Socialisation part 2: the puppy party

I decided to continue talking about socialisation of puppies; it is so important it is worth banging on about it.  When I send my puppies off to their new homes it is a crucial part of their puppy pack.  I sit down with my owners before they are allowed to depart and go through the pack with them.  I make sure they know that they are aware of the Puppy Socialisation Plan  I tell them what I have done already and what they need to do now.  This includes the puppy party.

Out and about

It seems pretty obvious that when you have a new puppy you want to show it off!  Of course that is only natural.  However, we are always told that puppies cannot go out until after their first vaccination.  Well yes and no.

First of all, puppies are covered by their mother’s immunity, so they should not be vaccinated until they are at least 8 weeks of age.  Many vets are asking owners to wait a little longer before starting the vaccination program, which seems sensible to me.

Secondly, puppies can go to places that are unlikely to be contaminated by dogs with diseases.  So if you are allowed to take your puppy to work and the only other dog there has been vaccinated, you are likely to be safe.

Thirdly, why not carry your puppy?  This is what I did with Ounce, at the start of her adventures last year.

Puppy party

The KC plan says:

“Introduce your puppy to friendly healthy vaccinated dogs if you know any. If not, speak to your veterinary practice or your chosen puppy training class – some have days where your pup can meet friendly staff dogs in a safe environment.”

Veterinary practices usually run a ‘puppy party’ every few weeks to allow people to enable their pups to interact with other dogs.  However, a word of caution here.  Some puppies are naturally lively and boisterous, wanting to play with everything that comes along.  Other puppies are more reticent, easily feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of noisy, puppies bouncing into their faces.

Just as when dogs are unhappy about interacting with children, puppies can give ‘calming signals‘ to other dogs to show that they have had enough.  Please pay attention to your puppy and understand when he has had enough?  Don’t let your puppy become the party pooper who spoils everyone’s fun!

Other ideas

All experiences need to be totally positive – so if it is a person, they should give the puppy a treat.  If it is an experience (car, traffic, pub etc) you need to make sure you treat and reward the puppy in that environment.  Play a game with him, feed him his dinner there. Socialising a young puppy is easy – as most people you meet will want to see him and will be happy to help!

Use interactive toys stuffed with food, to give him problems to solve.  He needs controlled frustration to deal with to continue his brain development in his new home. Introduce him to tunnels, steps, things to clamber over, and different surfaces to walk on.

Being alone and settling down

Teach him that part of his new life includes being left alone for short periods of time – or not having constant access to you. Do this from the first day you bring him home. Use a dog cages or crate  or a baby gate to separate him from you at least once every day.  This should be at times when there are positive things happening (eating dinner, chewing a stuffed Kong etc). To start with he should still be able to see you (and so not feel deserted).

Continue to use the noise CD that the breeder has been using (or you can buy one from Amazon) to play unexpected noises (if he hasn’t had the benefits of the first 8 week Puppy Plan, start these very quietly at meal times or game times, and slowly build up the volume).

Teach your puppy about relaxation, being calm around you etc. This includes being groomed, and being handled around his feet, face, mouth, ears etc.  Remember to reward him all the time when he is still and relaxed. Many owners miss this one in all the excitement and so the dog thinks everything is a game and never keeps still when the owner is around.

Encourage periods of quiet time – when he is relaxed and settles down in your presence. Start these as very short periods, using a crate or a play pen beside you if necessary.  Give your puppy something to occupy him such as an interactive toy (like a Kong stuffed with food).

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog.  This includes suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my new service.

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

If you receive my posts via email, remember to click through to the site to see the photos.

 

Socialisation part 1 – why it is essential for your puppy

This is a huge subject, so I am just going to write an introduction and talk about the role of the breeder.  That is basically what ‘socialisation’ means – an introduction.  It means teaching your puppy about the world that it will be living in, so that it can cope with the demands of the human environment.  As the Kennel club says:

“Like human children, puppies are not born with the social skills that they require to live with their family, be that a canine family or a human one. The term “socialisation” in simple terms means the learning process that a puppy must undergo in order to learn key life skills to ensure that it is happy and confident in its environment, and can communicate effectively within its social group.”

When should socialisation start?

We understand that puppies, like babies, are sponges, soaking up everything around them and learning from these experiences.  Historically, we probably didn’t really expect breeders to do anything much to contribute to this process, as dogs were kept in outhouses or sheds in the garden with their puppies.  They might be brought into the family home for some of the time, but were generally left to their own devices.

