Growing up-dog

Aren't puppies amazing?  They are adorable, never met one that wasn't.  But puppies are a lot of work and as much as we love them; we often want them to grow up.  We long for a day when we no longer need to worry about our home or possessions any longer due to them being chewed up by the puppies that we love.  How long does it take to grow up?  When are they considered an adult and no longer a puppy anymore?  Every dog is an individual; so how long it takes to mature can vary drastically from one to another. 

My opinion on age of maturation is around 2 years.  Some will be less, while others may be much older before they mature.  I am speaking about behavior maturation, not physical; which is different for dogs as well but a topic for another blog.  Typically around the 18 month mark you can start to see some different behaviors.  Things like not so much patience with unruly puppies.  All of a sudden your puppy doesn't seem like such a puppy anymore; they are growing up. 

Many people call their dog to be a puppy for many years.  This is often the case due to excuses for bad behavior.  I see it often, the puppy card is played when their dog exhibits some undesirable behavior.  But we cannot play that card for long as they will grow up and become an adult that will be expected to behave accordingly.  There is a big difference between a puppy and a youthful adult.  Each stage of a canines life comes with it's own behavior expectation.  Using the puppy card when your dog is not a puppy is just failing to address an issue. 

They may bark more, seeming to become a bit territorial.  New behaviors can pop up like defiance; pushing or testing the waters as they mature.  Your puppy is becoming the dog that they are going to be.  That takes a lot of work and depending on their life experience to that point will factor on the final product.  But once they hit that age of maturity; it doesn't mean that they are done.  Life happens and they will continue to change; like us as they get older and live through new experiences. 

A big shift from puppy to adult can be seen in the student become teacher scenario.  Your puppy, the young and immature will learn from older dogs; but that soon changes as they hit the age of maturity.  All of a sudden they become the teacher who will guide and discipline the younger.  This can be a time of firsts; when you hear "he's never done that before" from owners.  Some dogs change a great deal from puppy to adult.  There are very few dogs who keep their puppy ways about them; the not a care in the world attitude of a puppy.  Our dogs rely on us to show them the way; the direction to take as they immerge into adulthood. 

We are all aging, even that adorable little puppy that you just brought home.  The one that you want to grow up right now; but once they do, you wish that they were still a puppy.  We are all going in the same direction; although our dogs get there faster than we do.  There is so much to pack into the puppy stage; so much to teach to those little sponge heads.  In a blink of an eye your little puppy will be a fully mature dog.  Are you ready? 

When to start the training?

      I took this photo years ago.  An irresistibly adorable Havanese puppy in need of an education. 


"When should I start?" the woman asks me with an adorable bundle in her arms.  We started up a conversation while standing in line at the store.  She'd had her puppy for 4 weeks and he was a cutie for sure; what puppy isn't right?  She had gotten her puppy at the age of 12 weeks so that meant that he was now 16 weeks and she was just thinking about looking into training.  "Now, right away," was my response to her question.  Right now. 

Looking back at the beginning of my life with dogs; I cannot believe the change from then and now.  Back then there was no positive reinforcement training, no clickers, no treat training.  It was all done with extensive use of the yank and choke'm method of training.  Thankfully there is less of that now but with the fame of a television dog trainer; force training has reared it's ugly head once again.  It is sad when I see people following his guidance and even sadder to see evolution in dog training taking a step backwards.

Many people are just now venturing into the waters of life with dogs.  It is a good time to be coming in; at least there are choices where there were none before.  Of course maybe twenty years from now choke collar training will be a thing of the past and no one will consider throwing a chain around a dog's neck to educate them.   We can only hope.

Okay, back to when, when do you start all of this education?  Immediately, as soon as you get that little bundle in your hands, start.   I have taught 6 week old puppies to sit and down within a matter of minutes.  Those little brains are working on overtime at a very young age.  The longer you wait the harder it is to get started.  Learning to learn is the first step and when it is done very young; you set the ground work for a great learning future for your dog.  Teaching an adult dog who has never been taught anything can be a challenge.  Asking a dog to oblige you and perform some sort of task that is trained but completely out of the ordinary can raise flags.  This means a dog that has been taught but is never asked to do anything. 

During a photo shoot I will often ask if a dog can sit or stay.  As you all know I do not like posed images but sometimes I just need a dog to hover in a particular spot.  I don't want them to smile at the camera but just hold still for a moment.  I know the answer immediately by the owners hesitant response if that is doable or not.  Often I will forgo any sort of manipulation due to the dog's lack of education.  Asking a dog to do something that they are not familiar with or don't normally do can cause stress.  Stress does not make for good images.  The dog may have been taught how to sit or lay down but it is never, ever used so when we pull it out of nowhere, they grow suspicious. 

Educate your dog as soon as they join the family.  Now, right now.  The old school train of thought was to wait until 6 months.  I cannot even believe that 6 months use to be the age.  The reason behind that 6 months starting age was the puppy's ability to withstand neck yanks.  Just imagine.  I can't even, honestly.  It makes me shudder to think about it.  Puppies can learn pretty much as soon as they can walk; and when you are not using any physical force to teach, why not start then?

I often ask 7 week old puppies to do a sit for me during temperament testing. I like to see what sort of focus they have and their level of food motivation.  It always makes me smile when they plop that tiny rear on the ground within a split second.  Little smarties they are.   If you have a new puppy, get started.  Do not wait for bad behaviors to start.  It is much easier to teach good manners rather than try to undo bad ones and then teach the good. 

When you are looking for a dog trainer, go positive.  Any mention of a choke or prong collar, make a quick exit.  They may have lots of experience but negative experience in my mind means that they are stuck in the dark ages; no evolution going on there.   

Happy Anniversary - Elsa.

