In this unit and in others, rewards have been mentioned frequently. List those things that you consider the dog will find rewarding. What do you consider to be the best way to reward a dog? Explain your reasons for your choice.
Introduction
According to the Collins Pocket English Dictionary (1986), the word ‘reward’ means “something given in return for good, or sometimes, evil”. As far as dog behaviour is concerned, this doesn’t mean that by rewarding our dog he will either turn into Lassie, or a Hound of the Baskervilles. Put simply, we use rewards to motivate good behaviour, or sometimes, to reinforce bad behaviour.
This essay discusses what dogs find rewarding, and examines the different types of rewards and how they can be used to encourage both good and bad behaviour.
Why reward?
Dogs do not come genetically pre-wired with an inherent desire to please their human owners. They won’t walk to heel, roll over, or fetch your slippers without being trained to do so. We use rewards in dog training to help us to reinforce the response to a requested command or cue. In her book ‘The Culture Clash’, Jean Donaldson suggests that the words ‘reinforcer’ and ‘reinforcement’ are more accurate words than ‘reward’ “because they refer to a ‘reward’ that actually served to increase responding, as opposed to only referring to the intention of the rewarder”.(1)
No training without motivation and reward
“The first task in training any animal is finding out what motivates it. No motivation, no training.”(2)
We are all motivated by different things - money, happiness, relaxation - and the way carry out our daily lives is directly related to the rewards we receive in response to the relative importance of our motivations. For example, I am motivated by money, but only to the extent that I can use it to pay my bills. Society has ‘trained’ me to go to work, to be rewarded by my monthly paycheck which motivates me to pay my bills. I am more motivated by good company than money. So, if I was offered another job, with a higher salary, but with no other work colleagues, I would not be motivated by the offer to change jobs.
Dogs are no exception to the need for motivation. They can be motivated by play, attention, food, the avoidance of pain, the opportunity to socialise with other dogs, and the opportunity to investigate new and unusual smells. We use these motivations to help us train our dogs, and the training is reinforced through the use of rewards.
An example of the different kinds of motivation in dogs is demonstrated each week at the agility class I attend with my dog Tabasco. Tabasco is highly motivated by food, and the more ‘high value’ the food reward, the more likely he is to work the apparatus as requested. Some of his agility classmates are more motivated by playing (via the toy the handler is holding) or by chasing something (via the release of a tennis ball at the end of a set of jumps).
Jean Donaldson makes another interesting comment about motivation and training. She suggests that dog trainers relish the opportunity to conform those dogs who are highly motivated by food, attention, or the opportunity to meet other dogs, for example. These ‘hi drive’ chaps are more likely to respond to rewards that fuel their motivations. On the other hand, the laid-back lad who doesn’t steal food, get overexcited when you arrive home, or who doesn’t pull on the lead to reach his doggy pals, is more challenging for a trainer, and harder to train. The ‘lo-drive’ individuals are not motivated by any rewards on offer - they are simply too chilled to be bothered.(3)
Types of rewards
Jean Donaldson and Bruce Fogel both have comprehensive lists of items/activities that dogs find rewarding.(4)(5) The list below identifies these and offers examples of how they can reinforce good and bad behaviour.
1. Food
Good: A very useful, and potent, training aid. Highly food-motivated dogs will be the most responsive to food rewards.Tabasco must always go to his bed and wait before he is allowed to eat breakfast/dinner.
Bad: Leaving the Sunday roast on the kitchen counter to cool is too strong a temptation for a highly food-motivated dog. Jumping onto the counter is instantly ‘rewarded’ by eating the contents of the roasting dish. Leaving food within easy reach therefore encourages bad behaviour in this case.
2. Touch
Good: Stroking or petting a dog has a calming effect which is rewarding for those dogs who are motivated by touch.
Bad: If a dog is displaying fear or anxiety, however, perceived reassurance through stroking by the human only serves to reinforce and reward the anxious dog.
3. Sound
Good: Positive praise, such as saying “yesss!”, following quickly by a food reward or a pat, is a useful secondary reinforcer during a training session, and can be introduced into everyday activities with your dog.
Bad: Shouting at a dog with an angry voice if he jumps up translates as praise to the dog, even though that was not the intent of the owner. In this case, the owner is actually reinforcing bad behaviour.
4. Play or other enjoyed activity
Good: Exciting play, for example, tug-of-war, ball chasing, or rough-and-tumble is a great reward for those dogs who enjoy physical activity.
Bad: Chasing a squirrel while out on a walk, or a jogger, cyclist, or swan (in my dog’s case) is also extremely rewarding.
5. Owner attention, and attention and access to people
Good: I have taught my dog to ring a bell by the back door when he wants to go outside. He has learnt that the door is only opened by me when he rings the bell.
Bad: Tabasco also unfortunately has the art of food begging and looking mournful down to a tee. When my parents visit, my dad is always the first to fall for his ‘feed me, I’m starving!’ technique.
6. Chewing
Good: Chewing can be rewarding because it has a ‘subduing effect on the dog’s state of arousal’.(6) Chewing on a bone or a chew-stick can keep a dog content for hours.
Bad: Leaving your precious Jimmy Choos (or should I say Jimmy ‘Chews’) lying around for an afternoon munch is as much a reward for a dog as a chew toy.
Reward values
Like humans, dogs assign value rankings to rewards. The more valuable the reward, the more quickly they are likely to learn.(7) Moreover, these rewards are likely to become more potent after a period of deprivation.(8)
Tabasco helped me to prove both of the above points at a recent agility class. A simple sequence - 2 jumps, tunnel, 2 jumps - was laid out. (Tabasco is highly food oriented, so I always reward him with food during the agility class. All I had with me were a few pieces of Schmackos - ok, but not as good as chicken!) Tabasco had no problem with the jumps, but, unusually for him, failed at the tunnel. I upped the anti, and swapped the Schmackos for cooked chicken. Instead of luring him with the chicken in my hand, I let him know it was safe in my bum-bag and sent him round the course again. Eventual success! Offer of a higher value reward, withheld until completion of the course, did the trick for Tabasco. (I should mention that the following week, he completed the same set of apparatus three times in a row! Clever boy!)
What is the best way to reward a dog?
As previously discussed, all dogs are different. Like humans, they have different motivations. And they also have different levels of motivation. Therefore, what may be rewarding for one dog, may not necessarily be rewarding for another.
I consider that the best way to reward a dog is to understand what is most rewarding for them, i.e. food or play, and reinforce it with a secondary reward, i.e. praise or touch. My dog will always finish a set of agility jumps because he knows there is a tasty treat coming his way, followed by an enthusiastic “good boy!” when he does so. Polly, the border collie in our agility class will finish a set of jumps just because she loves the activity of doing so, plus, she a quick chase of a tennis ball at the end, followed by an exuberant “what a good girl!”.
Conclusion
Rewards are used in dog training as a way to positively reinforce good behaviour. However, they can also reinforce bad behaviour if not used in the correct way. As dog owners, we should be aware of what our dogs are motivated by and this can help us to identify how to best reward them during training for everyday life with us.
Works Cited
(1) The Culture Clash, ch.5, p.128 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
(2) The Culture Clash, ch.1, p.15 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
(3) The Culture Clash, ch.5, p.129 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
(4) The Culture Clash, ch.5, p.129 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.7, p.101 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) The Dog’s Mind, ch.7, p.102 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(7) The Dog’s Mind, ch.7, p.101 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(8) The Culture Clash, ch.5, p.129 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
Bibliography
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Stages of puppy development
Identify the three periods of development in the puppy, and describe the puppy’s development in each of these.
Introduction
The three periods of development in a puppy are the Neonatal Period, the Transitional Period and the Socialisation Period. In terms of elapsed time, the three periods are defined as starting at birth and ending at twelve weeks of age(1), as illustrated in the following chart:
NB: It should be noted that each pup is also a product of his own prenatal environment, and that even before birth he is ‘already under the influence of his own genes as well as his mother’s hormones’.(2)
The following essay addresses the physical, mental and behavioural aspects of each stage of puppy development.
The Neonatal Period
The first two weeks of a puppy’s life is defined as the Neonatal Period.
Physical Characteristics
At this age, the puppy resembles a wriggling ball of fluff. His brain is still developing along with his sensory abilities. At this age he is blind and deaf, and his feeling of touch is not well developed - only his head has a touch reflex. ‘He has a slightly developed sense of smell, and he also has a heat receptor in his face which enables him to locate his mother.’(3)
During the Neonatal period the very young puppy is unable to eliminate urine and faeces without the help of his mother. Because his gastrointestinal tract remains poorly developed his mother will lick his anogenital area to stimulate elimination. The mother also licks the puppy to wake him from his long periods of sleep in order to stimulate him to suckle.
