SOCIALIZATION IS NOT JUST FOR PUPPIES:
One of the things we continually remind our students about is how important early socialization is for puppies.
The early weeks—from approximately 8 to 16-20 weeks - are critical for the mental welfare of puppies, and may directly affect their behavior as adults. Socialization should include careful exposure to many friendly people, dogs, places, weather, all kinds of inanimate objects, kids, noises, different kinds of surfaces, and being handled and groomed.
While it’s wonderful that many people seem to understand that early socialization is vitally significant for their puppy, there are those that latch onto the word “early,” thinking it also means “only.”
One of the issues we notice is that many people think that that they’ve done their job with the socialization process once the puppy is 16 weeks old. They mistakenly believe that they can stop all training and continued experiences, and from that point on their dog is then kept at home, and rarely exposed to anything new. That’s when we get the call that “all of a sudden” their dog became aggressive or fearful or shy.
The truth is that dogs benefit greatly from socialization starting at the standard eight weeks of age and extending to at least two years of age.
Our dogs must learn to accept many things that they’ll encounter in their life. A brief (albeit incomplete) list would be:
· People of all sizes doing completely inappropriate things to them (petting them on the head, pulling their tails, poking them in the eyes, running around and screaming, staring at them)
· Visiting the vet and the groomer
· Living amongst fluffy prey objects (cats, ferrets, hamsters, guinea pigs, stuffed animals, etc.)
· Living with scary things in the environment such as laptop computers, balloons, gravel, telephones and doorbells ringing, pots and pans clanging, plastic flamingos (!), drainpipes, hanging plants and ceiling fans
· Loud car/truck noises, thunder, fireworks, leaf blowers
· Bicycles, skateboards, roller blades
· Fireworks, gun shots , sirens and much much more.
Dogs go through many different “fear periods” throughout their early lives. Some dogs seem to breeze through them with hardly a ripple and with others it appears that “the sky is falling.” These fears can become a real issue, as the available information shows that euthanasia for behavior problems is on the rise.
“Fear periods” are defined as the time when your young dog is suddenly afraid of people, objects or places that he used to be comfortable with. Some dogs will manifest that fear into shyness, and some into more active “go away” behaviors such as growling or lunging. The time frame listed below is approximate, but you’ll be able to recognize those times just by being cognizant of your own dog’s change of behavior.
• Between 7-9 weeks of age
• Anywhere from 4-6 months
• Again at around 12 months
• At approximately 14 to 18 months and with some dogs can even be as late as 2 years
With that in mind, you can see that working your dog through his first or even second fear period isn’t enough to get him comfortable for life for the myriad of things he’ll need to accept. Unfortunately, this is the time that many people stop socializing their dog. It’s also important to know that when your dog is going through a fear period, how you handle it will set the stage for his behavior for the rest of his life.
If you punish him for the more active “aggressive looking” behaviors, he’ll think that he was correct in thinking that the object, person or dog was scary, and will continue to display those behaviors. If you coddle and console him for shy behaviors, you’re actually reinforcing him for being afraid and those behaviors will increase.
The best thing you can do for your pup during these times is to go places and see people and dogs he is familiar and still comfortable with, and hold off on the new experiences for about a week. In the past you may have heard the advice of “socialize puppies even more during a fear period”, but the problem with that is during these times, your dog is more vulnerable and increased socialization may very well backfire and create more issues in the future. After a week or so, you can resume his normal, socialization-filled life.
All of our classes, from puppy to off leash are designed to help you and your dog successfully navigate all of the fear periods in their life. We can help you make sure that their experiences – even the challenging ones – don’t result in permanent behavior issues.
My final bit of advice is to keep on eye on your young dog for “weird” behaviors, and recognize that the reason may be that he’s going through a fear period. As for socialization, err on the side of caution. My recommendation to puppy/dog owners is the exact same system that I use with my own dogs: continue to socialize way past the “early” stages and well into adulthood.
Events and Happenings In July:
SUMMER FAST TRACK PROGRAM (We’ll never tell!)