For puppy farmers, there is no facility to socialise pups before they are shipped off to their new homes.  Farmers don’t expect to have to do anything with the puppies and they may be kept in very poor conditions, with a mother who has little or no interaction with humans or other animals.

However, for responsible breeders, who are doing their utmost to produce pedigree dogs that the owners can be proud of, there is a challenge to provide the stimulation and experiences that the puppies will need in their new homes.

Socialisation plan

The Kennel Club have produced a useful step by step guide, the Puppy Socialisation Plan, which provides detailed examples of things that the breeder and the new owner can do to help their puppy develop.

Here is an example of part of the plan:

Week 5 – 7 – Curiosity: Tasks

Put more interactive toys into the puppy pen at times when you can supervise. These can include wobbly objects, tunnels, bits of cloth to climb over or burrow under, suspended tennis balls, larger balls that can be rolled about, empty plastic bottles with some pebbles in them that will roll noisily, small boxes that can be climbed on or in, trays filled with stones or shallow water… Anything you can think of to introduce new stimuli to the puppies.

Once the puppies are eating solid foods happily, feed them from different bowls – plastic, metal, from your hand etc.

Over the next couple of weeks, try and make sure the puppy meets as many different types of people as possible – women, men, children, people with beards, hats, high heels, hoods etc – and that they have rewarding experiences to associate with them (games, treats etc).

Household life

Having heard all the usual household objects, it is time for him to experience them – this includes the TV, vacuum cleaners, ironing boards… anything that will form part of his life as a dog in a busy household. As always, make sure these experiences are positive. Start very slowly with these things not moving or switched on, and reward the puppy with a treat or a game for ignoring them not playing with them. Slowly you can begin to move them, switch them on at a distance etc – always going back a step if the puppy is reactive towards them.

On occasions, feed the puppy separately from his mum and littermates – and a little bit away from you (in a crate, behind a baby gate etc). Start to teach him that good things can happen when he is on his own. Also on occasions, feed him from your hand – he also needs to learn that having humans around his dinner is always a good thing.

Positive interactions

Spend time with the puppy encouraging him to follow you, playing with him, making eye contact with him, stroking and handling him, picking him up and holding him – and generally getting him used to and enjoying human contact. Make sure all these interactions are positive for the puppy, using treats if necessary.

Try to take each puppy out individually to sit in the car, drive round the block, see and smell things that will be part of his daily life (traffic, trains etc). As he is unvaccinated (although will still have immunity passed to him from his mother) he should be carried but he should have all these experiences in these really important two weeks when his confidence is at its highest and his fear responses are at their lowest.

Putting this into practice

As you can see, the plan is practical and sensible, but it takes time and commitment.  When I have a litter of puppies, I absolutely expect that I will be inundated with visitors!  It’s one of the best things about having puppies; catching up with all my friends, seeing all my family and taking time out of my normal routine to sit and chat.  While cuddling puppies – what could be better!

However, it does take a huge amount of time and effort to achieve all this and to do it well.  Of course I also have to bear in mind the safety and security of the puppies.  I need to know everyone who comes into the house and to take sensible precautions with regards hygiene.  But for me, this process is so important that I am willing to devote my energy to it.  I believe this is what makes my puppies grow up into the wonderful, beloved animals they are.  Have a look at my testimonials page if you don’t believe me!

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my new service.

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

And if you receive my posts via email, remember to click through to the site to see the photos and lots more information.

First time dog buyers – when should you do this?

I’ve just been reading about how difficult it is to understand what it’s like to not know something.  Apart from a few years at university (when I had a cat) and then living in shared rented houses (with another cat), I have always had at least one dog in my home.  So understanding the challenge of buying your first dog is an alien concept to me.

This week I have received an enquiry for a puppy, as I do most weeks.  This week’s person said the following:

“I wondered if you had a litters planned or available. We are a family living in London. I have grown up with dogs and we’ve been desperate to get a family dog but we’ve been waiting for our youngest child to be old enough! he’s now 3 so we feel we’re ready! I look forward to hearing from you.”

My reply was sadly unenthusiastic, as I recommended that she wait a bit longer still.  It is really frustrating living without a dog, I know.  I was lucky enough to be able to take on one of my mum’s, aged 8, when my sons were babies, which was great as I didn’t have a puppy and they grew up with a dog from the start.  We got a puppy when the boys were aged 5 and 3 and it was hard work!  I didn’t give Buzz the time he deserved and he was never that great. He adored the boys, but they completely ignored him and he was nippy with other children.