The puppy is unable to walk at this stage, and should the mother want to relocate to a different nesting spot, she will carry the puppy by taking any part of his body in her mouth and carry him to a new nest site.
Mental Characteristics
Despite the limited development of the puppy’s brain during the first two weeks of life, the perceived insignificant experiences he has during the early stages do have a ‘tremendous impact on the mind of the pup’.(4)
When a new litter is born, the mother will lick the pups clean. Continuing to lick the pups to stimulate elimination, waking up and suckling, helps to deliver (via the smell of her saliva) a vital message to the puppy’s developing brain - “I am your mother”.
Human handling during the Neonatal period is also beneficial to the new born puppy. Not only does it help him to be aware of the human scent, but it also serves to create minor mental stresses which aid the development of the puppy’s early mind.(5)
Social Characteristics
Virtually all social interaction during the Neonatal period is with the mother.
The Transitional Period
The next important phase in a puppy’s life is the Transitional Period - from two to four weeks of age - when many rapid changes take place.
Physical Characteristics
Most of the puppy’s sensory faculties start to develop during the Transitional period:
Sight - the eyelids open and he begins to see dimly, with increasing responsiveness to light and movement.
Hearing - the external ear canals open and he will respond to loud noises.
Eating - the teeth erupt and he can start to eat semi solid food. He will also start nursing on his own, without the need for stimulation from his mother.
Balance - the balance reflex starts to develop during this period, and the puppy is able to start to orient and readjust his body to balance properly.
Motion - by two weeks of age the puppy has touch reflexes in his front legs, and by three weeks develops touch reflexes in his back legs. Hence he can sit at two weeks of age and stand at three. Shortly after this, he will start to walk and run.(6)
Pain - by the end of the Transitional period the puppy will be able to feel pain to a similar extent as an adult dog.
Other - tail wagging and barking will start.
Mental Characteristics
A puppy’s mind is developing at a rapid rate during the Transitional period, and it is during this stage of mental development that his world becomes significantly bigger - he is more aware of his littermates, his environment and humans. Therefore, as in the Neonatal period, it is important for the puppy to continue to have human contact to further aid mental development via small stresses. Furthermore, the introduction of various toys in the pen, with their associated tastes and smells, also helps to stimulate the puppy’s developing mind.
Social Characteristics
Although still dependant on the mother to an extent, the puppy will start to develop socially and will begin to play with his littermates during the Transitional period. At this stage he is clumsy, with poor coordination, but as he moves into the Socialisation period, puppy play will become more intense, and will form a more important part of his learning and development for later life.
The Socialisation Period
A puppy will enter the Socialisation Period from four weeks of age. This period in puppy development has two overlapping aspects - the socialisation to other dogs at 4-6 weeks, and the socialisation to humans at 4-12 weeks.
Physical Characteristics
By the time a puppy is four weeks old his senses have matured. His brain is well developed and is able to process information more readily. From five weeks he can easily recognise his mother or owner from a distance.(7)
His body will continue to grow, and his physical strength, dexterity, balance and coordination are all developed and improved through playing with his littermates and mother. Play at this age is likely to be quite vigorous, and it is during rough play that the puppy learns to develop a soft mouth (bite inhibition).
Other physical activities such as walking and running together are also formed during the Socialisation period.
During this period a puppy does not have the physical capacity to hold his motions for long. The bladder muscle is the last to develop, and he will need to eliminate every couple of hours.
Mental Characteristics
It is during this period of his life in which the puppy’s mind is most malleable and absorbent. He is able to bounce back more quickly from perceived threats and he has greater confidence. The more experiences he has in this short window, the better prepared he is for a less stressful adult life.
The puppy will also experience a period of fear, from about eight weeks of age to eleven weeks of age.(8)
During the Socialisation period, a puppy achieves a relative amount of independence from his mother. However, this independence does come at a small cost as the puppy will have to cope with some amount of frustration as his mother starts to prevent requests for suckling as she starts the weaning process.
Certain feeding behaviours are also imprinted in a dog’s mind during the Socialisation period. Dogs are competitive feeders because they are pack animals. Puppies will compete for the ‘best teat’ whilst in the litter, and they will also learn to beg their mother for food during weaning.(9)
A puppy is capable of learning at this age, but his brain won’t finish developing until he is twelve weeks old. And although it is not possible to train a puppy at this early age, all interaction does have an affect, and a puppy can learn through play.(10)
Social Characteristics
The bond that the young puppy forms with his mother starts to evolve in the Socialisation period. Where in the Neonatal and Transitional periods the puppy was wholly dependant on the mother for maternal care giving, the mother now starts to move away from the puppy when he tries to feed, and many also be more aggressive and dominant towards him. This would usually happen at about four or five weeks of age. ‘The care dependency relationship evolves into one of dominance-submission’.(11)
Despite this, it is during this time that the puppy also develops a more sophisticated repertoire of signals to communicate with his mother. These displays of care seeking behaviour can come in the form of tail wagging, whining, yelping, pawing, jumping up, licking his mother’s face, nose and lips, and never leaving his mother’s side.
Social interaction with littermates starts to intensify during the Socialisation period. A puppy will start to learn to communicate with his brothers and sisters through playful activity.
Communication through play teaches a puppy ‘play cues’ and invitations to play via the ‘play bow’. Puppies quickly learn how to build on their natural predatory instincts by inventing games of ‘chase’ and ‘tug’. And their in-built inquisitiveness is amplified by embarking on adventures with littermates.
‘Play affects and moulds adult social behaviour’(12), and is a good indicator of future dominance behaviour. Through play is it easy to identify which individuals will be more dominant or more submissive as adults.
It is during the final stage of the Socialisation period (from eight weeks of age) that the puppy will leave his litter and begin life with his new human family. As responsible dog owners we take over from the mother and littermates to provide a social outlet for the puppy. He relies on us to introduce him to a myriad of new sights, smells and sounds (be it the vacuum cleaner, bearded Uncle Bob, or the cat next door) to help him cope less fearfully with the outside world.
Conclusion
In the course of twelve weeks a puppy evolves from a ‘wriggling ball of fluff’ into a ‘pint-sized pooch’ with a good deal of the physical, mental and social characteristics of a full grown adult dog. That’s a lot to fit into such a small amount of time. It is these initial twelve weeks - the Neonatal, Transitional and Socialisation periods - that form the major foundation for his ongoing development and will underpin his behaviour as an adult.
Works Cited
(1) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.69 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(2) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.70 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(3) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p 2
(4) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.71 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.74-75 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.76 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(7) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.76 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(8) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p 3
(9) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.89 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(10) Puppies For Dummies, ch.14, p.209 (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
(11) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.81 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(12) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.83 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Puppy Behaviour and Training (Heath, Sarah 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
Introduction
The three periods of development in a puppy are the Neonatal Period, the Transitional Period and the Socialisation Period. In terms of elapsed time, the three periods are defined as starting at birth and ending at twelve weeks of age(1), as illustrated in the following chart:
| Neonatal period | Transitional period | Socialisation period | Socialisation period |
| to dogs | to humans | ||
| 0-2 weeks | 2-4 weeks | 4-6 weeks | 4-12 weeks |
NB: It should be noted that each pup is also a product of his own prenatal environment, and that even before birth he is ‘already under the influence of his own genes as well as his mother’s hormones’.(2)
The following essay addresses the physical, mental and behavioural aspects of each stage of puppy development.
The Neonatal Period
The first two weeks of a puppy’s life is defined as the Neonatal Period.
Physical Characteristics
At this age, the puppy resembles a wriggling ball of fluff. His brain is still developing along with his sensory abilities. At this age he is blind and deaf, and his feeling of touch is not well developed - only his head has a touch reflex. ‘He has a slightly developed sense of smell, and he also has a heat receptor in his face which enables him to locate his mother.’(3)
During the Neonatal period the very young puppy is unable to eliminate urine and faeces without the help of his mother. Because his gastrointestinal tract remains poorly developed his mother will lick his anogenital area to stimulate elimination. The mother also licks the puppy to wake him from his long periods of sleep in order to stimulate him to suckle.
The puppy is unable to walk at this stage, and should the mother want to relocate to a different nesting spot, she will carry the puppy by taking any part of his body in her mouth and carry him to a new nest site.
