immediately, and others at varying stages in between. Even when adopting two puppies at the same time, you may find one ready and willing to adventure outside their comfort zone earlier than the other. This means that the socialization schedule and method of training for each puppy may be different.

Body language is equally important in this aspect of socialization as well. If you have a puppy who is hesitating to venture into the water at the beach, it is important to back off and let them proceed at the correct pace. This is still true if your other dog immediately jumped into the water at first sight. While it might be tempting to pick them up and force them into the water (creating a negative experience) or to lure them into the water with a food reward (making the dog override their discomfort just to get the reward), you should instead watch for body language cues that your dog is uncomfortable and back off to let them process the idea. Instead, create new experiences for your pet with their comfort zones in mind by

Stopping Socialization After A Certain Age:

The sensitive period, a term used for the period of ideal socialization in puppies four to fourteen weeks in age, can make it seem like this is the only time your puppy needs socialization. While four to fourteen weeks marks one of several critical periods of mental development for your dog, it is also true that they can forget experiences just like the best of us. Puppies who are excellently socialized early in life can still display fearfulness and aggression to environments that they were socialized to only a few times. This makes the process ongoing, but also guarantees you a sidekick for life.

For more information about the socialization process, take a look out our article.

Insisting on the Puppy Classes:

Puppy classes are only excellent socialization tools if your puppy is the right candidate for them. Many times, pet parents hear that puppy classes should be their first step to providing socialization experiences, but they don’t realize puppy classes are not appropriate for all puppies. This links back to the importance of watching for body language in your puppy and adjusting the socialization process for your puppy’s individual needs. Puppies who are already showing fear responses to loud environments, other dogs, or are not yet confident enough to withstand the stresses of a group class would only be harmed by enrolling them in a puppy class (or visiting a dog park) prematurely. Individual classes with a positive reinforcement trainer may help your puppy (or adult dog) more than group classes.

When considering whether to introduce your new puppy or adult dog into a group environment, reflect whether they are ready for the experience and if it would benefit them. Some puppies would profit more with individual instruction and a slow introduction to other dogs and the stresses of group classes. Puppy classes, dog parks, and pet themed businesses can prove to be too much too soon for many dogs.

Simply starting the process of socialization can be wonderful for both you and your furry loved one. If you keep these common issues in mind, you can build a strong relationship with your dog built on mutual understanding and learn to work within their comfort zone.

By Lauren Pescarus

1 Summerfield, J. (2016, July 08). The Dark Side of Socialization: Fear Periods and Single Event Learning. Retrieved July 20, 2018, from http://www.drjensdogblog.com/the-dark-side-of-socialization-fear-periods-and-single-event-learning/

Tips on How to Recognize and Avoid Heat Stroke

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heat stroke

 Tips on How to Recognize and Avoid Heat Stroke 

 

How to Recognize and Avoid Heat Stroke

Did you know that the dog-days of summer can be deadly to your dog?  As the temperature and humidity rises, so does the occurrence of heat stroke.  While you may think your dog can handle the heat, companion dogs are not like wolves in the wild.  They are domesticated and that means they are not equipped to handle extreme temperatures.

Sun and humidity can be a recipe for disaster for you and your dog alike.  Unlike you, your dog only sweats through his paws and it is minimal and that.  He will pant to cool himself off but in extreme temperatures or high humidity, panting is not effective.  Puppies and older dogs have an even harder time cooling off in extreme temperatures thereby making them even more susceptible to heat stroke.

Initial Signs of Heat Stroke:

  • Panting
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Bright red tongue and mucous membranes
  • Thick saliva
  • Vomiting
  • Staring or glazed over eyes

Rectal temperature of over 103 degrees

After shock sets in:

  • Gray lips and mucous membranes
  • Collapse
  • Seizures
  • Coma
  • Death

If your dog exhibits signs of heat stroke, he must be cooled down immediately.  Bring him into an air conditioned building.  Cool him off by wetting his paws with cool water and placing him in front of a cool fan.  Then, alternate by placing him in a tub of cool (not ice cold) water.  Continue this process until his rectal temperature measures 103 degrees.  Notify your vet and seek medical attention as soon as possible.  There are complications associated with heat stroke and your dog must be examined.

Warning:

  • Never leave your dog in the car in hot weather.
  • Don’t let your dog exercise in the extreme heat and humidity.
  • Never muzzle your dog in extreme heat.
  • Do not let your groomer muzzle your dog and then put him under the hair dryer.
  • Never confine your dog outside without shade and fresh water.
  • If your dog is feverish or has a history or heat stroke or seizures, take extra steps to keep him cool.

