One of the first things you need to do in house training is choose where you want your dog to eliminate. There are three basic options for your dog’s toilet: outside on grass or concrete, inside on a doggy toilet, or both inside and outside. Having an adult dog who is trained to go inside on a doggy toilet in addition to outdoors can be very convenient and is often the choice for owners of small dogs.
House training Puppies versus Adult Dogs
The only difference between house training a puppy and house training an adult dog is time. Pups generally take a little longer because of their limited bladder and bowel muscle control. Consequently, puppies need to go more frequently and therefore require more diligent time management and more frequent trips to their doggy toilet (at least once every hour or two for very young pups under 10 weeks of age).
Indoor Potty Training
If you have a young puppy and you can’t be home to take him out as frequently as necessary during the day, then use a temporary indoor toilet. A very young puppy needs to go to the bathroom so often (just like a human baby) that it is inconvenient for most people to have to take him out often enough (especially if you live in a high-rise apartment). If your schedule permits, however, you can avoid using an indoor toilet simply by taking the pup outside as frequently as you think he needs to go.
Paper or Pad Training
If you choose to use papers or specially designed pads to train your pup, cover the entire floor of his long-term confinement area with paper or pads so that he can’t make a mistake by going off of it. Don’t assume that your pup will know to target a small area of paper or pad. Even if he does so at first, this doesn’t necessarily indicate that it will remain a strong habit. It is best to set up your pup for success by covering the whole floor for at least a few days until you are confident that he has developed a strong preference for eliminating on your chosen surface. Every few days, remove a sheet or two until you are down to a small covered area. If he misses the paper or pad, then you have taken up too much too fast, and you should go back and cover more of the floor. Obviously, you will want to replace the paper or pads several times a day, so stock up!
Set Up Your Dog for Success
Your top priority when house training your dog is to do all you can to set him up to be successful. Every opportunity you give him to make a mistake sets him up to fail. So use a little tough love and be diligent about the wise use of all the management tools so that he has the best chance of being house trained as fast as possible.
A Smooth Transition from Indoors to Outdoors
Ideally, it is a good idea to have an indoor doggy toilet that has the same surface as the one he will eventually use outside. Most people try to house train young pup- pies by teaching them to go on paper or pads and then outside on grass or concrete. But switching surfaces (from paper or pads to grass or concrete) when the dog is 3 to 4 months old means that house training is a two-step process: first teaching the dog to go on one surface inside and then on another surface outside. If you intend for your adult dog to have an outdoor toilet, bring a little bit of the great outdoors into your home. Get a roll of grass sod or a thin slab of concrete and place it in a large plastic litter box or a motor oil drip pan. If you choose to use grass turf or concrete in a litter pan, simply confine your pup to an area that is small enough that the pan takes up most of the area (aside from his bed). This arrangement may sound a little strange, but it will make house-training all the easier. You will need to replace the grass or concrete at least once a week. Unless you want your dog to be litter-box trained in the future, you will use this indoor doggy toilet only until the puppy is old enough to control his bladder and bowel movements for longer periods in his crate.
If you must use a temporary indoor toilet in a long-term confinement area, be sure to use every opportunity (evenings and weekends) to get your pup to learn to hold it in his short-term area so that you can take him to the right spot outside to eliminate. This way, you are helping your pup strengthen his bladder and bowel muscles, and you can make an easier transition to getting him to go outside quickly, consistently, and permanently in the future.
A roll of turf is a marvelous innovation for a temporary indoor doggy toilet. It will speed up house training like you won’t believe.
Quick Tips for House training
Give your dog every opportunity he needs to eliminate in the place you have chosen as his toilet.
Praise and reward him lavishly when he goes on his doggy toilet.
Give him zero opportunity to eliminate anywhere other than his designated doggy toilet.
Outdoor Potty Training
Teaching your dog to eliminate outdoors may require some patience if you expect him to eliminate on an unfamiliar surface such as concrete. This is especially true if you live in a city and your puppy or dog is not yet familiar with the sights, sounds, and smells, which can be overwhelming for some dogs.
When you take your dog to his outdoor doggy toilet, start by teaching him this new behavior at times when you are most sure he needs to eliminate. The best time is usually first thing in the morning.
Don’t make the mistake of trying to walk your dog around the block to get him to go. Usually, this prolongs the process because your dog will get distracted, and some dogs who like to walk learn to hold it because they learn that the walk ends the moment they go. Instead, teach your dog to go to the bathroom right when you take him outside to a designated spot. Then the walk can be a reward for prompt elimination. On a cold and rainy night, you will be glad that you taught your dog to go quickly!