Mental Characteristics
Despite the limited development of the puppy’s brain during the first two weeks of life, the perceived insignificant experiences he has during the early stages do have a ‘tremendous impact on the mind of the pup’.(4)
When a new litter is born, the mother will lick the pups clean. Continuing to lick the pups to stimulate elimination, waking up and suckling, helps to deliver (via the smell of her saliva) a vital message to the puppy’s developing brain - “I am your mother”.
Human handling during the Neonatal period is also beneficial to the new born puppy. Not only does it help him to be aware of the human scent, but it also serves to create minor mental stresses which aid the development of the puppy’s early mind.(5)
Social Characteristics
Virtually all social interaction during the Neonatal period is with the mother.
The Transitional Period
The next important phase in a puppy’s life is the Transitional Period - from two to four weeks of age - when many rapid changes take place.
Physical Characteristics
Most of the puppy’s sensory faculties start to develop during the Transitional period:
Sight - the eyelids open and he begins to see dimly, with increasing responsiveness to light and movement.
Hearing - the external ear canals open and he will respond to loud noises.
Eating - the teeth erupt and he can start to eat semi solid food. He will also start nursing on his own, without the need for stimulation from his mother.
Balance - the balance reflex starts to develop during this period, and the puppy is able to start to orient and readjust his body to balance properly.
Motion - by two weeks of age the puppy has touch reflexes in his front legs, and by three weeks develops touch reflexes in his back legs. Hence he can sit at two weeks of age and stand at three. Shortly after this, he will start to walk and run.(6)
Pain - by the end of the Transitional period the puppy will be able to feel pain to a similar extent as an adult dog.
Other - tail wagging and barking will start.
Mental Characteristics
A puppy’s mind is developing at a rapid rate during the Transitional period, and it is during this stage of mental development that his world becomes significantly bigger - he is more aware of his littermates, his environment and humans. Therefore, as in the Neonatal period, it is important for the puppy to continue to have human contact to further aid mental development via small stresses. Furthermore, the introduction of various toys in the pen, with their associated tastes and smells, also helps to stimulate the puppy’s developing mind.
Social Characteristics
Although still dependant on the mother to an extent, the puppy will start to develop socially and will begin to play with his littermates during the Transitional period. At this stage he is clumsy, with poor coordination, but as he moves into the Socialisation period, puppy play will become more intense, and will form a more important part of his learning and development for later life.
The Socialisation Period
A puppy will enter the Socialisation Period from four weeks of age. This period in puppy development has two overlapping aspects - the socialisation to other dogs at 4-6 weeks, and the socialisation to humans at 4-12 weeks.
Physical Characteristics
By the time a puppy is four weeks old his senses have matured. His brain is well developed and is able to process information more readily. From five weeks he can easily recognise his mother or owner from a distance.(7)
His body will continue to grow, and his physical strength, dexterity, balance and coordination are all developed and improved through playing with his littermates and mother. Play at this age is likely to be quite vigorous, and it is during rough play that the puppy learns to develop a soft mouth (bite inhibition).
Other physical activities such as walking and running together are also formed during the Socialisation period.
During this period a puppy does not have the physical capacity to hold his motions for long. The bladder muscle is the last to develop, and he will need to eliminate every couple of hours.
Mental Characteristics
It is during this period of his life in which the puppy’s mind is most malleable and absorbent. He is able to bounce back more quickly from perceived threats and he has greater confidence. The more experiences he has in this short window, the better prepared he is for a less stressful adult life.
The puppy will also experience a period of fear, from about eight weeks of age to eleven weeks of age.(8)
During the Socialisation period, a puppy achieves a relative amount of independence from his mother. However, this independence does come at a small cost as the puppy will have to cope with some amount of frustration as his mother starts to prevent requests for suckling as she starts the weaning process.
Certain feeding behaviours are also imprinted in a dog’s mind during the Socialisation period. Dogs are competitive feeders because they are pack animals. Puppies will compete for the ‘best teat’ whilst in the litter, and they will also learn to beg their mother for food during weaning.(9)
A puppy is capable of learning at this age, but his brain won’t finish developing until he is twelve weeks old. And although it is not possible to train a puppy at this early age, all interaction does have an affect, and a puppy can learn through play.(10)
Social Characteristics
The bond that the young puppy forms with his mother starts to evolve in the Socialisation period. Where in the Neonatal and Transitional periods the puppy was wholly dependant on the mother for maternal care giving, the mother now starts to move away from the puppy when he tries to feed, and many also be more aggressive and dominant towards him. This would usually happen at about four or five weeks of age. ‘The care dependency relationship evolves into one of dominance-submission’.(11)
Despite this, it is during this time that the puppy also develops a more sophisticated repertoire of signals to communicate with his mother. These displays of care seeking behaviour can come in the form of tail wagging, whining, yelping, pawing, jumping up, licking his mother’s face, nose and lips, and never leaving his mother’s side.
Social interaction with littermates starts to intensify during the Socialisation period. A puppy will start to learn to communicate with his brothers and sisters through playful activity.
Communication through play teaches a puppy ‘play cues’ and invitations to play via the ‘play bow’. Puppies quickly learn how to build on their natural predatory instincts by inventing games of ‘chase’ and ‘tug’. And their in-built inquisitiveness is amplified by embarking on adventures with littermates.
‘Play affects and moulds adult social behaviour’(12), and is a good indicator of future dominance behaviour. Through play is it easy to identify which individuals will be more dominant or more submissive as adults.
It is during the final stage of the Socialisation period (from eight weeks of age) that the puppy will leave his litter and begin life with his new human family. As responsible dog owners we take over from the mother and littermates to provide a social outlet for the puppy. He relies on us to introduce him to a myriad of new sights, smells and sounds (be it the vacuum cleaner, bearded Uncle Bob, or the cat next door) to help him cope less fearfully with the outside world.
Conclusion
In the course of twelve weeks a puppy evolves from a ‘wriggling ball of fluff’ into a ‘pint-sized pooch’ with a good deal of the physical, mental and social characteristics of a full grown adult dog. That’s a lot to fit into such a small amount of time. It is these initial twelve weeks - the Neonatal, Transitional and Socialisation periods - that form the major foundation for his ongoing development and will underpin his behaviour as an adult.
Works Cited
(1) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.69 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(2) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.70 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(3) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p 2
(4) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.71 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.74-75 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.76 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(7) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.76 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(8) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p 3
(9) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.89 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(10) Puppies For Dummies, ch.14, p.209 (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
(11) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.81 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(12) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.83 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Puppy Behaviour and Training (Heath, Sarah 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
Monday, 17 September 2012
Frightening experiences
Identify three situations which might constitute a frightening experience for a puppy of 8-11 weeks old. Describe the situation, and then say what you would do to help the puppy cope and recover from the fright he received.
Introduction
Like humans, dogs come with a set of personality traits that are genetic and learned. Puppies will react to situations in a number of different ways - calmly, actively, defensively and fearfully. This essay discusses the ways that puppies can develop fearful reactions to situations, and how this fear can be overcome with appropriate handling and training.
Inherited fear
We have learnt in this study unit that during a puppy’s Socialisation period he will go through a Fear Period, which starts at around eight weeks of age and lasts for approximately three weeks until eleven weeks of age. There are, however, some puppies who also display traits of nervousness, fearfulness, timidity and lack of confidence, which are directly inherited from their mothers, and are already present in their mental makeup before the Fear Period starts. It is possible that through genetics a puppy may inherit his mother’s timidity and through the time he is with her in the litter will observe her fear and follow suit.
Inherited fear may only affect one puppy in the litter, or it can also be seen in whole litters. Inherited fear in one puppy can usually be detected between six and ten weeks of age. The puppy will display withdrawn behaviour and will be wide-eyed. In whole litters, a global fear of anything new or unusual develops between three and ten months of age.(1)
Fear recognition
Dogs display fear in a number of different ways and magnitudes depending on the situation they are in. The basic response is fight or flight. On most occasions a dog will try to flee from a fearful situation. When scared, a puppy who can do so will scurry away and may hide under a table and bark at the offending object.
Dogs will do their best to avoid a fight and will instead communicate their submission or intended aggression. Puppies who have spent their early lives in well-socialised litters will have learned how to effectively communicate aggression and submission.