Hydrotherapy and your Dog

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hydrotherapy dog

 Hydrotherapy and your Dog 

 

Does your dog struggle to get in his daily dose of exercise due to illness, injury or old age? Just like their humans, dogs struggle with many health issues that make exercising a real struggle and often times, even impossible.  One solution to this very problem for both you and your dogs is Hydrotherapy.

 

What is Hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy allows your dog to exercise without the stress and impact of the usual daily exercises such as walking or running.  How? Essentially, hydrotherapy uses the water to support your dog’s weight.  The properties of water, like buoyancy and viscosity help your dog to move his body in the water without the gravitational pull that causes stress on the body.  This is one of the safest forms of exercises and even benefits dogs that have just undergone surgery and have limited use of their limbs.

This low impact avenue for exercise has many other uses. From weight loss to alternative treatments for other diseases, hydrotherapy provides your dog another opportunity on his path towards healing.  How so?

  1. Serves to increases range of motion
  2. Reduces pain
  3. Promotes healing of tissue.
  4. Reduces the pain and swelling of arthritis, hip dysplasia and disk disease.
  5. Promotes proper circulation.
  6. Promotes post-operative healing.
  7. Improves a dog’s overall stamina.

If you’re considering the use of hydrotherapy in your dog’s overall health plan, we suggest that you do your research before selecting a facility.  As with any other facility that you enlist the services of to treat your dog, you need to feel comfortable and one way to do that is to educate yourself by asking questions and even asking for recommendations. If you’re not sure what questions to ask here’s a start:

  • Is my dog provided rest?
  • How will you get him in and out of the water?
  • What plans are set in place, in the event of an emergency?
  • What chemicals, if any, are used to treat the water?
  • How often is the water cleaned?
  • Will my dog be under constant supervision?
  • Are life vests provided for my dog to wear?
  • Are blow dryers used to dry off the dogs? If so, what kind?

Remember, weight gain is one of the main causes of other health issues in dogs. Diabetes, respiratory disease, and even heart disease may result from excessive weight.  Hydrotherapy makes it possible for all dogs to exercise and even if your dog exercises with no problems, you should really give it a try.   It’s fun, safe and simple.

 

Realistic Expectations for Training Based on Age

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Realistic Expectations for Training Based on Age

 Realistic Expectations for Training Based on Age 

For many new dog owners excited to bring their puppy home, the amount of contradictory advice for when to start training their new family member can be confusing. On one side, some dog trainers recommend avoiding training until the puppy is at least six months old, preferring to let the puppy experience the world without guidance and sometimes without integration into the human family. On the other side, some experts recommend diving right in to training as soon as they are brought home.

As it turns out, both sides are correct, depending on which style of training the pet parent chooses. Discipline-based training, which uses spike collars and harsh corrections, should only be started when the dog is developed and grown enough to withstand the physical corrections. This style has also fallen out of favor once positive-reinforcement training was shown to be more effective in the long term, creating a stronger bond between dog and human and a higher training success rate1. Positive-reinforcement training is appropriate for any age pet as long as the behavioral expectations are realistic for the age on the dog.

‘Doggie Residence does not recommend discipline-based training, but it is still practiced in some parts of the profession’?

While we have looked into why some trainers recommend puppy training to start only at six months here [link “When you should start training” article], it is also important to keep in mind what are realistic behaviors to train for at different stages of growth.

Training at Eight to Ten Weeks:

Before eight weeks, your puppy is entirely dependent on their mother for all life’s necessities, but they are also learning valuable life lessons from their siblings. This is why most pet professionals recommend eight weeks as the earliest time you should take a puppy home. Starting at eight weeks, your puppy is forming object associations and is entirely dependent on you in many ways. This period of interaction will also set the tone for your relationship with your dog for the rest of your time together, so creating good memories is important.

Don’t expect too much deliberate action on your puppy’s part during this time, it is all about forming positive associations with behaviors you like verses behaviors you don’t like. Giving plenty of praise and treats for good behaviors, such as eliminating on the grass, coming to you when called, and learning to associate people with good memories. Direct their attention to appropriate objects so that they learn acceptable behavior by giving them a puppy toy when they choose to chew on a couch cushion. Harsh corrections or discipline at this stage will only serve to create a fear response to your presence, not train your puppy out of any unwanted behaviors.

