AVSAB Position Statement On Puppy Socialization
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5 Steps to Crate Training Your Dog We recommend to “Train for the Future”! Your puppy may not love the crate now but with patience, baby steps & consistency, they will learn to love their private little space. Crate training helps reduce their stress when at the vet, crated in the car, at the groomers, or any other time they may need to be in a crate in their lifetime! Crate Rules—never punish by using the crate, never let them out if they are barking or whining, wait until they are quiet. Teach family members that when your pup has retreated to their crate, it is their way of saying they need some quiet time! Don’t intrude! Use the crate when you cannot directly supervise your pup, it is their crate time! This speeds up potty training & keeps them out of harm’s way! Steps to Crate Training: Step
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Puppy Training by Age and Week A new puppy can be exhausting and this 24-hour schedule shows us why! They need lots of activity in short sessions but not over-doing it either. As you get to know your puppy and their needs, days become easier! Give your puppy a chance to be a baby, which is exactly what they are. The first two weeks are all about building confidence, building a relationship with you, having them learn that being with you is the best thing ever, and getting them used to handling and learning how to relax. Their attention span is very short and they get tired and bored easily. Be consistent, be reasonable, and follow through with your boundaries and expectations. Review the attached 24-hour schedule and realize that your puppy needs lots of sleep and short sessions of other activities. An over-stimulated puppy can become cranky just like
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What is Puppy Socialization? When we decide to bring a dog into our family, we always have the idea that we want a confident, calm, puppy that we can take out in public, enjoy on walks, and travel places with. Sometimes our idea of what we want and how to get there can be difficult to achieve. Puppy socialization can be misinterpreted and therefore mishandled, and in many cases making our puppy more fearful. We want you and your puppy to be successful! Socialization is way more than learning to get along with other dogs and people. It is also important that you introduce your pup safely to a big new world. Playing with neighbor children or a family dog is not enough to get a well-rounded and confident puppy. It takes work but it is worth it! Introduce new items slowly and in a fun way. There are greatRead more →
6 Tips on How to Pick a Puppy Socialization Class! First of all, do not wait until your puppy finishes their vaccinations to start classes! You will miss an ever-important socialization time frame that you can not get back. Be smart & safe with your choice of a class. Many bad habits are unknowingly reinforced in those first few months and knowing how to handle those quickly so you aren’t starting with habits that need to be re-trained will be a big advantage to you and your new puppy! With that said, choose where you take your puppy for the first few months. Avoid letting your puppy walk around high-traffic areas like big-box stores, veterinary clinics, and parks with lots of dogs and other wildlife. Alternately, just because your puppy finishes their vaccines, does not mean they are now free to go wherever, whenever! Most dogs need to attend group
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Frantic, Frenetic Fido (Can a dog be too friendly?) By Fran Menley The highly reactive dog that is overly friendly, scared, or angry dog all share a common problem: The uncontrollable, friendly dog that is barking, whining, jumping, and/or mouthing when greeting people or dogs, and the dog that is growling, barking, lunging, and even biting at others, have similar traits. The overly excited dog, the fearful dog, and the angry dog can all be dangerous to others. At times, the overly excited dog can be more dangerous since the person with that dog will often allow their dog to jump on, claw, scratch, and yes, even nip and bite, because they are doing it out of “friendliness” perspective. “Oh, Fido is just so friendly!” Pet handlers with frightened dogs or angry dogs usually will avoid people and are not going to allow that interaction in most cases. What is
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Ditch Your Retractable Leash Ditch Your Retractable Leash! Here’s Why. You see them everywhere, retractable leashes for dogs. But just because they are popular with many dog owners, should you use one with your dog? Retractable Leashes: The Beginning According to Slate.com, the first patent for an adjustable leash (called a “leading device”) was granted in 1908 to Manhattan inventor, Mary A Delaney. Interestingly, the patent reveals, “the invention is particularly designed for ladies … to take the place of the present inconvenient leading device or leash.” But it wasn’t until the 1970s where the idea began to gain traction with dog owners wanting to give their dogs greater freedom while still complying with leash laws. Retractable leashes (or “flexi leashes”) originally became popular with tracking or recall training in isolated areas where the chance of coming across another person, dog or distraction was very low while they still allowingRead more →
Welcome to National Train Your Dog Month! Image by Couleur from Pixabay Canines who are well-behaved with great social skills are a joy to include in our daily lives. Engaging in regular training with your dog allows access to a variety of day-to-day opportunities! In a nod to National Dog Training Month, (which we feel is EVERY month!) Fran Menley explains why on-going training with your dog is so good for your dog (and you!). Image by WilleeCole Photography from Shutterstock As mentioned in our last blog post, continuing your canine’s training is crucial to nurturing and reinforcing your bond with your dog, regardless if he’s a puppy or older dog. Dog Training is Never One and Done Dogs need more than just physical activity for their overall well-being. Dogs also need and enjoy the mental stimulation that comes from regular and consistent training; especially if you make it fun (wouldn’t you ratherRead more →
Keep up Dog Training During the Holidays! Keep up Dog Training During the Holidays! Ahh, it’s the holiday season with so much to do! But there’s one thing you MUST keep on your holiday list! In this post, Fran Menley offers tips on continuing your dog’s training despite the busyness of the season! Continuing with your canine’s training, regardless the time of year, is crucial to nurturing and reinforcing your bond with your dog, whether he’s a puppy or adult dog. While it may be tempting to slack off and take a break, a gap in your dog’s regular training can have disastrous consequences, especially during the holidays when we need to keep all our pets safe and happy. Consider for a moment the holidays through your dog’s eyes; LOTS of yummy smells and food, lights, music, candles, pretty gifts and snacks all within reach, not to mention all theRead more →
How to Socialize Your Dog (Even Through Fear) How to Socialize Your Dog (Even Through Fear) Image by LauraTara from Pixabay K9 socialization is a critical phase of your puppy’s life. In fact, it’s so important that it will set the tone for any and all interactions for the rest of their life. In this post, Fran Menley our Head Training & Behavior Modification Expert, explains how to properly socialize your canine even during periods of fear. Canine socialization is when a puppy develops important bonds and relationships in his world and learns how to act, react and behave with confidence (or not). Image by lauralucia from Pixabay Dr. Sophia Yin, an internationally recognized pioneer and expert in the field of animal behavior, defines the puppy’s sensitive period for socialization: “From about 3 weeks to about 3 months of age, puppies are primed for bonding to other animals and individuals,Read more →