 

This was taken just moments ago as I blog.  How lucky am I? 

It is Elsa and our 2nd Anniversary; the Anniversary of when we she joined our family that is. Two years ago today my husband and I gathered our things and headed to LAX for a very special delivery.  With a knot in my stomach, I checked my watch again.  We didn't want to be late for our package.  I have to admit I was a bit flustered; I was very nervous about the flight and could not wait until she was in my arms.  With my toe tapping, the drive seemed to be never ending.  Of course as things go, we got turned around; ending up somewhere that was not where we were to be.  My anxiety level grew as we turned around and found our way to our correct destination.   As we pulled into the parking lot of a huge building set away from the airport; I opened the door before we were in park.  I remember thinking "all will be good when she is in my arms." 

Walking (more like running) into the building I went straight to the front desk.  "I have a package" I blurted out, "a puppy."  The woman checked over my paper work, and got on her radio.  Our package was on it's way and she asked me to wait; she would call me when it arrived.  Again, my toe tapped out of control.  This was no regular puppy delivery; no, this was my puppy delivery.  A puppy that I had waited for, for a very long time.  One that had been specially chosen to join our family; the family that already had three much loved canine members.   Two who were well into their senior years at 14 and 15 years of age.  Luke was the baby at the time but things were about to change. 

The woman behind the desk called me to complete the paper work.  She smiled and said "she's adorable."   "What?" I said, "you've seen her?"  The woman nodded her head and said "she's letting everyone know what she thinks, quite the confident little thing."  The woman asked about her color; she'd never seen such a beautiful blonde.  Funny, I had always called Luke my blonde beach boy.  Within minutes of completing my final signature she motioned for us to head around to the side door. 

We walked into a gigantic warehouse and stepped up to the "do not pass this line," mark.   Our puppy was in this warehouse somewhere?  I was a little taken back; I'd never picked a puppy up from a flight so I had no idea that they were delivered here.  A moment later a skid loader rounded the corner with a tiny crate on top of a skid on the front.  "Is this a joke," I thought.  They put this tiny puppy on a skid that was hoisted to us by a loader?  Honestly.  No matter, there she was and as I stepped out to grab the small crate off; I could see her, there she was.  After all the time waiting, worrying and wondering; there she was. 

I was close to tears when she finally came off the skid.  So much anticipation had finally ended with her arrival.  Elsa came to us the day after our wedding anniversary; so we celebrate two anniversaries together now.  Yesterday marked 29 years married for my husband and I.  Today we have spent two years with our amazing girl.  I remember that first day like it was yesterday.  From the moment she entered our home, met her three new canine family members and all the human ones too she made herself quite at home.  She was a very confident little thing; there was no mistaking her body language.  She clearly stated as she ran out into our yard "stand back;  I, Elsa, have arrived."  From that very special day; our life changed drastically.  Elsa has seen much in her two years with us; she has had a great deal of adventure already.  What a beautiful and wonderful adult she has grown into and I cannot wait to experience our future together.  To our amazing girl, Elsa. 

Its got to stop

Today I wanted to discuss some serious business. I've been talking to alot of rescue groups lately and its really getting to me. Everyone has their own opinion to the solution of over population and dumped dogs. Certainly there are many different factors that have a part in it all but to me the biggest factor in so many dogs being dumped are the Pet stores and puppy mills. Spaying and neutering does indeed help but when you have talked to so many people and had a really long look at the big picture it is pretty clear.

I deal with many dog people everyday and the dogs that are simply dumped or brought to rescues or shelters are often linked to puppy mills. Pet stores that sell puppies should be outlawed plain and simple. These stores rely on the awwww factor and hope that their clients have not thought it through. Obviously they want you to buy one of their puppies and you cannot even return them if you change your mind, oh no pet stores have a one way door.

Pet stores are set up for the impulse buyer. I even know people who work for rescue groups who are appauled by puppy mills and pet stores that sell puppies and they themselves buckled under the pressure. You go in just to look and maybe to sway some prospective owners and before you know it your sucked into a pair of the deepest, brownest eyes you've ever seen. But this is only helping the millers to keep pumping out those poor little helpless and innocent animals.

The fact is that good, reputible and ethical breeders do not sell their puppies to pet stores and if you try to convince yourself that they do, you are only fooling yourself. I have had this conversation so many times, "how do you know they aren't from a good breeder?" Because no ethical, reputible breeder who spends hundreds of dollars ensuring that their breeding dogs are fit and healthy and have the puppies vet checked, temperament tested and give written guarantees with their babies are going to hand them over to Joe pet store owner not knowing where or who they would end up with, wouldn't happen.

The people who are supplying pet stores with puppies are doing it to fill their pockets. These people have quickly discovered that the less you put out in feed and medical costs the more for your pocket. The puppies from these horrendous places are often taken away from their mother way too soon leaving them with serious issues. I see serious behavior, temperament and health problems repeatedly in pet store dogs and feel heart sick for families who fall in love with their dog only to loose it to a fatal disease.

It just has to end but how are we going to end this all. Not all millers work from Pet stores, the internet is a huge tool for them now as well. You see the photos of the puppies set up around flowers and pretty blankets all in a row. Which one do you want? Just pick one and its yours.

What you don't see are the parents left in the tiny cages full of filth and sadness, the dogs who are underfed, sick and lonely. No, if you saw those dogs you probably wouldn't buy a puppy would you? The solution starts with us, the people who go into the stores and buy the puppies. If you know a store sells kittens or puppies don't go there, give your business to the stores who have taken a stand against selling puppies.

One small step from you can cause a chain reaction. I will never go in a store that sells puppies, for one I won't give them my business and two its heartbreaking to me. I'm just fed up, dogs deserve our fight for this to end.