Training at Ten to Sixteen Weeks:

Starting from ten weeks, your puppy should have all their shots and be spending more time awake and less time sleeping. Having spent all their time with other members of your family, both furry and non, it is time to start expanding their awareness of the world by increasing your socialization. Enroll them in a puppy class, where they can meet other puppies and people and you can start to teach them basic obedience.

They should be eliminating more consistently outside, along with plenty of praise, and playtime should include plenty of toys and treats.

It is also a good time to start integrating some treat-led basic obedience. From ten to sixteen weeks treat led training to sit, lay down, stay and leash manners are reasonable behaviors to master. Sixteen weeks also closes the ideal window for socialization, so this is the time to go out and show off your fluffy ball of fur (and reward them with plenty of treats). Encourage your puppy to explore the world around them and give them plenty of opportunity for new experiences, along with some short training sessions to keep them fun. Be sure to break training sessions into short periods with breaks for play and rest to account for your puppy’s short attention span – always keep it fun and they will be eager to learn more.

Training at Four to Six Months:

From four to six months, puppies are entering the period just before sexual maturity (generally around six months). After your work with them in basic obedience, they should know all the basic commands, or at least be well on the way to having them as second nature. If your puppy is a natural learner, you may already be moving on to more advanced tricks such as rolling over and high-five. While your puppy is outside their ideal socialization period, it is still just as important to continue their understanding of the world. Now is an especially good age to practice recall in an enclosed space, with the incentive of plenty of treats and toys.

Training at Six Months to Eighteen Months:

After six months, the real work begins. Once they reach this stage of development, you will see a new and independent pup, one who is very interested in exploring everything everywhere. While the work before this period was the foundation of your training, now is the time when you have to repeat, repeat, repeat. Many owners are tempted to step back on socialization at this time, but without continued exposure to new people and dogs your puppy may lose all the benefits from that initial work. This age is a challenge of balancing your dog’s new independence with a routine of practicing the tricks they know as well as introducing new tricks to keep them engaged.

If choosing to use discipline-based training, this is the age you would start to introduce your puppy to training using a combination of command, correction and praise. Most discipline-based trainers discourage training before this age for a very good reason. Typically, training sessions would include the use of a spiked collar, which would be pulled if the puppy did not perform the behavior asked by the trainer. This type of training puts extra stress on your puppy’s body, which is why it is recommended to start at such a late age. Puppies would also suffer emotionally if introduced to this style too soon. This method is not more effective and can affect your relationship with your dog for the rest of their life.

Training When Your Dog is An Adult:

Not all families find their furry loved ones when they are puppies; many bring them home when they are fully grown and may have a mysterious background. Adult dogs may not be as dependent on you as an eight-week-old puppy, and they often have picked up some tricks along the way, making them the perfect companion for many families. The major difference between training a puppy and an adult is that you are more likely to need re-training to alter some behaviors, whereas your puppy is learning from scratch. This is why counterconditioning and operant conditioning are frequently recommended as the most effective and fast way to start new habits with your dog. While training an adult dog is very similar to the puppy process, your dog will have a longer attention span to pick up tricks faster, often making many aspects of training easier.

No matter at what stage you start training your new fuzz-ball, keep in mind that gentle, rewards-based training has been proven to create a calmer dog as well as a stronger bond with their humans. For now, the debate continues in the training community on which age is best.

By Lauren Pescarus

1 Coren, S. (n.d.). Effectiveness of Rewards and Punishments in Dog Training. Retrieved July 1, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/201506/effectiveness-rewards-and-punishments-in-dog-training

When You Should Start Training Your Puppy

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when to start training your puppy

 When You Should Start Training Your Puppy 

Ask a group of dog trainers when the best age is to train a puppy and you may get several different answers. This is because the standards for dog training has gone through such an evolution over the years: industry techniques that were common twenty years ago are now regarded as cruel and unusual for today’s trainers. This is especially true when discussing the ideal age to start training in puppies: should pet parents immediately dive in to the basics of obedience, or should they wait until their dog is more mature? As it turns out, the standard age for dog training has always been hotly contested and it is mainly due to the practices of trainers.

A Brief History of Dog Training Styles:

How and when people have trained their dogs has gone through several dramatic changes in ideology throughout the years. There are records as early as 125 B.C. of farmers training dogs to help in herding and other livestock duties, often starting from a young age1. Much later, in 1848, a dog trainer named Hutchinson was recorded to stress the importance of both gentle handling and a rewards-based training system. At the start of a formal system of dog training, punishment-based systems were not encouraged when training a working partner and working dogs were often an integral part of daily life from an early age. When puppies were born on a farm, if either of their parents were working dogs, the puppies would tag along with them during their duties and would pick up some amount of training through modeling behavior.