Our popular Fast Track program allows you to drop your dogs off at the school for a day of playing and learning. When you pick up your (tired and trained) dog, we’ll also send you an email telling you what we worked on, and include the lesson sheets that go along with it. Then when you’re at class, we’ll make sure that you’re doing what you need to do to keep the progress moving along.
So while you’re down the shore, at the pool, or in the city, your dog can be playing and learning with us.
During the month of July, we’ve helped so many students get their dogs closer to where they wanted them to be in terms of manners, socialization and obedience! The program is so popular that we’re almost completely booked for the month of August. If you’re interested, please email Stacey [email protected]. Once all of the FastTrack spots for August are booked, we’ll start a waiting list and open up reservations for the fall.
Here’s what students are saying about the program:
“We can’t believe the difference that we see in our puppy! The training that she’s getting from you makes life at home and the class that we take much easier to navigate!” – L.M Wyckoff
“My family was over for a bbq last weekend and asked who our ‘new’ dog was! Thank you for helping us help him make great strides in his training. It’s amazing how much quicker the training is going just by adding FT to our regular classes. Thank you thank you thank you!” – K.W. Ridgewood
“As you know, with 4 children and a spouse that is always travelling, making time to train our dog was limited at best. We managed to come once a week for class, but being able to train during the week was challenging. Your FT program has changed our lives by getting a lot of the training done for us. Plus we know that he’s having fun paying with his friends while he’s with you.” - R.N. Ramsey
“Our neighbors just signed up for classes and FT training with you because they couldn’t believe the difference in our dog in just one week! Thank you!” - M.L. Saddle River
“My husband thinks I’m the best dog trainer – let’s just keep this between us.” – F.J. River Vale
To sign up (spots are limited), please email Stacey at [email protected]. And don’t worry; your secret is safe with us.
BE COLLAR WISE!
If you haven’t already, PLEASE make sure that your dog has a buckle or quick release fabric collar embroidered with the word REWARD and your cell phone number on it. Bonus points if you order one that’s reflective. Orvis (amongst other companies) offers both types:
http://www.orvis.com/p/reflective-collar/3y83
http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=9X3Y&dir_id=1633&group_id=1930&cat_id=5743&subcat_id=7018&adv=127748&cm_mmc=plas-_-Dogs-_-9X3Y-_-127748&kpid=9X3Y-42-60
WE’RE CLOSED LABOR DAY WEEKEND
We’re closed Saturday August 30th through Monday, September 1st. Classes will resume as usual on Tuesday September 2ndth. During that time, if you have any questions or emergencies, please email Kathy or Stacey and we’ll get back to asap.
COME PLAY WITH US!
Every Monday at 6pm Dog Playgroup
If you’ve never been to one before, this is our healthy alternative to a dog park. Our playgroups are structured, narrated and educational. We divide the groups into small dogs + puppies and large dogs so everyone is playing in their proper “weight class”.
Here’s a few great reasons to join us:
◦ Much like active children, dogs thrive on fun and games.
◦ Dogs learn appropriate behavior by playing (correctly) with other dogs.
◦ Play reduces stress and curbs the potential for unacceptable behaviors ranging from anxiety (barking, chewing, digging) to aggression (growling, territorial protectiveness, biting).
◦ Structured exercises enhance mental capacity.
◦ Socializing reinforces good behavior. If your dog is unsure in social situations, he can slowly gain confidence in our structured and chaperoned environment.
Sign up is limited and is open to students in our school only. PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL EKIN [email protected] to reserve your spot. Cost is $25.00
Upcoming Seminars:
BODY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP: August 14th 8pm
Think of it as “Interpreting The Native Language Of Your Dog”. For humans to effectively communicate, we’ve devised an immense vocabulary, but dogs are limited by their body parts. Because of this, the dog must re use “words” and depend on context and combination to form his “sentence”. Understanding what your dog is saying is extremely important to prevent bites, fights, and miscommunications between dogs and humans and dogs and dogs. People only, please. RSVP to Ekin at [email protected]
OFF LEASH WORKSHOPS (Indoor & Outdoor): Make this the summer when you finally have a dog with an off leash recall!