I have sent pups to homes with children this young, but again, it hasn’t always been that successful.  One was re-homed and one became ill and was put to sleep, which was really traumatic for the family.

When it does work

Despite my misgivings, it does sometimes work fantastically well and the puppy brings joy to the family.  What are the criteria for it being a success?  In my opinion, it works well when:

• Lots of research is done before getting a puppy
• A well bred and socialised puppy is chosen
• The person who is the primary carer of the dog has plenty of time, energy and enthusiasm to work with their puppy
• Both the adults in the partnership support that time and energy needed and are both consistent with their behaviour towards the dog
• Children in the household are ‘sensible’.  This means they understand the basic rules for being around their puppy, giving it space and leaving it alone when it is eating, or tired, or just doesn’t wanted to be squeezed or picked up.  See the Children and Dogs page for more details

The right environment

So it’s not really about the actual ages of the children, so much as their attitude towards the dog and the way that the parents manage this.  My mistake with Buzz was that I didn’t encourage the boys to engage with him.  I should have got them to take his lead when we went for walks, give him a bit of a cuddle or a stroke.  It would have been great if they had fed him from time to time.

That wasn’t how I was brought up – we were taught to mainly ignore the dogs and to leave them alone.  They were just there, part of the furniture.  As a teenager I became responsible for their care, just as I became responsible for the care of my baby sister.

Childhood experience not required

Is it important to have had a dog as a child when getting your first family dog?  Again, it’s hard for me to answer this, because I was always around dogs, they were part of our home.  But as I have just said, that experience was not the same as the experience I have had as an adult owning dogs; far from it.

I think the important things is to be realistic about your childhood experiences and to remember that however much you think you knew your dog, you weren’t its primary carer and were not the one making the difficult decisions.

Managing expectations

I think the main thing to consider when getting your first family dog is to be realistic about it.  It definitely won’t be easy!

Don’t get a dog if:

• you already have a busy life, with a hectic household, full of comings and goings
• there are long periods most days with no-one in the house.  You can get a dog walker to come in, but if you have a busy family that is just another thing to manage
• you can’t agree what kind of dog you want
• the children basically want something fluffy and cuddly, rather than a biting, chewing, weeing and pooing machine
• you and your partner sometimes argue about how to manage your children.  If you do this, you will never agree about how to manage your dog
• money is tight – dogs are expensive!
• you take lots of foreign holidays

First dog, best dog?

Just like a first child, your first dog as an adult will undoubtedly have a very special place in your heart.  And just like with your first child, you will learn from your mistakes.  Is it worth it?  Of course!  Dogs are ALWAYS life enriching experiences – they are the better part of us.

There is plenty of information and advice on this site to help you on your journey, including 10 common mistakes made by new dog owners?

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my new service.

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

And if you receive my posts via email, remember to click through to the site to see the photos and lots more information.

NO! Does your dog need to know this word?

Dogs can be so annoying can’t they?  Especially puppies.  Always getting into something they shouldn’t be doing, or chewing something.  Jumping up.  Going to the toilet in the wrong place.  Running off.  Getting too excited at other dogs, or people.  Or life in general.  It’s what dogs do best.  But should we say no to them?

I remember my mum telling me years ago, that the only two words a puppy needed to learn were its name and no.  I also remember days when my sons were young, feeling as though every time I opened my mouth it was to say no.

Saying No!

I was walking my girls the other day around the lake that I live beside.  A woman was walking her two dogs in the opposite direction, so I passed her a couple of times.  The first time I saw her, the dogs were wet and looking to go back into the water.  She very grumpily told them “NO! You’re not going into the water again!”

A bit later I saw her again and the same thing was happening.  She was telling them off for wanting to go back into the water.  Wtf?  Why would you do that?  Why let them into the water in the first place if you don’t want them going into it?  But why tell them off for wanting to go in again?  And if I was confused, imagine how they felt?

Be consistent – please?

My lovely new agility trainer, Emma from Beancroft Agility is absolutely right when she says it is not OK to accept one rule one week, but then change the criteria the next week.  Just as for children, we should be fair to our dogs and expect the same behaviour from them if we give them the same commands.

So if you let your dog get away with going on the sofa (why wouldn’t you?) you can’t then expect them to get off for no reason.  Of course if you need to sit down, you might make them budge up a bit, or ask them to get off, sit down and then get them back up onto your lap, lol.