It was at the start of 1914 that a dog trainer was tasked to revolutionize German police dog training during the war effort. That man, Konrad Most, developed a strict routine of using instinctual behaviors to drive training. He integrated police and service dogs with the war effort. He also encouraged the use of operant conditioning, relying on a mixed combination, which included punishment training. These techniques used spiked collars, harsh punishments and striking the dog as a correction1. While these methods are not used in most training circles today, Most’s basic principles are still used in training police and military dogs. Training for these dogs did not start until they were around six months old, as many of the training methods could cause harm in a young, developing animal. This is when the proscribed amount of time to start training puppies at six months was first documented.

After this period of militaristic training, dog behaviorists began to use science and psychology to study the motivation behind canine behavior and a new era was born. Training theories began to evaluate the intelligence behind dog behavior and the instincts which appeal to their habits. Dr. Ian Dunbar was the first to publicize the importance of early training, as people were still not attempting to train dogs younger than six months. Dr. Dunbar, a veterinarian in the 1980’s, was also the first to encourage the use of puppy classes as a way to strengthen the bond between owner and dog and to impart good social manners. This spelled the final shift in the canine training world away from harsh punishment training towards more compassionate and understanding techniques. With the bloom of television trainers and clicker-based training, punishment style training is actively discouraged in most training circles. The old-fashioned belief of delaying training until the puppy is at least six months old, however, still lingers despite the popularity of puppy socialization classes.

Does Early Training Benefit Dogs:

When deciding whether to endorse early training or whether to wait until the puppy is at least six months old, trainers should take into account if it benefits dogs to have early stimulation with their humans. While few trainers advocate for advanced training during this time, many report that priming the puppy for training behaviors makes for a quick learner later on. Puppies go through several developmental stages in the time between recommended adoption at eight weeks and six months.

From eight to ten weeks, puppies are at the first stage of developing first impressions. Object associations formed during this period will follow them into adulthood and experiences in this time period may color how they react during training3. If a dog parent follows the rule of delayed interaction during this period (just letting puppies be puppies), the puppy may miss out on experiencing a wide variety of situations that will be common in later life, such as vacuum cleaners, traffic noises, other furry and non-furry family members. This stage is often carried on to the ten- to sixteen-week-old period, when the puppy is still largely dependent on their person but is still malleable to accept new stimuli as positive. It is during this time that pet parents enroll in some type of puppy class, both to help socialization and to prime the puppy for training later in life. Without the intense interaction encouraged by modern dog trainers and pet professionals, many puppies would be isolated during this time of rapid brain development. Especially during the period, during which a puppy develops their fear response, intense interaction should be encouraged to allow for a more socialized and calm adult dog.

In 2013, researchers Michael Renner and Mark Rosenzweig investigated the studies that recorded the growth of a brain in animals who experienced an enriched environment, with human interaction and novel experiences, and the brain growth of animals who had no enrichment2. What they found was that animals who experienced enrichment, even in moderate amounts, had larger and more developed brains than those who did not. Humans have known this for ages, as early stimulation for children has shown to produce more intelligent and adaptable adults. This is conclusive proof that interaction and enrichment have a direct impact on the brain development of other mammals. To recommend avoiding a puppy for the first six months of life (and brain development) may result in a less intelligent and developed puppy.

Along with the developmental stages of dog development creating critical periods for exposure to new stimuli, early stimulation in this period will create a more developed brain. Both of these reasons argue for an early introduction to training and socialization, rather than waiting for the puppy to reach a certain age to be introduced to new behaviors and environments. It is not possible to have a puppy as part of your home without giving them some basic training, even if it is as simple as not biting shoes or to eliminate outdoors, so the alternative would be to keep a puppy in isolation from humans for six months.

As long as training behaviors are gentle and keeping to behaviors possible for the age of the puppy, training should start as soon as they are brought home. With the spiked collars and “Command! Correct! Praise!” trend thrown out the window, there is no reason not to include your new puppy to a training routine that is appropriate to their age.

By Lauren Pescarus

1 Dog training. (2018, June 29). Retrieved June 29, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_training

3 PAWS - People Helping Animals. (n.d.). Retrieved June 29, 2018, from https://www.paws.org/library/dogs/puppies/developmental-stages/

2 Renner, M. J., & Rosenzweig, M. R. (2013). Enriched and impoverished environments: Effects on brain and behavior. New York u.a.: Springer.