Walk back and forth in one area that’s about 10 feet long, and wait about five minutes for him to go. If your dog doesn’t go within five minutes, go back inside, keeping your dog on leash and on your lap (if possible). This is especially important with a puppy, whose bladder control is not yet very good, because you want to prevent a mistake. Sit down and read or watch television for ten to fifteen minutes before going back out to try again. This process usually takes no more than two or three attempts. Once your dog is rewarded with tasty, tiny treats and praise, he will start to understand what is expected when you head outside. Your dog is likely to go more and more promptly each time he is rewarded for doing so.
Perfect Aim
If you don’t want your dog to use the whole yard as a toilet, you can train him to relieve himself in a specific area. Dogs are very particular about where they eliminate, so it is easy to teach a dog to go in a specific spot. Use posts and/or string to create a boundary. Take your dog on leash to this spot and reward him with a special treat for going there. In no time, he’ll head straight for his special spot as you go out the door.
If your adult dog is soiling in the house, the first thing to do is visit your veterinarian to make sure that the problem is not caused by a medical condition. If the vet says that everything is A-OK, then there are just a few steps to getting your dog back on the right house training track. When you can’t supervise him, be sure to confine him to a long-term or short-term confinement area. When you can super- vise him, have him near you on leash (and with a food-stuffed chew toy) so that you can prevent mistakes. When you take him outside and he relieves himself, give him three tiny, tasty treats for going in the right spot. In no time flat, you’ll have a dog who hasn’t been allowed to practice going in the wrong place and who sees the value in going in the right place.
House training is as easy as 1, 2, 3. (1) Confine your dog to prevent mistakes and (2) to predict when he needs to go so that you can (3) take your dog to the right place and re- ward him handsomely!
Keep Your Cool
Accidents will happen no matter how diligent you are. Whatever you do, don’t get angry at your dog. If your dog makes a mistake in the house, yelling at him or otherwise punishing him will serve only to teach him two things: that you aren’t so nice after all, and that you don’t like to see him go to the bathroom. Your dog will think, “Obviously, my owner has some weird urination issues and wants me to do it in private.” As a result, he will learn that the safest time to eliminate is when you aren’t around, and you will find that he is highly unlikely to go when you are at the other end of the leash. Instead, he will find hidden spots, like behind the couch.
Remember, if your dog makes a mistake in the house, it tells you that he isn’t house trained after all. Either you failed to put him in the right place when he need- ed to go or you neglected to confine him when you couldn’t watch him.
After being yelled at for going in the house, this dog is thinking that his owner has some hang-ups about urination.
As a result, he has learned not to go when the neurotic one is watching.
And so he is forced to hide to eliminate.
If You Catch Him in the Act
If your dog eliminates in front of you in the house, quickly say “outside.” Then scoop him up (if possible) and take him to his doggy toilet. Praise and reward him with a tasty little treat when he goes out there. Perhaps most important, let this incident serve as a reminder that you need to be more diligent about preventing mistakes.
If your dog urinates when he greets you or others or when you yell at him, he is trying to appease you by saying in the way some dogs do, “Please don’t hurt me; I’m submissive.” Submissive urination is most frequently seen in dogs who lack confidence due to inadequate socialization and in dogs who have been subjected to physical or verbal corrections.
Immediately discontinue using any sort of verbal and physical punishments; they will only make matters worse. Your dog is urinating as an appeasement gesture. If you respond with a correction, your dog is likely to get even more nervous and urinate more. In addition, you will further damage your relationship with your dog.
The solution is to set your dog up to be successful when he greets people so that he isn’t so worried. For a couple of days, toss a small handful of tiny treats on the ground when you approach your dog. This way, he’ll be focused on the treats (and not on being concerned about you), and he’ll start to associate your approach with great things (tasty treats). If he urinates on the first greeting, simply ignore him. Leave, come back, and greet him again. It is unlikely that he will urinate on the second or subsequent greetings, so you may further reward him for dry greetings by dropping more tiny treats on the floor.
After a few days, offer the treat from your hand. Then use the treats to teach your dog to sit to greet by waiting for him to do so, marking the behavior with a click or “yes,” and offering the treat. You can also lure your dog to sit by holding a treat over his head as you approach. Refrain from saying “sit,” because he doesn’t yet know what is expected, and saying “sit” will not necessarily get him to do so. Commanding him to sit may also cause him worry, which could cause him to urinate. Repeat these silent greetings many times over the course of a few days.
After a few more days have passed, you can approach and calmly ask your dog to sit as you expect him to (since he has practiced this behavior for days) or use the food to lure him to do so. At this point, it is likely that he has come to view your approach, your hand movements, and now your request to sit as signals that he is about to get something great from you. In this state of mind, he is unlikely to urinate.