Why say no though?

It’s not really necessary, is it?  I went through a list of situations in my head this morning and I could come up with alternative (and more appropriate) commands for all of them. For example:

• chewing something they shouldn’t – Leave it!
• barking at squirrels – also leave it, or shh! or use their name.  Ideally in a quiet voice, not joining in the barking by shouting
• running away from you – “Name of dog, come!”  said in a ridiculously positive way
• heading into danger – ‘wait!’  Once you’ve mastered stop the dog you should be able to do this easily
• jumping up  – Off!  Although ignoring and turning away is even better
• play biting – use a toy instead of your hand.   This is one situation where I might say ‘no!’ sharply, as this behaviour is never acceptable.  But a distraction would be better, or not allowing things to escalate to this point better still.

I hope you have found this post thought provoking?  Let me know if you think there is a situation that demands a no?

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my service.

Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NB: If you read my posts in an email, you may be missing out on the lovely pictures!  Please click through to my website to see the post in all its glory!

 

Come back dog! How to build your recall – my top tips

I’m revisiting this post having seen a lovely 7 month-old Border Collie puppy on a lead this morning.  When I asked why she was on lead I was told she would run off, or chase cars.  I could have punched the owner – YOU ARE SO LAZY!!  It really is not rocket science to get your dog to come back.  Just do some work on it, please?

Of course some breeds are harder than others and not all walks are safe, but if I can walk 5 Border Collies off lead you sure as hell can manage one.  <angry face>.  Here are my top tips:

DO: Keep using treats

Some people think they only need to use treats when their puppy is little.  Why?  I still like chocolate and I’m 55 years old!  If you asked me to do something and offered me chocolate I would DEFINITELY do it!  Sunny will always come back to me, no matter whom I call, just in case I feel like giving her a sweetie.  Well of course I do!  She’s 12 years old but if she comes when I call, she deserves a sweetie.  Of course it’s not very big, but so what?

DON’T: Use rubbish treats

The one in my photo here might not look very exciting but my girls like them.  If they weren’t brilliant at coming back and/or didn’t think much of these treats, I would use something else.

Top treats can include:

• cheese – mild cheddar is not too crumbly, nice and cheap.  Cut into small cubes
• sausage – ordinary cooked sausage, cut small
• frankfurters – I slice up quite finely and then cook in the oven for a while. This dries them out so them are easier to handle and last longer
• liver cake – if you must.  I never do, but people swear by it: liver cake recipe

Whatever you use, it should actually be a reward for your dog.

DO: Be exciting!

Why exactly would I come back to you if you are boring?  What I am doing over here is much more interesting.  Smells!  Dogs!  Rabbits!  What are you offering?  Hmm, no thanks.

You must be AMAZING!  Look what I’ve got!  Look at my toy!  Do you want it?  Come and get it!  Here it is.. here… or here…  Have a look at the video clip from a post of Ounce on Exciting recall

 

DON’T: Shout at your dog

It’s really not a good idea.  They may never get over it.  Dogs are sensitive creatures; they do not like it when you are unhappy.  If you have several dogs and children, try shouting at one of them (or your other half, even better). What happens?  Everyone disappears!

Yes I know it’s incredibly annoying when they don’t come, but were you exciting?  Did you have yummy sweeties?  Did you offer to play?  Or have a toy?  No?  Well that’s your own fault then.

I’m not even going to mention any kind of physical reprimand.  All that does is make your dog hate you.  Not a top plan.

DON’T: Chase your dog

What a brilliant game that is for your dog!  Yay!  Chase me, chase me!  You can’t catch me though, obviously.  Can you hear your dog laughing?  I can.  Hilarious.

DO: Run away from your dog

Turn and leg it.  Seriously.  This is the time to get on a turn of speed.  And if you can add some excited shouting, such as “Come and see what I’ve got!”  “Sweeties!”  Then you might get their interest.  This is much more likely to work than standing still.  Or chasing them.

DON’T: Wait until the end of the walk to call them back

It’s been a lovely walk but now it’s the end.  Oh you’re not tired and you don’t want to go home yet?  Well too bad, I’m in charge.  Or am I?  When I’m walking the puppy on her own, I might call her back to me twenty times during a 20 minute walk.  These days, walking her with the pack, I only call her back to me 10 times per walk.  “Ounce come”.  Be excited to see her.  Give her some praise.  Feed her a sweetie or two.  Every day, every walk.  She automatically comes to me at the end of the walk.  It’s no big deal.