Intended aggression (as a way to deal with fear) is displayed as follows:
Submission (as a way to avoid a fearful situation) is displayed as follows:
Early fear prevention
Early prevention of fear responses is puppies is tackled during the Socialisation period. A puppy needs exposure to as many new situations and objects as possible during this very important developmental period. Through intense socialisation during this period, a timid or fearful puppy can make great headway and become a different dog in a matter of days - something which is much more difficult to accomplish with a fearful adult dog.(2)
Lack of early socialisation between littermates and other dogs can cause a puppy to be fearful of unknown dogs. They do not learn all aspects of dog-to-dog communication through body language. If they are unable to perform or understand various greeting rituals, they may be viewed with suspicion by any approaching unknown dog, which may then lead to an aggressive episode. In addition, ‘pups that do not play with other pups at this stage can become excessively or abnormally attached to humans and can be fearful of other dogs...Dogs that don’t meet other dogs during the socialisation period are fearful, make poor mothers and are inhibited or over reactive when they meet other dogs.’(3)
A puppy who is fearful towards humans is likely to have had little contact with humans during his early life. Puppies that are not handled gently and often by the breeder do not develop a strong sense of smell and touch with humans. This is often the case with puppy farmed dogs and dogs born to large breeders. ‘Dogs that don’t meet people until after the socialisation period are antisocial, difficult to train and dingo like in their fight, flight and freeze behaviour.’(4)
Recovering from a frightening experience
So how can we help an 8-11 week old puppy recover from a frightening experience? As previously mentioned, it is important to introduce the puppy to as many different sights, sounds and smells as possible during the formative Socialisation period. However, it is not always possible to think of every possible situation that he might encounter, and what might be non-threatening one day, might be torturous the next. For the most part, it is important for the dog owner to react in a positive and calm manner and resist the temptation to offer comfort which will only reinforce the fear and not alleviate it.
First inoculation and subsequent visits to the vets
Puppies can develop fear related behaviour during visits to the vets surgery because unpleasant experiences occur there. A puppy will require his first inoculations at eight to ten weeks of age - unfortunately the worst time for fear imprinting. ‘Pain or fright at this age can result in a life-long fear of the veterinary clinic.’(5) It is not possible to completely avoid a negative experience at the vets, but there are ways to help desensitise puppies to these events and minimise the effects of stress on the puppy.
Firstly, a compassionate vet could use room temperature vaccines with the thinnest possible injection needle. By distracting the puppy by feeding him delicious treats and then giving the ‘jab’, the puppy will relate the experience to the tasty treat rather than the pain of the injection.
Follow up the initial experience by trying to visit the vets as many times as possible and ensure this is a positive experience for the puppy. For example, it is important to keep an eye on the puppy’s weight during it’s growth stage, so regular weight-checks at the vet with a tasty treat for being good on the scales is a positive experience.
Finally, teach the puppy not to worry about the type of handling he is likely to receive when at the surgery. Regularly look into the puppy’s eyes, ears and mouth. Feel between his toes and around his stomach and tail, when standing, sitting or lying down.
Fireworks and other loud noises
Although we can usually predict the time of year that fireworks are likely to be let off, it is virtually impossible to know when a passing car might backfire or when someone may knock over a garden spade.
During Guy Fawkes or Diwali, young puppies can become frightened by the continuous loud banging sounds. The best thing to do is nothing at all. A puppy can quickly develop a phobic reaction to the situation if the owner reassures the puppy - it can be misinterpreted by the puppy as mutual fear. By staying calm, reading a book or watching television the owner can set an example of how to react during firework season. We need to be confident and relaxed - the more we react, the more the puppy will worry.
If other sudden sounds frighten a puppy and he panics or tries to escape, control him by calmly instructing him to ‘Sit’. Reassure and praise him when he does this.
If he is frightened by a loud noise, such as a car backfiring, when out on a walk, he may associate that particular section of pavement or street with the loud noise and may refuse to walk along that path again. Don’t reinforce his fear by avoiding the area on his next walk. Instead, approach the area with confidence and when he does eventually walk along the path, praise him when he does so.
A useful way to acclimatise a puppy to potentially frightening noises is to play recordings of different noises, at gradually increasing volumes, while the puppy is playing or eating. Exposing a puppy to different noises, and creating a positive association to them, can help to reduce his sensitivity to loud noises and sounds.(6)
Children
Puppies may be fearful of, and therefore may bite children. The majority of dog bite accidents involve children who are not supervised around the family pet. For example, a child may pull a puppy’s hair or tail causing him pain during a play session. The puppy may then start to associate that child with a painful experience and may develop an aggressive attitude to that child - this is an example of ‘fear aggression’: an aggressive attitude initiated by fear.
Puppies can be fearful of children if they have not been properly socialised to them. ‘To the dog’s mind, our children are quite different to us’....’they smell different as well as being smaller’...and...’they move in a much jerkier fashion’.(7)
It is therefore vitally important during the puppy’s Socialisation period that he is introduced to as many children as possible - this includes boys and girls of all ages, as well as the sounds of children playing, screaming and laughing.
But what about the puppy who has already developed a fear of a particular child? In this situation the owner will need to slowly reintroduce the puppy to the child, ensuring that there is a reward-based outcome. It is important to do this at the puppy’s pace - don’t rush him to make contact, don’t coerce or force the puppy to approach, as this may only serve to exacerbate his fear.
Reintroduction is best achieved by having the feared child sit still on the floor, with a trail of cheese (or something else equally tasty) leading up to him. The child will also have pieces of cheese dotted on his lap. Direct him not to interact with the puppy at all. Without coercion, let the puppy approach the child. A confident approach is reinforced by the cheese. After several repeats of this (and several blocks of cheese!), the child could start holding onto the puppy’s favourite toy while the puppy approaches. Once the puppy is more confident the child could invite the puppy to play with his favourite toy.
Conclusion
A puppy can be frightened of anything in our human world. From the postman, to the vacuum cleaner - it is our responsibility to help a puppy adjust to his world outside litter by making sure he is introduced to as many people, objects, sounds and smells as possible within his very short Socialisation window. We should also understand that a puppy goes through a Fear Period at 8-11 weeks of age and that we to help him through this tough time with calm, positive guidance and avoid the temptation to comfort.
Works Cited
(1) The Dog’s Mind, ch.10, p.148-149 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(2) The Culture Clash, ch.3, p.71 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
(3) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.85 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(4) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.85 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p92 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) www.soundtherapy4pets.com/pet-therapy
(7) The Dog’s Mind, ch.8, p120 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Bibliography
How To Speak Dog (Coren, Stanley 2000)
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Puppy Behaviour and Training (Heath, Sarah 2005)
Take The Lead (Watson, Heather 1998)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Internet
www.thedoglistener.co.uk
www.soundtherapy4pets.com
Introduction
Like humans, dogs come with a set of personality traits that are genetic and learned. Puppies will react to situations in a number of different ways - calmly, actively, defensively and fearfully. This essay discusses the ways that puppies can develop fearful reactions to situations, and how this fear can be overcome with appropriate handling and training.
Inherited fear
We have learnt in this study unit that during a puppy’s Socialisation period he will go through a Fear Period, which starts at around eight weeks of age and lasts for approximately three weeks until eleven weeks of age. There are, however, some puppies who also display traits of nervousness, fearfulness, timidity and lack of confidence, which are directly inherited from their mothers, and are already present in their mental makeup before the Fear Period starts. It is possible that through genetics a puppy may inherit his mother’s timidity and through the time he is with her in the litter will observe her fear and follow suit.
Inherited fear may only affect one puppy in the litter, or it can also be seen in whole litters. Inherited fear in one puppy can usually be detected between six and ten weeks of age. The puppy will display withdrawn behaviour and will be wide-eyed. In whole litters, a global fear of anything new or unusual develops between three and ten months of age.(1)
Fear recognition
Dogs display fear in a number of different ways and magnitudes depending on the situation they are in. The basic response is fight or flight. On most occasions a dog will try to flee from a fearful situation. When scared, a puppy who can do so will scurry away and may hide under a table and bark at the offending object.
Dogs will do their best to avoid a fight and will instead communicate their submission or intended aggression. Puppies who have spent their early lives in well-socialised litters will have learned how to effectively communicate aggression and submission.
Intended aggression (as a way to deal with fear) is displayed as follows:
- Elongated mouth shape where the mouth opening is pulled backwards, causing the rear teeth to be displayed.
- Ears slicked backwards and flattened against the head.
- Eyes are slitted and not wide open.
- Hackles are raised.
- Barking and/or growling.
Submission (as a way to avoid a fearful situation) is displayed as follows:
- Tail is tucked between the back legs.
- Submissive urination.
- Lowering the body and ‘cringing’, to make it look smaller.
- Avoiding eye contact.
- Rolling on back and displaying groin area.
- Involuntary shaking.