Don’t yell at or hit your dog if he makes a mistake in the house; it will only make matters worse. Instead, reprimand yourself!
Work on socializing a submissive dog to lots of people so that he gets a boost in self-confidence. You might consider taking him to a dog-training class or dog park, where he is sure to meet lots of dog-friendly people, or invite some friends over. (See Chapter 4 for more on socialization.)
House training Mistakes to Be Spiteful?
If you think your dog has made a house training mistake to be spiteful (maybe you think he is upset with you for leaving him all day?), think again. As wonderfully gifted as dogs can be (consider guide dogs for the blind and bomb-detection dogs), a dog is not capable of thinking of holding and then specifically placing his urine or feces as a way of punishing you. It is more likely that a house training mistake was made because the dog:
Was not truly house trained to begin with
Was not feeling well
Has been punished for elimination and so waited to go until you (the big, bad punisher) were not there to punish him
Was stressed (maybe due to you leaving), which caused him to have to relieve himself
Remember, the wise use of supervision and confinement when you can’t supervise your dog enables you to:
Make sure that your dog is never in the wrong place at the right time. This ensures that your dog doesn’t make any mistakes, because each mistake sets the precedent for more to follow.
2. Make sure that your dog is in the right place at the right time when he needs to go to the bathroom.
3. Predict when your dog needs to go so that you can take your dog to his doggy toilet at the appropriate time and reward him for going. This is the real secret of successful house training.
I can’t think of a more important quality in a pet dog than to be friendly to people, especially to children. Consequently, there are no more pressing items on your dog’s training agenda than socialization and habituation. Socialization and habituation make your dog fit to be a great companion. Well-socialized dogs develop confidence and do not become overly dependent on their owners. They are better equipped to calmly handle a variety of situations around people or when left at home alone. Because friendly dogs are a pleasure to be around, owners enjoy spending time playing with and training them. In turn, the dogs are much less like- ly to chew, bark excessively, or soil in the house. Obviously, a well-socialized dog has no need to hide or bite. And well-socialized dogs are certainly more likely to live longer, happier, healthier, and more enriched lives.
Socialization is the process that makes your dog friendly with animals and, even more important, with people. Sure, it would be a severe inconvenience if your dog were unfriendly to other dogs, especially if you must walk your dog on the street and pass other dogs every day. But it would be a more pressing and constant worry if your dog were unfriendly to people, and it would be a disaster if your dog were not friendly to family members.
The Benefits of Good Social Skills
A well socialized dog is a friend to all, and she’ll be a welcome guest. Yes, you want your dog to be a party animal! Most behavior problems, including aggression, fear, house-soiling, not coming when called, separation anxiety, chewing, and barking, stem from poor socialization.
First, you should socialize the dog to your family, but this step alone is not sufficient, no matter what size your dog. Many owners of super-friendly family dogs experience a rude awakening when the dog snaps at a visiting child, a stranger in the dog park, or the veterinarian. It’s great that the dog likes Mom, Dad, the two kids, and a couple of family friends, since these are the people your dog will spend most of her time with. But socialization means teaching your dog to be friendly and accepting of all people you introduce to her, especially unfamiliar children and men, as these two groups of people are the most likely to be bitten by a dog. It is not sufficient to teach your dog just to get along with her usual social circle. There is always the chance that an unfamiliar child or veterinary technician will handle your dog, and you want her to be prepared for the encounter.
Take your dog on frequent trips down the socialization roadway.
Habituation is the process of familiarizing your dog with stimuli (sights, sounds, smells, and experiences) so that she becomes comfortable with them. The more stimuli your dog is comfortable with, the less likely she is to suffer from fear or anxiety and to develop related behavior problems. Be aware that socialization and habituation are ongoing processes. Your dog must continue to meet unfamiliar people and animals and be exposed to new sights, sounds, smells, and experiences throughout her life if you wish for her to continue to be a friendly dog.
Although you can obedience-train a dog at any age, a sound temperament is some- thing that should be nurtured and improved upon early in life. If you delay this process, you can still socialize your adolescent or adult dog, but it will be much more time-consuming, and you could be playing catch-up for years to come.
Watchdogs Are Friendly, Too!
Some people resist socializing their dogs to strangers because they want their dogs to be protective. Your dog’s innate ability to choose between friend and foe might be pretty accurate, but eventually she may make a mistake. It’s much smarter to socialize your dog first so that she is confident and secure in the company of all people. Then, if you choose, train your dog to bark or growl on cue as a protective ruse.
The concept of early socialization and puppy training was rediscovered and popularized by dogs’ best friend, English veterinarian and behaviorist Dr. Ian Dunbar. No other training innovation has had such a dramatic influence on the lives of pet dogs and their owners around the world than this one. Early socialization is the best way to create your perfect companion and to avoid behavior and temperament problems.
