important

0

Socialize Your Dog for Life!

Posted on by admin

We tend to forget these days that dogs are pack animals.  Many of us may have just one dog, or even two.  But we don’t see them as they were in nature.  Left to their own devices, dogs join up into a pack, often of related animals.  Like their wolf cousins and ancestors, dogs have a hierarchical structure to their packs, with leaders, assistants, subordinates and followers.  In nature dogs would learn everything they need to know, including dog manners, from their mother and other pack mates.

To live in our world of cars, buildings and cell phones, we have taken dogs almost completely out of their natural world.  In many places they exist without even having fields and forests anymore to share with their humans as they did only 100-200 years ago.  The only way they can exist in our world is if we teach them the skills they need to understand it and to thrive in it.  This means we have to socialize them to the human world and to the people in it.

Socialization means much more than learning a few commands.  Socialization is learning, from birth, to accept humans.  Good breeders begin socializing puppies from the day of their birth, picking them up and holding them, stroking them and talking to them, getting them used to sights and sounds in the house.  This should continue for the first seven weeks of life, with puppies being introduced to new things each week.

From the age of 8 weeks to 12 weeks, the time when many people get their new puppy, puppies are going through a fear imprinting stage.  This means that it is very easy at this time for anything that frightens the puppy to be remembered for the rest of their life.  New owners should take special care during this time to bolster their puppy’s confidence.  Do let puppies see new things and introduce them to new places and people.  Give them time to see that there is nothing to be afraid of.  Give plenty of praise when the puppy is brave and curious about things.  Try not to encourage your puppy to be fearful at this time or reward fearful behavior.  If a loud noise or something frightens your puppy, instead of cuddling the puppy take him to see what it is and show him that it’s okay.  Dance, laugh, be positive instead of petting the puppy for being fearful.  This is the difference between a fearful adult dog and a confident one later in life.

Introduce your puppy to many different people during this time to help him learn that he has nothing to fear from strangers and that he can meet them and be friendly.  Take him for short rides in the car.  Introduce many strange things at this time, such as umbrellas and the vacuum cleaner if he has not already encountered them.  Let him see normal things in unexpected places in the house.  Make sure he gets used to being groomed and bathed during this time.  And, of course, make sure he learns some leash training.  This is helpful since he will be going to the vet for his shots during this time.  Makes these pleasant experiences for him (especially bathing) and your future experiences will be much better.

Exercise basic common sense, of course.  Don’t allow your puppy to put himself in any danger while encouraging him to be confident.  Don’t allow him to wander where other animals have left droppings.  Remember that your puppy is not fully vaccinated yet so limit his socialization time with any unknown pets.  Don’t make your puppy do anything that is frightening for him.  Puppies at this age will remember things forever.  You want to encourage confidence, not ask them to do more than they can cope with.  And, remember that your puppy is just a baby at this time.  He needs lots of sleep and several small meals during the day.  You should only have a couple of socialization sessions per day along with things that occur on their own.

The socialization period continues until dogs are about 20 weeks old.  By that time their basic personality is in place, though socialization can continue for months.  You’ll begin to see your puppy making his own decisions about what he wants to do, what he likes and doesn’t like, what frightens him and what he’s confident about.

Early socialization is an extremely important time in the life of every dog.  You can help your dog adapt to living with humans by working with him during this time and make your future life together a very happy one.

Socialize Your Dog for Life courtesy Dog Articles.

Looking for a great gift idea? Who wouldn’t love a cute mouse pad showcasing their favorite breed? Check out all of the great doggie gift ideas on Amazon.com –doggieoftheday@amazon.com

0

How Important Is Your Dog’s Name?

Posted on by admin

When you get a new puppy you of course have to name him or her. If the puppy is registered you will need a name for the official registration papers as well as a call name. Both names are important, but in different ways.

The registered name often begins with the name of the kennel that the dog came from. This is also a part of his show name. All registered names must be original. Although these names have a rather fancy sound to them, when you understand more about how they are given they are actually fun.