Early fear prevention
Early prevention of fear responses is puppies is tackled during the Socialisation period. A puppy needs exposure to as many new situations and objects as possible during this very important developmental period. Through intense socialisation during this period, a timid or fearful puppy can make great headway and become a different dog in a matter of days - something which is much more difficult to accomplish with a fearful adult dog.(2)
Lack of early socialisation between littermates and other dogs can cause a puppy to be fearful of unknown dogs. They do not learn all aspects of dog-to-dog communication through body language. If they are unable to perform or understand various greeting rituals, they may be viewed with suspicion by any approaching unknown dog, which may then lead to an aggressive episode. In addition, ‘pups that do not play with other pups at this stage can become excessively or abnormally attached to humans and can be fearful of other dogs...Dogs that don’t meet other dogs during the socialisation period are fearful, make poor mothers and are inhibited or over reactive when they meet other dogs.’(3)
A puppy who is fearful towards humans is likely to have had little contact with humans during his early life. Puppies that are not handled gently and often by the breeder do not develop a strong sense of smell and touch with humans. This is often the case with puppy farmed dogs and dogs born to large breeders. ‘Dogs that don’t meet people until after the socialisation period are antisocial, difficult to train and dingo like in their fight, flight and freeze behaviour.’(4)
Recovering from a frightening experience
So how can we help an 8-11 week old puppy recover from a frightening experience? As previously mentioned, it is important to introduce the puppy to as many different sights, sounds and smells as possible during the formative Socialisation period. However, it is not always possible to think of every possible situation that he might encounter, and what might be non-threatening one day, might be torturous the next. For the most part, it is important for the dog owner to react in a positive and calm manner and resist the temptation to offer comfort which will only reinforce the fear and not alleviate it.
First inoculation and subsequent visits to the vets
Puppies can develop fear related behaviour during visits to the vets surgery because unpleasant experiences occur there. A puppy will require his first inoculations at eight to ten weeks of age - unfortunately the worst time for fear imprinting. ‘Pain or fright at this age can result in a life-long fear of the veterinary clinic.’(5) It is not possible to completely avoid a negative experience at the vets, but there are ways to help desensitise puppies to these events and minimise the effects of stress on the puppy.
Firstly, a compassionate vet could use room temperature vaccines with the thinnest possible injection needle. By distracting the puppy by feeding him delicious treats and then giving the ‘jab’, the puppy will relate the experience to the tasty treat rather than the pain of the injection.
Follow up the initial experience by trying to visit the vets as many times as possible and ensure this is a positive experience for the puppy. For example, it is important to keep an eye on the puppy’s weight during it’s growth stage, so regular weight-checks at the vet with a tasty treat for being good on the scales is a positive experience.
Finally, teach the puppy not to worry about the type of handling he is likely to receive when at the surgery. Regularly look into the puppy’s eyes, ears and mouth. Feel between his toes and around his stomach and tail, when standing, sitting or lying down.
Fireworks and other loud noises
Although we can usually predict the time of year that fireworks are likely to be let off, it is virtually impossible to know when a passing car might backfire or when someone may knock over a garden spade.
During Guy Fawkes or Diwali, young puppies can become frightened by the continuous loud banging sounds. The best thing to do is nothing at all. A puppy can quickly develop a phobic reaction to the situation if the owner reassures the puppy - it can be misinterpreted by the puppy as mutual fear. By staying calm, reading a book or watching television the owner can set an example of how to react during firework season. We need to be confident and relaxed - the more we react, the more the puppy will worry.
If other sudden sounds frighten a puppy and he panics or tries to escape, control him by calmly instructing him to ‘Sit’. Reassure and praise him when he does this.
If he is frightened by a loud noise, such as a car backfiring, when out on a walk, he may associate that particular section of pavement or street with the loud noise and may refuse to walk along that path again. Don’t reinforce his fear by avoiding the area on his next walk. Instead, approach the area with confidence and when he does eventually walk along the path, praise him when he does so.
A useful way to acclimatise a puppy to potentially frightening noises is to play recordings of different noises, at gradually increasing volumes, while the puppy is playing or eating. Exposing a puppy to different noises, and creating a positive association to them, can help to reduce his sensitivity to loud noises and sounds.(6)
Children
Puppies may be fearful of, and therefore may bite children. The majority of dog bite accidents involve children who are not supervised around the family pet. For example, a child may pull a puppy’s hair or tail causing him pain during a play session. The puppy may then start to associate that child with a painful experience and may develop an aggressive attitude to that child - this is an example of ‘fear aggression’: an aggressive attitude initiated by fear.
Puppies can be fearful of children if they have not been properly socialised to them. ‘To the dog’s mind, our children are quite different to us’....’they smell different as well as being smaller’...and...’they move in a much jerkier fashion’.(7)
It is therefore vitally important during the puppy’s Socialisation period that he is introduced to as many children as possible - this includes boys and girls of all ages, as well as the sounds of children playing, screaming and laughing.
But what about the puppy who has already developed a fear of a particular child? In this situation the owner will need to slowly reintroduce the puppy to the child, ensuring that there is a reward-based outcome. It is important to do this at the puppy’s pace - don’t rush him to make contact, don’t coerce or force the puppy to approach, as this may only serve to exacerbate his fear.
Reintroduction is best achieved by having the feared child sit still on the floor, with a trail of cheese (or something else equally tasty) leading up to him. The child will also have pieces of cheese dotted on his lap. Direct him not to interact with the puppy at all. Without coercion, let the puppy approach the child. A confident approach is reinforced by the cheese. After several repeats of this (and several blocks of cheese!), the child could start holding onto the puppy’s favourite toy while the puppy approaches. Once the puppy is more confident the child could invite the puppy to play with his favourite toy.
Conclusion
A puppy can be frightened of anything in our human world. From the postman, to the vacuum cleaner - it is our responsibility to help a puppy adjust to his world outside litter by making sure he is introduced to as many people, objects, sounds and smells as possible within his very short Socialisation window. We should also understand that a puppy goes through a Fear Period at 8-11 weeks of age and that we to help him through this tough time with calm, positive guidance and avoid the temptation to comfort.
Works Cited
(1) The Dog’s Mind, ch.10, p.148-149 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(2) The Culture Clash, ch.3, p.71 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
(3) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.85 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(4) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.85 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p92 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) www.soundtherapy4pets.com/pet-therapy
(7) The Dog’s Mind, ch.8, p120 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Bibliography
How To Speak Dog (Coren, Stanley 2000)
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Puppy Behaviour and Training (Heath, Sarah 2005)
Take The Lead (Watson, Heather 1998)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Internet
www.thedoglistener.co.uk
www.soundtherapy4pets.com
Training or behaviour problem
Think about a training or behaviour problem you have had with your own dog. Outline what the problem was, and describe what steps you took to achieve the response you wanted. Was what you did successful, or is this an ongoing problem. In light of what you have now learnt, would you tackle this problem in a different way? If so, describe what you would do now.
Background
I purchased my Curly Coated Retriever, Tabasco, when he was ten weeks old. Prior to collecting him I spent a good deal of time investigating his breed, reading books about puppy training, and understanding what equipment I would need to make sure I looked after him well. I had never owned a dog before, and I had not been brought up with one.
I also took advice from as many dog owners as possible as to the best way to train and care for Tabasco. This was perhaps my first mistake. The ‘advice’ I got ranged from terrible stories of mass kitchen and furniture destruction, to phrases like “they get used to a routine”, “they are happy to be by themselves”, “they sleep most of the day anyway” and “they are only dogs”. Hmmm. If only I knew then what I know now!
I had just finished refurbishing my home and garden, and in order to avoid possible ‘puppy damage’ to my new kitchen, I had a purpose-built dog run constructed at the end of the garden. It has a roof and a stand alone wooden kennel.
I took a week off work when I first got Tabasco, and I also made arrangements with my employer to work two afternoons per week at home. I would pop back home at lunchtime for 20 minutes on the other three days to take Tabasco for a quick walk.
I thought everything would be fine.
Problem behaviour symptoms
I perhaps should have noticed that things weren’t quite right when I had to cajole Tabasco into his run every morning before going to work. He would bark when I left, but I did as the books suggested, and ignored him. I also left chewy snacks around his run, and stuffed Kong toys in case he got bored and needed a soothing chew.
Unfortunately, the barking didn’t ease up. In fact, it got worse, and my neighbours who were home during the day politely mentioned this to me. Luckily for me I have very nice neighbours, who are not the complaining type.
Tabasco also managed to successfully tear apart his dog kennel - piece by piece, including the insulation layer - as well as parts of the wooden trellis next to his run. The plastic kennel I then bought him lasted a day.
Excessive barking and destructive behaviour - two of the classic symptoms of separation anxiety.