DO: Use a clear, simple command

“Ounce come”.  Don’t stand still repeating the dog’s name over and over again.  You sound like a wally.  (Unlike when you are running away, shrieking in excitement, when you look AND sound like a wally.)   The more often you say the dog’s name, the less likely they are to wonder what you want.  Be clear, be positive, be firm (but not boring).

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my service.

Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NB: If you read my posts in an email, you may be missing out on the lovely pictures!  Please click through to my website to see the post in all its glory!

 

Settle your dog – how to make them calmer

I saw an interesting post the other day on ‘The Wonderful World of Border Collies’.  Someone asked for some tips on ‘tiring out’ their BC puppy.  She gave a long list of activities and toys that the puppy had; interactive toys, stuffed Kongs, walks it went on, etc etc.  Some people (rather unhelpfully I thought) said “Oh he’ll calm down in a year or two”.  The rest of us all said that he needed to settle:

“Teach your dog to calm down, please?  Dogs need to learn that they cannot be on the go all the time.”

Thinking about it, I realised that I had already written about this very subject.  In fact it was almost the first ‘training topic’ I wrote about: settle down.

Rushing all day long

Do you ever have days where you spend the whole day rushing around?  Maybe you are at work and you have a whole string of meetings to go to, with phone calls and emails to cram in between them?  Or you are at home and have a series of appointments to go to, with other errands or jobs that need doing as well? Do you ever feel as though you are ‘chasing your tail’?  When the day is like that, you might get halfway through the day and feel exhausted, but then you get a ‘second wind’ and carry on anyway.

Dogs, particularly Border Collies, can be a bit like that.  They will keep going, and going and going, till they drop.  They are so keen to please you and so willing to work, that they are often described as not having an ‘off switch’.

However, they are not supposed to be like that!  Have a look at the Border Collie Breed Information page.  I think this sums up perfectly the pace of life that this breed are designed for.  I also think it shows how life has changed for all pet dogs; it is hard work for them.

Take time to recover

It is important for us all, both dogs and people, to have time out.  Time to recover, to recharge our batteries, to reflect on what has happened and think about what comes next.  I often think about the poem, Leisure by W H Davies.

How to teach a settle

I believe that calmness teaches calmness.  If you are calm and quiet, your dogs should be too.  My dogs know that I spend most of my days sitting at my desk writing, so they know that not much will happen once we get back from our walk.  They know I won’t play with them; if I am up and about I am cleaning, or going out without them.  Their expectations are low, so they don’t make a fuss if I leave them, nor expect much to happen.

As a side note, I believe that children need to learn the skill of stillness too.  These days we are so often bombarded with information and entertainment.  Chillax!  It’s good for you.  Don’t forget to smell the roses!

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my service.

Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NB: If you read my posts in an email, you may be missing out on the lovely pictures!  Please click through to my website to see the post in all its glory!

What is the best age for neutering in dogs?

This is not a simple question and as with so many aspects of dog ownership, it is subject to fashion and cultural context.  When I was growing up, I don’t think neutering in dogs was done routinely; it was more often carried out when a dog was becoming a problem.  Male dogs were often allowed to roam the streets, looking for a mate and puppies were very often produced through a neighbour’s dog appearing in a garden one day.

Of course these things do still happen, but happily we are inching forwards to a culture where responsible dog ownership is becoming more commonplace.  There has been a view that dogs were who were not ‘entire’ would be affected in their personality; that this would be detrimental to their character.  Increasingly, I am of the view that any changes are positive, especially to male dogs.

 

Freedom to roam

In the past, dog owners who were being responsible would whip their puppy off to the vet’s to be neutered almost as soon as it was brought home.  When I got my first puppy, in 1987, it was expected that he would be castrated at six months, so that his behaviour would remain more manageable.  He still cocked his leg and enjoyed playing around with Sunny when she was in season, but he didn’t hump your leg, (which was good!) and he didn’t try to go off roaming the neighbourhood.

More recently, we are finding that it is good to allow dogs to reach full maturity before they are neutered, both male and female.  If you search online, you will find articles such as this one from the Blue Cross about neutering your dog.  This says that there are a number of health benefits to neutering early, such as reducing the chances of cancers.

However, another article cites the benefits of neutering later:

“When a dog’s testes or ovaries are removed, the production of hormones is interrupted, which affects bone growth. Because the bone growth plates may close earlier in dogs neutered young, orthopaedic problems such as hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament tears may result. Neutered dogs also tend to gain excess weight, further stressing the joints. But neutering does not equal obesity. It’s more difficult to keep neutered dogs in shape, but it can be done.”