During the month of July, we’ve had more than a dozen dogs graduate to “off leash status” with the help of these workshops!
Email Kathy or Stacey to learn more about our off leash training and to find out whether you’re ready to start.
DOG SHOW HANDLING CLASS WITH STACEY COMING SOON! Email her at [email protected] for time and date.
FIELD TRIPS WITH STACEY Email her at [email protected] for time and location.
THERAPY DOG WORKSHOP
Please email Stacey at [email protected] for more details.
RALLY OBEDIENCE
We now have many of our students competing in Rally. Hooray! We have the following classes to help you succeed:
THURSDAY 7PM RALLY/AKC NOVICE LEVEL CLASS WITH KATHY
Having trained many of her own (and her student’s!) dogs to AKC’s Obedience Trial Champion (OTCh) titles, this class will teach you how to get any type of obedience title on your dog. If you’re not a currently in this class, please email Kathy at [email protected] for availability.
FRIDAY NIGHT RALLY RUN THRUS WITH JERRIE:
AUGUST 1st and 15th
Jerrie will be holding Rally Run Thru’s on select Friday nights. As someone who’s achieved many rally titles on her dogs, Jerrie knows how to set up a course that will build the handler and dog’s confidence as well as test their abilities.
In recent weeks, MANY of our students have competed in Rally trials and have come home with lots of ribbons! We’re so proud of them all, and remember the first day that they came to our school, just wanting a dog that would “listen to them.” Now they’re competing in Rally and earning titles with their dogs! Congratulations to all of them.
Depending on the weather, the class could be held at the school, or at an outdoor location. Cost is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to a local rescue group. Please call or email Jerrie: [email protected] for more information.
SUNDAY RALLY SIGNS CLASS WITH STACEY
A current Rally exhibitor herself, Stacey will help you understand and correctly perform the various Rally obedience signs. THIS CLASS IS FOR DOGS WITH BASIC OBEDIENCE SKILLS AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH RALLY SIGNS. Email her at [email protected] for dates and times of this class.
One of the things we continually remind our students about is how important early socialization is for puppies.
The early weeks—from approximately 8 to 16-20 weeks - are critical for the mental welfare of puppies, and may directly affect their behavior as adults. Socialization should include careful exposure to many friendly people, dogs, places, weather, all kinds of inanimate objects, kids, noises, different kinds of surfaces, and being handled and groomed.
While it’s wonderful that many people seem to understand that early socialization is vitally significant for their puppy, there are those that latch onto the word “early,” thinking it also means “only.”
One of the issues we notice is that many people think that that they’ve done their job with the socialization process once the puppy is 16 weeks old. They mistakenly believe that they can stop all training and continued experiences, and from that point on their dog is then kept at home, and rarely exposed to anything new. That’s when we get the call that “all of a sudden” their dog became aggressive or fearful or shy.
The truth is that dogs benefit greatly from socialization starting at the standard eight weeks of age and extending to at least two years of age.
Our dogs must learn to accept many things that they’ll encounter in their life. A brief (albeit incomplete) list would be:
· People of all sizes doing completely inappropriate things to them (petting them on the head, pulling their tails, poking them in the eyes, running around and screaming, staring at them)
· Visiting the vet and the groomer
· Living amongst fluffy prey objects (cats, ferrets, hamsters, guinea pigs, stuffed animals, etc.)
· Living with scary things in the environment such as laptop computers, balloons, gravel, telephones and doorbells ringing, pots and pans clanging, plastic flamingos (!), drainpipes, hanging plants and ceiling fans
· Loud car/truck noises, thunder, fireworks, leaf blowers
· Bicycles, skateboards, roller blades
· Fireworks, gun shots , sirens and much much more.
Dogs go through many different “fear periods” throughout their early lives. Some dogs seem to breeze through them with hardly a ripple and with others it appears that “the sky is falling.” These fears can become a real issue, as the available information shows that euthanasia for behavior problems is on the rise.