Fixing the symptoms, but not the cause
I attempted to cure Tabasco’s excessive barking by putting a citronella-spray bark collar on him when I left for work. I’m not entirely sure how successful this was, as the citronella canister regularly needed refilling, but my neighbours did say he had quietened down somewhat.
With regard to his kennel demolition, I sprayed the kennel with bitter apple and put aluminium strips around all the edges to deter him from getting a secure grip.
I can already see you shaking your head..... I tried to fix the symptoms of Tabasco’s separation anxiety but didn’t tackle the root cause.
Successful treatment
I decided to enlist the help of the professionals. I needed to find Tabasco a dog sitter and contacted a local lady (Maria) who was recommended to me by a friend. Maria suggested I speak to an experienced dog trainer (whom she also receives regular training sessions from) about Tabasco’s separation anxiety and any other issues we may have had.
The trainer came to my home and could see immediately that Tabasco didn’t like being outside in his run. She suggested moving him into the kitchen during the day and putting up a child gate across the kitchen door. She also recommended that I have Maria take him on a dog walk on the days that I worked all day in the office (three days a week).
The trainer did not consider that Tabasco’s separation anxiety would be difficult to conquer as she could see that he was a well-natured and obedient young dog.
By moving into the kitchen and being relaxed in his ‘own space’ Tabasco has overcome any issues he had with being alone. He is content to go to sleep in a place he is happy. Each morning he now obediently (and without any reluctance) trots into kitchen and into his bed when I leave for work.
Maria arrives at lunchtime to take Tabasco on his walk - actually it’s probably more of a mad romp in the fields with his doggy pals. She has told me that when she brings him home, he goes straight to bed, exhausted.
I’ve noticed a great change in Tabasco since moving him inside and arranging daily company for him in-between nap times. He is altogether a calmer dog, which in part can be attributed to his age (he’ll be three in April), and has settled well into his routine.
What I will do next time
If and when I get another puppy as a daily companion for Tabasco and myself, I will definitely speak to my dog trainer to get advice from her on sleeping arrangements for both dogs and how to deal with any behavioural problems that might arise, such as jealousy or aggression. I will take my advice from her directly and up-front, instead of overloading my brain with too much information, and wasting time (and money) on equipment that isn’t required or necessary.
I’ll ensure that I take two weeks off work to help the new puppy get acclimatised to my home, but more importantly, I’ll start appropriate ‘alone training’ as soon as possible, instead of ‘throwing him in the deep end’ as I did with Tabasco.
Depending on my work patterns, I’ll also start the puppy off with dog walking sessions along with Tabasco. This will help him to meet new dogs in a controlled environment and help with his early training and socialisation.
Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Puppy Behaviour and Training (Heath, Sarah 2005)
Take The Lead (Watson, Heather 1998)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Background
I purchased my Curly Coated Retriever, Tabasco, when he was ten weeks old. Prior to collecting him I spent a good deal of time investigating his breed, reading books about puppy training, and understanding what equipment I would need to make sure I looked after him well. I had never owned a dog before, and I had not been brought up with one.
I also took advice from as many dog owners as possible as to the best way to train and care for Tabasco. This was perhaps my first mistake. The ‘advice’ I got ranged from terrible stories of mass kitchen and furniture destruction, to phrases like “they get used to a routine”, “they are happy to be by themselves”, “they sleep most of the day anyway” and “they are only dogs”. Hmmm. If only I knew then what I know now!
I had just finished refurbishing my home and garden, and in order to avoid possible ‘puppy damage’ to my new kitchen, I had a purpose-built dog run constructed at the end of the garden. It has a roof and a stand alone wooden kennel.
I took a week off work when I first got Tabasco, and I also made arrangements with my employer to work two afternoons per week at home. I would pop back home at lunchtime for 20 minutes on the other three days to take Tabasco for a quick walk.
I thought everything would be fine.
Problem behaviour symptoms
I perhaps should have noticed that things weren’t quite right when I had to cajole Tabasco into his run every morning before going to work. He would bark when I left, but I did as the books suggested, and ignored him. I also left chewy snacks around his run, and stuffed Kong toys in case he got bored and needed a soothing chew.
Unfortunately, the barking didn’t ease up. In fact, it got worse, and my neighbours who were home during the day politely mentioned this to me. Luckily for me I have very nice neighbours, who are not the complaining type.
Tabasco also managed to successfully tear apart his dog kennel - piece by piece, including the insulation layer - as well as parts of the wooden trellis next to his run. The plastic kennel I then bought him lasted a day.
Excessive barking and destructive behaviour - two of the classic symptoms of separation anxiety.
Fixing the symptoms, but not the cause
I attempted to cure Tabasco’s excessive barking by putting a citronella-spray bark collar on him when I left for work. I’m not entirely sure how successful this was, as the citronella canister regularly needed refilling, but my neighbours did say he had quietened down somewhat.
With regard to his kennel demolition, I sprayed the kennel with bitter apple and put aluminium strips around all the edges to deter him from getting a secure grip.
I can already see you shaking your head..... I tried to fix the symptoms of Tabasco’s separation anxiety but didn’t tackle the root cause.
Successful treatment
I decided to enlist the help of the professionals. I needed to find Tabasco a dog sitter and contacted a local lady (Maria) who was recommended to me by a friend. Maria suggested I speak to an experienced dog trainer (whom she also receives regular training sessions from) about Tabasco’s separation anxiety and any other issues we may have had.
The trainer came to my home and could see immediately that Tabasco didn’t like being outside in his run. She suggested moving him into the kitchen during the day and putting up a child gate across the kitchen door. She also recommended that I have Maria take him on a dog walk on the days that I worked all day in the office (three days a week).
The trainer did not consider that Tabasco’s separation anxiety would be difficult to conquer as she could see that he was a well-natured and obedient young dog.
By moving into the kitchen and being relaxed in his ‘own space’ Tabasco has overcome any issues he had with being alone. He is content to go to sleep in a place he is happy. Each morning he now obediently (and without any reluctance) trots into kitchen and into his bed when I leave for work.
Maria arrives at lunchtime to take Tabasco on his walk - actually it’s probably more of a mad romp in the fields with his doggy pals. She has told me that when she brings him home, he goes straight to bed, exhausted.
I’ve noticed a great change in Tabasco since moving him inside and arranging daily company for him in-between nap times. He is altogether a calmer dog, which in part can be attributed to his age (he’ll be three in April), and has settled well into his routine.
What I will do next time
If and when I get another puppy as a daily companion for Tabasco and myself, I will definitely speak to my dog trainer to get advice from her on sleeping arrangements for both dogs and how to deal with any behavioural problems that might arise, such as jealousy or aggression. I will take my advice from her directly and up-front, instead of overloading my brain with too much information, and wasting time (and money) on equipment that isn’t required or necessary.
I’ll ensure that I take two weeks off work to help the new puppy get acclimatised to my home, but more importantly, I’ll start appropriate ‘alone training’ as soon as possible, instead of ‘throwing him in the deep end’ as I did with Tabasco.
Depending on my work patterns, I’ll also start the puppy off with dog walking sessions along with Tabasco. This will help him to meet new dogs in a controlled environment and help with his early training and socialisation.
Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Puppy Behaviour and Training (Heath, Sarah 2005)
Take The Lead (Watson, Heather 1998)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
Monday, 3 September 2012
Purchasing a new puppy
If you were about to purchase a puppy, what would you look for when you went to make your choice? What questions would you ask about the way in which the puppies had been reared? What would you be looking for in the puppy’s appearance and behaviour that would make you decide this was the one for you?
Introduction
There are many things we need to consider when purchasing a puppy - breed, size, cost for example - but it is also important to consider where we go to purchase a puppy. Puppies are available for sale from breeders, private homes and dog rescue centres. The following essay addresses each of these environments, and discusses the information you could obtain at each through discovery and observation.
Breeder
If you are purchasing a puppy from a breeder, it is important to choose a reputable breeder who shows concern for her dogs. Top breeders conscientiously raise dogs with good genetic lines and will test each parent to ensure they are free from any genetic defects. In the UK, a responsible breeder can join the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme, which lays down a series of requirements that breeders must follow, and provides a framework to encourage the breeding of healthy, well-adjusted puppies. Therefore, it is useful to enquire if your intended breeder is a member.
As well as being able to answer any questions you might have about the positives and negatives of the breed, the breeder should be available to answer any questions you might have about the puppy’s mother and father. In addition, if they are serious about the placement of their puppies, they should be asking you about your situation and ability to responsibly take care of a puppy.