Personally, I think it does come down to good management.  If you feel that you will struggle to cope with an unneutered dog, get it done from the age of six months.  If you can manage for a while, leave it until the dog has reached maturity, which for collies would be around a year to 18 months.  If you can’t be bothered with the hassle, definitely get them neutered.

Coming into season

Elsewhere, I have written about what happens to a bitch coming into season and how to manage this.  If you are prepared for the need to pay attention to your dog every 6-8 months and make sure that they do not come into contact with uncastrated dogs, then you may choose to leave your dog unneutered.

As I said earlier, I had my only male dog castrated at the age of six months.  My first bitch was done in middle age, having had two litters of pups.  Much safer to have the operation, I thought at the time.  I had planned to have Sunny spayed once she had had her third litter.  I hesitated because I felt that it was a major operation that she did not need to have.  I can manage my dogs, I thought.

Neutering – emergency procedures

I am revisiting the neutering argument today, having brought Sunny home from the vet.  She has had an emergency spay, aged 12 years, following pyometra, or pyo.

“Pyometra is defined as an infection in the uterus. Pyometra is considered a serious and life threatening condition that must be treated quickly and aggressively.”

Symptoms of Pyometra include: 

• Abdominal distention (from an enlarged uterus)
• Vulvar (vaginal) discharge
• Closed cervix
• Lethargy
• Depression
• Lack of appetite
• Vomiting
• Frequent urination.

Fortunately for us, Sunny’s condition was picked up quickly and surgery was straightforward.  She stayed in overnight for observation, but is now home and recovering well.

Other emergencies

Sadly, Luna had to have a Caesarian with her last litter and when the vet asked if I wanted her spayed as well, I thought ‘why not’.  I asked if it would make the operation more complicated and he said “No, it will be simpler, as it’s easier to remove everything.”  I then didn’t have to worry about post-op infection in her uterus as it had all been taken out!

Luna made such a great recovery from the operation and really rocked the shirt provided by the vet, which was brilliant compared with the stupid lampshade they usually provide.  She was moving around normally within a day or two and a month today since the op she if fully healed and back to her usual self.  On the strength of that, I decided to go ahead with Aura’s spay.  Aura is more active than Luna, so I thought it might be harder to manage her recovery.  Silly me!  She is younger and fitter than her mum, so was completely better within the week. Amazing.

Now I don’t have to worry about them being in season when I enter shows and I have less girls to clear up after.  No more worrying about dogs chasing us when we are out – at least with these two.  I am a total convert!

In conclusion

Leave it until they reach maturity, so that their bones have a chance to develop fully and normally.  Then do it!  Stop the production of unwanted dogs and make your life easier.  Then make sure you keep your dog fit and healthy, through exercise and training.

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my service.

Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NB: If you read my posts in an email, you may be missing out on the lovely pictures!  Please click through to my website to see the post in all its glory!

Obedience – why your dog will thank you for it

I’m such an old nag.  Always going on about practising this obedience with your dog, work on that with your dog.  Then they will be better behaved and your problems will be gone.  Really?  Or am I just saying that because I have ‘easy collies’?  Yeah, it’s probably that.

This week, I have had a few occasions to be grateful that my dogs are well behaved.  And a few times when I have found myself feeling sorry for a dog who has not been trained to behave nicely. This morning, for example, the girls and I encountered a lovely looking Labrador up in the woods.  He was on lead, and as my girls filed past at a safe distance, not making eye contact (miserable buggers I know!) he leapt across the path towards them in a joyous, exuberant way.  The woman holding him was hanging on for dear life (he was much stronger than her) and making placatory comments to him.

The lifestyle of your dog

I confess I felt really sad for that dog.  I considered the life of my 5 Border Collies:

• An hour’s walk off lead every morning, in 5-6 different locations each week
• Free access around the large house and garden for the rest of the day
• At least one really mentally and physically challenging training session per week
• Life in a pack of 5 dogs – with plenty of companionship, play and engagement with each other
• Regular, daily training sessions with me, either on walk, at home or in class
• Busy (and now Luna) also goes into school for 3 hours per week to work

What does your average single dog in a family home get, if he’s lucky?  A walk, on lead, along the same paths?  Cuddles and pats from family members?  Toys to play with?