“Fear periods” are defined as the time when your young dog is suddenly afraid of people, objects or places that he used to be comfortable with. Some dogs will manifest that fear into shyness, and some into more active “go away” behaviors such as growling or lunging. The time frame listed below is approximate, but you’ll be able to recognize those times just by being cognizant of your own dog’s change of behavior.
• Between 7-9 weeks of age
• Anywhere from 4-6 months
• Again at around 12 months
• At approximately 14 to 18 months and with some dogs can even be as late as 2 years
With that in mind, you can see that working your dog through his first or even second fear period isn’t enough to get him comfortable for life for the myriad of things he’ll need to accept. Unfortunately, this is the time that many people stop socializing their dog. It’s also important to know that when your dog is going through a fear period, how you handle it will set the stage for his behavior for the rest of his life.
If you punish him for the more active “aggressive looking” behaviors, he’ll think that he was correct in thinking that the object, person or dog was scary, and will continue to display those behaviors. If you coddle and console him for shy behaviors, you’re actually reinforcing him for being afraid and those behaviors will increase.
The best thing you can do for your pup during these times is to go places and see people and dogs he is familiar and still comfortable with, and hold off on the new experiences for about a week. In the past you may have heard the advice of “socialize puppies even more during a fear period”, but the problem with that is during these times, your dog is more vulnerable and increased socialization may very well backfire and create more issues in the future. After a week or so, you can resume his normal, socialization-filled life.
All of our classes, from puppy to off leash are designed to help you and your dog successfully navigate all of the fear periods in their life. We can help you make sure that their experiences – even the challenging ones – don’t result in permanent behavior issues.
My final bit of advice is to keep on eye on your young dog for “weird” behaviors, and recognize that the reason may be that he’s going through a fear period. As for socialization, err on the side of caution. My recommendation to puppy/dog owners is the exact same system that I use with my own dogs: continue to socialize way past the “early” stages and well into adulthood.
Events and Happenings In July:
SUMMER FAST TRACK PROGRAM (We’ll never tell!)
Our popular Fast Track program allows you to drop your dogs off at the school for a day of playing and learning. When you pick up your (tired and trained) dog, we’ll also send you an email telling you what we worked on, and include the lesson sheets that go along with it. Then when you’re at class, we’ll make sure that you’re doing what you need to do to keep the progress moving along.
So while you’re down the shore, at the pool, or in the city, your dog can be playing and learning with us.
During the month of July, we’ve helped so many students get their dogs closer to where they wanted them to be in terms of manners, socialization and obedience! The program is so popular that we’re almost completely booked for the month of August. If you’re interested, please email Stacey [email protected]. Once all of the FastTrack spots for August are booked, we’ll start a waiting list and open up reservations for the fall.
Here’s what students are saying about the program:
“We can’t believe the difference that we see in our puppy! The training that she’s getting from you makes life at home and the class that we take much easier to navigate!” – L.M Wyckoff
“My family was over for a bbq last weekend and asked who our ‘new’ dog was! Thank you for helping us help him make great strides in his training. It’s amazing how much quicker the training is going just by adding FT to our regular classes. Thank you thank you thank you!” – K.W. Ridgewood
“As you know, with 4 children and a spouse that is always travelling, making time to train our dog was limited at best. We managed to come once a week for class, but being able to train during the week was challenging. Your FT program has changed our lives by getting a lot of the training done for us. Plus we know that he’s having fun paying with his friends while he’s with you.” - R.N. Ramsey
“Our neighbors just signed up for classes and FT training with you because they couldn’t believe the difference in our dog in just one week! Thank you!” - M.L. Saddle River
“My husband thinks I’m the best dog trainer – let’s just keep this between us.” – F.J. River Vale
To sign up (spots are limited), please email Stacey at [email protected]. And don’t worry; your secret is safe with us.
BE COLLAR WISE!