Regulations
Breeders must be licensed if they are carrying out a business of breeding dogs for sale. There are a number of regulations under the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, that the breeder must adhere to which helps to ensure the welfare of both the mother and litter.(1) For example, dog breeder must:
Parents
There are many questions you can ask about the temperament and health of both parents, as well as the nutrition and care of the mother.
Is the mother calm? Is she nervous? Is she fearful of humans? Has she had previous litters and if so, how did she cope? There is evidence to suggest that a ‘very nervous bitch is likely to produce very nervous puppies, and puppies born to an aggressive bitch are in turn likely to be aggressive.(2)
Although you can take a breeder’s word for it, there is no better way of assessing the temperament of the parents than by actually meeting, touching and interacting with them yourself. A good breeder will let you see the puppy’s mother and if possible, the father. I met both my dog Tabasco’s parents before making the decision to purchase him. His father was the most laid back dog I had ever met - he had an excellent temperament and was a show champion. Tabasco’s mother was very peaceful and confident and was happy to let me practise trimming her coat. She has been successful in the show ring and in the shooting field. Tabasco has definitely inherited his father’s ‘laidbackness’ and his mother’s confidence - their ‘champion gene’ however seems to gone missing in Tabasco’s case!
It is also important to establish the health of both parents, and general nutrition and care of the mother. ‘If she is not well fed, then the puppies are likely to be smaller in size.’(3) She should also receive good exercise and warmth during her pregnancy, and avoid unnecessary exposure to x-rays, drugs and other chemicals and to ensure that she had adequate protection against parasites and disease.(4)
Large dog breeds, such as Curly Coated Retrievers, can be prone to hip dysplasia. I enquired about this with regard to Tabasco’s parents to ensure they both had hip scores that were within the recommended limits.
Health
A reputable breeder will be able to give you details about the health of the puppy. They should provide you with a vaccination record with details of the puppy’s first inoculation. They should also be able to tell you how many times he had been wormed. Additionally, the breeder should have arranged for a vet to check the puppy’s general health.
I didn’t collect Tabasco until he was 11 weeks old, and his breeder organised his second inoculation before I picked him up. Although Tabasco was given the ‘all clear’ at this initial vet check, and this was confirmed by my vet, he did develop a heart problem which was detected at his next annual vaccination. I reported this to his breeder, in case she felt it necessary to contact the owner’s of his littermates and advise them.
It it also important to enquire into what type of food the puppy has been reared on. High quality, size appropriate, puppy food should be at the top of a good breeder’s shopping list. Tabasco was given Royal Canine Maxi Junior as a puppy while he was at his breeders, and I continued to give him this brand when he came to live with me.
Socialisation
We understand the importance of early socialisation for puppies. When viewing a litter, ensure you spend time with the puppies and observe their reactions to each other as well as how they react to you. The breeder should be able to tell you how much contact the puppies have had with humans. They should also have started the puppies’ early training by introducing them to various noises, such as traffic, washing machine, tumble dryer, television, etc. Tabasco was apparently introduced to his breeder’s cats and chickens whilst with his litter.
Other information
A reliable breeder should also supply the following:
Private homes/home breeder
Puppies who are bred in someone’s home can be purebred or mixed. They are usually the mistaken product of bitches who have escaped and have mated with unknown males. However, there are some people who may want to breed purebred dogs they own as a way of generating additional income, or consider it a fun and educational thing to do with their family.
Parents
As per the case for breeders, it is necessary to find out as much as possible about the temperament, health and well-being of puppy’s parents prior to purchase. If the pregnancy was an accident, if may not be possible to know who the father is. Therefore, if the puppies are mixed breed you should ask whether the mix of breeds is known or has been speculated.
Try to find out if the parents have been tested for genetic defects known to the breed. Ask to see both parents if possible. If the father is unknown, ensure that you have an opportunity to meet the mother and ascertain her state of health and mind.
Ask the home breeder if they have ever bred dogs before. It is important they know what they are doing with regard to helping the bitch with her pregnancy, delivery and care of her puppies in a safe, clean and calm environment.
Ask how old the puppies will be when they are sold or given to a good home.
Health
The home breeder should ensure the puppies have had at least their first inoculations, and a general health check by a vet.
My brother has just purchased a Golden Retriever puppy from a home breeder. Although Sheila looked healthy when she was collected, when my brother took her to his local vets for an initial check-up, she was diagnosed as suffering from a mild skin infection which required a medicated shampoo for treatment. I wonder if the breeder had checked for this condition prior to releasing Sheila and her littermates to their new homes?
Socialisation
You will need to determine if the puppy has been sufficiently socialised while he has been at the breeder’s home. Furthermore, you should not adopt a puppy who is younger than eight weeks old, as you would be interrupting the important socialisation period the puppy has with his mother and littermates.
Dog rescue centre
It is unfortunate if a puppy starts his early life at a rescue centre. However, because puppies have great ‘bounce-back-ability’ they are more adaptable and will be easier to train than an adult rescue dog.
Be prepared to be scrutinised yourself if you intend to purchase a puppy from a rescue centre. Will you have the time to train a young puppy and make sure he grows into an even-tempered adult dog despite his bad start in life? The last thing the rescue centre would want is to see a puppy returned.
Parents
Most of the puppies found at a rescue centre are mixed breeds, and it is usually impossible to know anything about the breed of the parents and their temperament, etc. Try to find out as much information on the history of the puppies as possible from the rescue centre staff.
Health
You can rest assured that any rescue centre will do the best they can for any puppies in their care. This will include all required inoculations, worming treatment and health checks. The staff at a dog rescue centre all have one thing in common: they all love dogs. Only 100% healthy puppies will be released to new owners.
Socialisation
Staff will also ensure that the puppies are sufficiently socialised with humans and other dogs while at the rescue centre. They will also endeavour to start early puppy obedience training, including toilet training.
Puppy temperament testing
So how can we make an informed decision about which puppy to take home? After we have as much information as possible about their parents, their health and well-being and the amount of social interaction they have received, how else can we determine their temperament and be sure they are the puppy for us?
Of course it is important to view a litter (preferably when they are awake and active), to spend time with the puppies and observe their reactions to each other as well as how they react to you. However, as far as puppy temperament tests are concerned to reliably predict the future adult temperament of a puppy, both Bruce Fogel and Jean Donaldson are of the opinion that the jury is firmly ‘out’.
Puppy temperament tests are carried out on puppies of about eight weeks of age - out of sight and sound of the mother, littermates, other dogs and distractions. Each puppy is tested individually and the test usually comprises of the following components - social attraction, following, restraint, social dominance, elevation dominance. Bruce Fogel notes in his book ‘The Dog’s Mind’ that temperament tests on several hundred dogs which identified dominant or submissive behaviours did not ‘reliably predict later tendencies toward dominance or submissiveness.’(5) In ‘The Culture Clash’, Jean Donaldson states that ‘there is no compelling data yet correlating results from existing puppy temperament tests with measurable adult behaviour.’(6)
The evidence would suggest that puppies that grow up in a clean, healthy, well socialised and calm environment all have an equal chance to grow into well-balanced adult dogs. However, the initial levels of dominance, aggression, submissiveness or confidence seen in an individual puppy can vary with the onset of adolescence and adulthood.
Conclusion
So whether we buy our new puppy from a breeder, a private home or a rescue centre, it is important we find out as much as possible about his parents, his health and well-being, and the amount of socialisation he has had in his first ten weeks of life. We need to be mindful that his behaviour as a puppy may not mirror his behaviour as an adult. And whether he grows up into a lounge lizard or a mad ball-chaser, we accept him into our lives (as he has us), warts and all.
Works Cited
(1) The Kennel Club Handbook, p20 (The Kennel Club, 2007)
(2) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p1
(3) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p1
(4) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.70-71 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.94 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) The Culture Clash, ch.3, p.72 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Take The Lead (Watson, Heather 1998)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
The Kennel Club Handbook (The Kennel Club, 2007)
Introduction
There are many things we need to consider when purchasing a puppy - breed, size, cost for example - but it is also important to consider where we go to purchase a puppy. Puppies are available for sale from breeders, private homes and dog rescue centres. The following essay addresses each of these environments, and discusses the information you could obtain at each through discovery and observation.
Breeder
If you are purchasing a puppy from a breeder, it is important to choose a reputable breeder who shows concern for her dogs. Top breeders conscientiously raise dogs with good genetic lines and will test each parent to ensure they are free from any genetic defects. In the UK, a responsible breeder can join the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme, which lays down a series of requirements that breeders must follow, and provides a framework to encourage the breeding of healthy, well-adjusted puppies. Therefore, it is useful to enquire if your intended breeder is a member.