It’s no wonder then, that this dog is absolutely beside himself to see 5 potential playmates go by.  You would be too, wouldn’t you?  But equally, if some large person came rushing into your face, you would not say “how lovely to meet you” would you? Training that dog would:

• engage his brain
• reinforce his relationship with his owner
• allow him to actively engage with other dogs without being a pain in the arse!

Obedience and safety

Another reason for having dogs that understand obedience is when an emergency arises.  Of course if your dog is always on lead, they probably won’t run towards danger, but what if (like this morning’s Labrador) they are really strong and get away from you?  How would you cope if they were running off towards a road?  Do you remember Fenton?

Incidentally, I saw a muntjac out in the open up on the Heath this morning, searching for a drink.  So deer are a real issue.

Stop the dog

This is the training you need.  It’s not competition level obedience, just an ability to make your dog wait when you need it to.  Something like this:

Now I am not going to promise that if you teach a stop, you will be able to prevent your dog from ‘doing a Fenton’, but maybe you could stop them from chasing one deer?

Stay calm

I was happy to have some obedience in the puppy when she went into the lake earlier this week.  Due to the drought, the level of the water had dropped so much she struggled to get back out onto the bank.  As soon as I realised, I scrambled down the bank towards her.  It was my turn with the platitudes; it’s OK I’m coming to get you, wait there.  And do you know what?  She did!  Ounce waited calmly, until I got to her and hauled her out by the scruff of her neck.

A final video then, showing me messing around.  I saw someone being able to say their dog’s name and then give them an individual command.  I have tried this, but as you can see, when I say ‘down’ they all tend to go.  This is because I regularly put them all into a down at once.  So I decided to have a go at calling them out of line and then giving them a command.  Mixed results.  But a bit of fun in the sun. Play with your dog it might save their life?

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my service.

Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NB: If you read my posts in an email, you may be missing out on the lovely pictures!  Please click through to my website to see the post in all its glory!

 

Punishment – when should you tell off your dog?

Here something different for you, a quick quiz.  I’m going to give you some scenarios and you can tell me which action you would take – when is punishment appropriate?   Be honest with yourself, it’s just for fun.

Question 1

Your year old puppy drinks lots of river water while on a walk, then pees in the house.  Do you:

1. Rub her nose it, whilst shouting at her
2. Go and smack her
3. Sigh and clear it up
4. Remind yourself not to let her drink too much when it’s hot?

Answer: 3 and 4

Question 2

Your dog runs off out of sight whilst on a walk. Do you:

1. Call him positively and excitedly, squeaking a toy.
2. Wait for him to come back
3. Chase after him, angrily shouting his name
4. Remind yourself that you need to carry on working on his recall training, although he is much better than he was?

Answer: 1, 2 and 4

Question 3

Your young dog jumps up at your husband when he gets home from work and jumps up at visitors.  Do you:

1. Give her a smack and shout at her for being naughty
2. Push her off and say ‘Down!’ at her
3. Ask your husband and visitors to turn away from her and ignore her
4. Remind yourself that you need to ask people to help you continue her jumping up training and explain what you want?

Answer: 3 and 4

Question 4

You leave your sandwich on a coffee table while you go to the toilet.  You are only gone for a minute, but your dog eats your food.  Do you:

1. Wonder where your sandwich could be
2. Yell at your dog for eating your food
3. Smack your dog to teach it a lesson
4. Remind yourself that if you leave food in front of a dog, it will only not eat it if it is ill?

Answer: 4

Question 5

Your children love playing with your dog but struggle to leave him alone.  One of your children comes over and puts her face up to the dog’s (whilst he is on his bed) and your dog growls.  Do you:

1. Praise the dog for being patient with your child
2. Shout at your child for getting in the dog’s face
3. Smack your dog for growling at your child
4. Remind yourself to work with your child and your dog about good interaction and to make sure that you never leave them alone together?

Answer: 1, 2 and 4

Question 6

Your dog snaps at another dog that comes into her face when you are out on a walk.  The owner of the other dog calls out “it’s OK he’s friendly” but your dog growls and shows her teeth.  Do you:

1. Shout at the owner of the other dog
2. Give your dog a treat for not killing the other dog
3. Smack your dog and shout at her for being aggressive
4. Remind yourself to work on distracting distracting your dog away from approaching dogs and reward them for ignoring other dogs?