If you haven’t already, PLEASE make sure that your dog has a buckle or quick release fabric collar embroidered with the word REWARD and your cell phone number on it. Bonus points if you order one that’s reflective. Orvis (amongst other companies) offers both types:
http://www.orvis.com/p/reflective-collar/3y83
http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=9X3Y&dir_id=1633&group_id=1930&cat_id=5743&subcat_id=7018&adv=127748&cm_mmc=plas-_-Dogs-_-9X3Y-_-127748&kpid=9X3Y-42-60
WE’RE CLOSED LABOR DAY WEEKEND
We’re closed Saturday August 30th through Monday, September 1st. Classes will resume as usual on Tuesday September 2ndth. During that time, if you have any questions or emergencies, please email Kathy or Stacey and we’ll get back to asap.
COME PLAY WITH US!
Every Monday at 6pm Dog Playgroup
If you’ve never been to one before, this is our healthy alternative to a dog park. Our playgroups are structured, narrated and educational. We divide the groups into small dogs + puppies and large dogs so everyone is playing in their proper “weight class”.
Here’s a few great reasons to join us:
◦ Much like active children, dogs thrive on fun and games.
◦ Dogs learn appropriate behavior by playing (correctly) with other dogs.
◦ Play reduces stress and curbs the potential for unacceptable behaviors ranging from anxiety (barking, chewing, digging) to aggression (growling, territorial protectiveness, biting).
◦ Structured exercises enhance mental capacity.
◦ Socializing reinforces good behavior. If your dog is unsure in social situations, he can slowly gain confidence in our structured and chaperoned environment.
Sign up is limited and is open to students in our school only. PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL EKIN [email protected] to reserve your spot. Cost is $25.00
Upcoming Seminars:
BODY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP: August 14th 8pm
Think of it as “Interpreting The Native Language Of Your Dog”. For humans to effectively communicate, we’ve devised an immense vocabulary, but dogs are limited by their body parts. Because of this, the dog must re use “words” and depend on context and combination to form his “sentence”. Understanding what your dog is saying is extremely important to prevent bites, fights, and miscommunications between dogs and humans and dogs and dogs. People only, please. RSVP to Ekin at [email protected]
OFF LEASH WORKSHOPS (Indoor & Outdoor): Make this the summer when you finally have a dog with an off leash recall!
During the month of July, we’ve had more than a dozen dogs graduate to “off leash status” with the help of these workshops!
Email Kathy or Stacey to learn more about our off leash training and to find out whether you’re ready to start.
DOG SHOW HANDLING CLASS WITH STACEY COMING SOON! Email her at [email protected] for time and date.
FIELD TRIPS WITH STACEY Email her at [email protected] for time and location.
THERAPY DOG WORKSHOP
Please email Stacey at [email protected] for more details.
RALLY OBEDIENCE
We now have many of our students competing in Rally. Hooray! We have the following classes to help you succeed:
THURSDAY 7PM RALLY/AKC NOVICE LEVEL CLASS WITH KATHY
Having trained many of her own (and her student’s!) dogs to AKC’s Obedience Trial Champion (OTCh) titles, this class will teach you how to get any type of obedience title on your dog. If you’re not a currently in this class, please email Kathy at [email protected] for availability.
FRIDAY NIGHT RALLY RUN THRUS WITH JERRIE:
AUGUST 1st and 15th
Jerrie will be holding Rally Run Thru’s on select Friday nights. As someone who’s achieved many rally titles on her dogs, Jerrie knows how to set up a course that will build the handler and dog’s confidence as well as test their abilities.
In recent weeks, MANY of our students have competed in Rally trials and have come home with lots of ribbons! We’re so proud of them all, and remember the first day that they came to our school, just wanting a dog that would “listen to them.” Now they’re competing in Rally and earning titles with their dogs! Congratulations to all of them.
Depending on the weather, the class could be held at the school, or at an outdoor location. Cost is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to a local rescue group. Please call or email Jerrie: [email protected] for more information.
SUNDAY RALLY SIGNS CLASS WITH STACEY
A current Rally exhibitor herself, Stacey will help you understand and correctly perform the various Rally obedience signs. THIS CLASS IS FOR DOGS WITH BASIC OBEDIENCE SKILLS AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH RALLY SIGNS. Email her at [email protected] for dates and times of this class.