Besides the kennel name the registered names can include the name of the dam and or the sire. Any combination of ancestors along with a theme is very common. However, AKC limits the name to thirty-six characters in length, including spaces, so if the names are long it can certainly present a problem. For an extra fee the length can be extended up to fifty characters.

Registered names often have no relationship whatsoever with the call name. Call names should be rather short; two to three syllables is the recommended length. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have more than one dog the names should be different enough that the dogs can easily distinguish them. For example, naming one dog Holly and another one Molly would not be a good idea.

Many people choose to name their dogs right away; in fact, they may even have the name picked out before they ever see the dog. Other people want to keep the dog a wait or two before naming him so that they can choose a name that matches the dog’s personality. And still others prefer a name that describes the dog’s physical appearance to some degree, such as naming a big dog Bruno or a Black dog Blackie.

Originality is nice but when it comes to dogs, just like people’s names, there are certain names that are all time favorites for particular breeds or dog stereotypes. And just as with human names, dog names sometimes become popular because of a TV show, a song, an actor, a movie, a rock band, etc. Since dogs can live to be up to twenty years or longer it is suggested that the name be one that is somewhat evergreen; simply meaning that the name will have significance in the years to come, even if the namesake doesn’t.

Once you have decided on a name you should begin using it as much as possible. The goal is to find ways to get your dog to associate the name with a meaning. By using his name regularly he will quickly pick up on the fact that the name refers to him.

How Important Is Your Dog’s Name courtesy Dog Articles.

Looking for a great gift idea? Who wouldn’t love a puzzle showcasing their favorite breed? Check out all of the great doggie gift ideas on Amazon.com –doggieoftheday@amazon.com

0

Why is Puppy Socialization and Training Important?

Posted on by admin

So you’ve made a decision to get a puppy, you have evaluated your choices of breed and are ready to bring your puppy home. This is a commitment and one that should be happy and loving for everyone involved. When your puppy is not trained or socialized that relationship becomes strained and begins to lose its fun. Over the course of your dogs life it will meet many people and other animals, it’ll be exposed to people walking their dogs, bike riders, baby strollers, other dogs and cats as well as situations that may cause stress and fear so it is necessary to begin puppy training to socialize them and keep them and you happy and healthy.

When a puppy is not trained it begins to form its own habits based on its environment. Some of these habits may turn into negative behaviors like being protective of food and toys, growling at strangers or even biting them, fighting with other dogs, urinating and defecating in the house, begging at the table and other bad habits that could have been avoided with puppy training. Puppy training can begin with the breeder. Puppies 8-12 weeks are particularly absorbent when it comes to training. Even at birth they have instincts that kick in and begin to learn how to interact with their litter mates, mother and people who handle them. As they grow they go through an imprinting stage when puppy training is more easily accepted. There are four main commands that every puppy should be taught.

They are sit, stay, come and no. It is important to keep puppy training and socialization experiences positive. Introducing your puppy to people is a good way to start the socialization and is fairly easy. After all, who doesn’t like a puppy? By introducing new people, places, things and other animals to your puppy you can prevent a lot of negative behaviors that may develop over time. Through puppy training and socialization, your puppy should learn that you are dominant over them. They should be friendly towards those who you let into your home and not be afraid of them (particularly people with beards and hats). You should be able to take food, toys and dangerous objects out of their mouths. They should not be fearful or aggressive. They should be comfortable on a leash.

They should be housebroken. They shouldn’t suffer from separation anxiety and understand that you will come back. Puppy training your pet to be confident while you are away, not to chew on people or destroy property, to come when called and stay when needed among other things will help to keep your sanity. Puppy training is important to start your relationship out on a good note and keep a better bond between you and your dog for many years to come. Puppy training is essential to your dogs care and the training should continue and be reinforced throughout their lives. Puppy training and socialization is also important in keeping your dog happy, healthy and safe. When they know how to react to certain situations there is less of a chance for a negative incident to occur. Lea Mullins talks about importance of socialization in puppy training.

Why is Puppy Socialization and Training Important courtesy Dog Articles.

Looking for a great gift idea? Who wouldn’t love a lovely tote showcasing their favorite breed? Check out all of the great doggie gift ideas on Amazon.com –doggieoftheday@amazon.com