Answer: 2 and 4 (and probably 1 as well)

Question 7

You leave your dog out in the garden for a while. When you come back there is a big hole in the middle of the lawn.  Do you:

1. Beat the dog for being so naughty
2. Punish the dog by shutting it away for a few hours
3. Drag the dog to the hole and yell at it
4. Remind yourself not to leave the dog unsupervised and bored where it can do damage?

Answer: 4 It’s entirely your fault.

Question 8

You come in to find your dog has chewed one of your trainers.  Do you:

1. Ring the rescue centre because you are sick of the bloody dog
2. Shout at the dog
3. Show the dog the shoe and give him a smack
4. Remind yourself to buy some more dog toys and to tidy your shoes away in future?

Answer: 4

I am hoping that you have enjoyed my bit of fun?  Of course we can all get fed up with our annoying dogs and all their bad behaviours.  However, I hope you can see that it is important to manage our expectations and to understand that any dog is still a dog.  How well it behaves is entirely up to you and the way you manage it.  Some dogs are easier to train than others, but none of them need punishment.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

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Fighting in dogs: what should you do?

A friend was telling me that her poor dog was attacked while out walking.  Apparently another dog was running around with a man calling out to him.  This dog ran up to my friend’s dog and went for her.  Needless to say she retaliated and within seconds they were properly fighting.

It’s scary and difficult, knowing what to do in this situation.  How do you deal with it?  I’m lucky that it has happened rarely to me in all my years of dog ownership.  I think our first instinct is to try and grab your dog and pull it away.  Don’t do this!  It is quite likely that your dog will turn round and bite you, thinking it is being attacked from behind.  Or you will get bitten by the other dog.

My top tips for fighting dogs:

• Shout!  A loud, fierce “Get off!” or similar might startle the dogs into stopping.
• Pick up your dog.  If you have a small dog being attacked by a large one, removing your dog is a good idea, if at all possible.
• Try to force yourself between the two dogs.  I would be reluctant to do this personally, but you might feel able to.  If your dog is on a lead, you can try physically pulling it off and dragging it behind you.
• Kick it!  If a dog has run up to yours and started an attack, I think you are within your rights to use your foot to push the dogs apart.  It’s a lot safer than grabbing and should be more effective.  A push with your foot (a kick) is going to inflict less damage than the dog’s teeth.
• Drop the lead.  If you are not able to intervene, leave them to it.
• Wait.  Dogs usually attack each other out of fear, or misunderstanding.  It is usually over within a few seconds, even though it might feel like hours.

How to prevent the fighting

1. Let your dog off lead.  I know it’s scary, but a dog is much less likely to go for your dog if it is not attached to you.  Dogs can communicate with each other perfectly well and given the choice, will move apart or around each other.  When a dog is on lead it becomes guarding of you and unable to move away, which makes it defensive.
2. Distract your dog.  I have just talked about the importance of being able to play with your dog and this is when to use that technique.  If your dog is not making eye contact with the approaching dog, there is less likely to be an engagement.
3. Turn and walk away.  Even if you just do this for a few metres, you should find that the situation is diffused.  Again, rewarding your dog’s attention on you will help with this.
4. Say ‘STOP!’ to the approaching dog.  This is more about distracting the other dog than anything, but might work on some dogs.

Reactivity in dogs

Once a dog has been attacked while out, they may become fearful and ‘reactive’.  This means that they will bark, lunge and snap any time another dog approaches them.  This is horrible to live with.  It makes you as an owner fearful of other dogs while out walking.  It is difficult to train out, because you don’t want other dogs to come near you and get attacked by your dog.

When you have a reactive dog, you keep it on the lead.  You walk at times you think will be quieter, along less busy routes.  Maybe you are constantly on guard, watching out for other dogs.  When other dogs coming bouncing over, with the owner calling out “it’s OK, he’s friendly”, you can become angry or tearful.

You may find it helpful to invest in a Nervous Bandana for your dog.

Teach good manners

Having a reactive dog is not very nice for anyone, is it?  Which is why it is so important to teach your dog good manners in the first place.  Teach your dog to come back to you when you first get it.  Have it on a Long line if you need to have some control.

Teach your dog that not all dogs are bad (in fact very few are, really).  The best way to do this is to meet up with friends for a group walk.  Walking alongside other dogs helps build confidence and you can observe your dog interacting with other dogs.

Reward your dog for ignoring other dogs, either with play, or with treats.

Ask for help?

You are very welcome to CONTACT ME to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my service.

Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NB: If you read my posts in an email, you may be missing out on the lovely pictures!  Please click through to my website to see the post in all its glory!