As well as being able to answer any questions you might have about the positives and negatives of the breed, the breeder should be available to answer any questions you might have about the puppy’s mother and father. In addition, if they are serious about the placement of their puppies, they should be asking you about your situation and ability to responsibly take care of a puppy.
Regulations
Breeders must be licensed if they are carrying out a business of breeding dogs for sale. There are a number of regulations under the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, that the breeder must adhere to which helps to ensure the welfare of both the mother and litter.(1) For example, dog breeder must:
- Not mate a bitch less than 12 months old
- Not whelp two litters within a 12 month period from the same bitch
- Keep accurate records
- Not sell a puppy until it is at least eight weeks of age
Parents
There are many questions you can ask about the temperament and health of both parents, as well as the nutrition and care of the mother.
Is the mother calm? Is she nervous? Is she fearful of humans? Has she had previous litters and if so, how did she cope? There is evidence to suggest that a ‘very nervous bitch is likely to produce very nervous puppies, and puppies born to an aggressive bitch are in turn likely to be aggressive.(2)
Although you can take a breeder’s word for it, there is no better way of assessing the temperament of the parents than by actually meeting, touching and interacting with them yourself. A good breeder will let you see the puppy’s mother and if possible, the father. I met both my dog Tabasco’s parents before making the decision to purchase him. His father was the most laid back dog I had ever met - he had an excellent temperament and was a show champion. Tabasco’s mother was very peaceful and confident and was happy to let me practise trimming her coat. She has been successful in the show ring and in the shooting field. Tabasco has definitely inherited his father’s ‘laidbackness’ and his mother’s confidence - their ‘champion gene’ however seems to gone missing in Tabasco’s case!
It is also important to establish the health of both parents, and general nutrition and care of the mother. ‘If she is not well fed, then the puppies are likely to be smaller in size.’(3) She should also receive good exercise and warmth during her pregnancy, and avoid unnecessary exposure to x-rays, drugs and other chemicals and to ensure that she had adequate protection against parasites and disease.(4)
Large dog breeds, such as Curly Coated Retrievers, can be prone to hip dysplasia. I enquired about this with regard to Tabasco’s parents to ensure they both had hip scores that were within the recommended limits.
Health
A reputable breeder will be able to give you details about the health of the puppy. They should provide you with a vaccination record with details of the puppy’s first inoculation. They should also be able to tell you how many times he had been wormed. Additionally, the breeder should have arranged for a vet to check the puppy’s general health.
I didn’t collect Tabasco until he was 11 weeks old, and his breeder organised his second inoculation before I picked him up. Although Tabasco was given the ‘all clear’ at this initial vet check, and this was confirmed by my vet, he did develop a heart problem which was detected at his next annual vaccination. I reported this to his breeder, in case she felt it necessary to contact the owner’s of his littermates and advise them.
It it also important to enquire into what type of food the puppy has been reared on. High quality, size appropriate, puppy food should be at the top of a good breeder’s shopping list. Tabasco was given Royal Canine Maxi Junior as a puppy while he was at his breeders, and I continued to give him this brand when he came to live with me.
Socialisation
We understand the importance of early socialisation for puppies. When viewing a litter, ensure you spend time with the puppies and observe their reactions to each other as well as how they react to you. The breeder should be able to tell you how much contact the puppies have had with humans. They should also have started the puppies’ early training by introducing them to various noises, such as traffic, washing machine, tumble dryer, television, etc. Tabasco was apparently introduced to his breeder’s cats and chickens whilst with his litter.
Other information
A reliable breeder should also supply the following:
- Kennel Club registration
- Microchip details
- Your puppy’s pedigree
- Contract of Sale
- Information pack/puppy guide
Private homes/home breeder
Puppies who are bred in someone’s home can be purebred or mixed. They are usually the mistaken product of bitches who have escaped and have mated with unknown males. However, there are some people who may want to breed purebred dogs they own as a way of generating additional income, or consider it a fun and educational thing to do with their family.
Parents
As per the case for breeders, it is necessary to find out as much as possible about the temperament, health and well-being of puppy’s parents prior to purchase. If the pregnancy was an accident, if may not be possible to know who the father is. Therefore, if the puppies are mixed breed you should ask whether the mix of breeds is known or has been speculated.
Try to find out if the parents have been tested for genetic defects known to the breed. Ask to see both parents if possible. If the father is unknown, ensure that you have an opportunity to meet the mother and ascertain her state of health and mind.
Ask the home breeder if they have ever bred dogs before. It is important they know what they are doing with regard to helping the bitch with her pregnancy, delivery and care of her puppies in a safe, clean and calm environment.
Ask how old the puppies will be when they are sold or given to a good home.
Health
The home breeder should ensure the puppies have had at least their first inoculations, and a general health check by a vet.
My brother has just purchased a Golden Retriever puppy from a home breeder. Although Sheila looked healthy when she was collected, when my brother took her to his local vets for an initial check-up, she was diagnosed as suffering from a mild skin infection which required a medicated shampoo for treatment. I wonder if the breeder had checked for this condition prior to releasing Sheila and her littermates to their new homes?
Socialisation
You will need to determine if the puppy has been sufficiently socialised while he has been at the breeder’s home. Furthermore, you should not adopt a puppy who is younger than eight weeks old, as you would be interrupting the important socialisation period the puppy has with his mother and littermates.
Dog rescue centre
It is unfortunate if a puppy starts his early life at a rescue centre. However, because puppies have great ‘bounce-back-ability’ they are more adaptable and will be easier to train than an adult rescue dog.
Be prepared to be scrutinised yourself if you intend to purchase a puppy from a rescue centre. Will you have the time to train a young puppy and make sure he grows into an even-tempered adult dog despite his bad start in life? The last thing the rescue centre would want is to see a puppy returned.
Parents
Most of the puppies found at a rescue centre are mixed breeds, and it is usually impossible to know anything about the breed of the parents and their temperament, etc. Try to find out as much information on the history of the puppies as possible from the rescue centre staff.
Health
You can rest assured that any rescue centre will do the best they can for any puppies in their care. This will include all required inoculations, worming treatment and health checks. The staff at a dog rescue centre all have one thing in common: they all love dogs. Only 100% healthy puppies will be released to new owners.
Socialisation
Staff will also ensure that the puppies are sufficiently socialised with humans and other dogs while at the rescue centre. They will also endeavour to start early puppy obedience training, including toilet training.
Puppy temperament testing
So how can we make an informed decision about which puppy to take home? After we have as much information as possible about their parents, their health and well-being and the amount of social interaction they have received, how else can we determine their temperament and be sure they are the puppy for us?
Of course it is important to view a litter (preferably when they are awake and active), to spend time with the puppies and observe their reactions to each other as well as how they react to you. However, as far as puppy temperament tests are concerned to reliably predict the future adult temperament of a puppy, both Bruce Fogel and Jean Donaldson are of the opinion that the jury is firmly ‘out’.
Puppy temperament tests are carried out on puppies of about eight weeks of age - out of sight and sound of the mother, littermates, other dogs and distractions. Each puppy is tested individually and the test usually comprises of the following components - social attraction, following, restraint, social dominance, elevation dominance. Bruce Fogel notes in his book ‘The Dog’s Mind’ that temperament tests on several hundred dogs which identified dominant or submissive behaviours did not ‘reliably predict later tendencies toward dominance or submissiveness.’(5) In ‘The Culture Clash’, Jean Donaldson states that ‘there is no compelling data yet correlating results from existing puppy temperament tests with measurable adult behaviour.’(6)
The evidence would suggest that puppies that grow up in a clean, healthy, well socialised and calm environment all have an equal chance to grow into well-balanced adult dogs. However, the initial levels of dominance, aggression, submissiveness or confidence seen in an individual puppy can vary with the onset of adolescence and adulthood.
Conclusion
So whether we buy our new puppy from a breeder, a private home or a rescue centre, it is important we find out as much as possible about his parents, his health and well-being, and the amount of socialisation he has had in his first ten weeks of life. We need to be mindful that his behaviour as a puppy may not mirror his behaviour as an adult. And whether he grows up into a lounge lizard or a mad ball-chaser, we accept him into our lives (as he has us), warts and all.
Works Cited
(1) The Kennel Club Handbook, p20 (The Kennel Club, 2007)
(2) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p1
(3) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p1
(4) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.70-71 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.94 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) The Culture Clash, ch.3, p.72 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Take The Lead (Watson, Heather 1998)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
The Kennel Club Handbook (The Kennel Club, 2007)
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