Certainly, puppy-training concepts are not new. In fact, they’re so old that they’re new again! Both dog and horse texts from the 1800’s talk about early training and gentling procedures, but many of these concepts were lost to the world of dog and horse trainers for the greater part of the twentieth century. However, the word has spread, and puppy socialization and training are at the forefront of modern dog lovers’ agendas. In fact, you can find puppy playgroups, puppy-training classes, and adult dog socialization groups in just about every town and city. Thanks to Dr. Dunbar and others like him, the socialization revolution has been very successful!
A Puppy’s Development
An understanding of the developmental stages a puppy goes through in the first few months of her life is valuable whether you are working with a young pup or an adult dog. In either case, it’s important to consider that these early weeks are the foundation for her behavior for a lifetime.
Birth to 21 days:
During this period, the puppy has an extremely limited mental capacity and reacts only to her needs for warmth, food, and sleep. At the end of this period, the pup’s eyes begin to open, and as a result the pup begins to respond to movement and sounds.
21st to 28th day:
During this time, the puppy’s brain and nervous system begin to develop rapidly. At this stage, the pup has a greater sense of awareness and is strongly affected by conditions and experiences.
5th to 7th week:
At this stage, the puppy is likely to begin to explore her surroundings and develop a greater social awareness of both her litter-mates and any people she is exposed to (especially in regard to recognizing voices). A social order within the litter starts to establish itself; it is most obvious at feeding times, when some pups fight confidently for food (the pups begin biting), while others wait passively. The pups’ mother begins weaning them and teaching them basic manners, especially in regard to taking food gently from her. If they are too rough, she will get up to walk away.
8th to 12th week:
The pup’s ability to learn is at full capacity by this point. It is crucial to take advantage of this period so that you can make the most of your pup’s ability to learn so much in such a short time. Your pup’s bladder and bowel muscles are starting to develop, and some pups at this age can sleep through the night.
13th to 16th week:
During this period, the puppy is likely to begin asserting her- self and displaying greater independence, much like a toddler. It is especially important to control resources (food, toys, attention, and the environment) so that they are useful as tools to teach your pup to behave politely, especially in regard to curbing nipping. During this period, the puppy is likely to begin asserting her- self and displaying greater independence, much like a toddler. It is especially important to control resources (food, toys, attention, and the environment) so that they are useful as tools to teach your pup to behave politely, especially in regard to curbing nipping.
17th to 24th week:
At this stage, the puppy is much like a 13-year-old child. The pup is likely to demonstrate greater independence and may seem to be challenging you every step of the way. She is coping with the pain of teething as well as the hormonal changes that result from moving toward sexual maturity.
25th to 72nd week:
During this period of young adulthood, the pup is likely to be full of energy and exuberance. It is crucial that you continue to help her focus that energy in positive ways and improve her understanding of how you want her to behave so that she can mature into the dog of your dreams!
Getting Used to Sounds
It is vital to expose very young pups to a variety of noises, especially during the first few weeks of life, as their ears are opening. This exposure enables developing pups to become accustomed to loud and potentially scary noises in a gradual fashion. Getting accustomed to many different sounds is a key ingredient in creating a dog who gets to experience and enjoy lots of social situations throughout her life.
When familiarizing a puppy with various sounds, perhaps the most important precaution you can take is to ensure that the puppy has been raised indoors — not in a barn, not in a kennel, but inside a home, which is where you will want her to be with you for her whole life. Ideally, she will be situated in an area where she has exposure to the comings and goings of the household. This precaution is especially important with sound-sensitive breeds, such as guarding breeds. If you have done your homework and have chosen a pup who has been raised inside a home or in a shelter that provides an enriching environment, then you know she is already off to a good start on her journey down the socialization highway! But don’t fret if you are adopting a puppy or an adult dog and don’t know her background. Simply do your best to expose her to a host of normal, everyday noises in her new home. So no tiptoeing around this little girl. Turn up the radio, open the windows, and start vacuuming!
Turn on the TV to help your pup get used to lots of noises, and you might find that you have the same favorite shows!
Habituation Checklist: Getting Used to Sounds
✓ Children playing (shouting and screaming, but not poking, prodding, or other- wise manhandling the pup)
✓ Doorbells
✓ Hair dryers
✓ Lawn mowers
✓ People knocking at the door
✓ People yelling
✓ Radio
✓ Storms
✓ Television
✓ Traffic (motorcycles, street-sweeping trucks)
✓ Vacuum cleaner
Getting Used to Surfaces
Some dogs are very sensitive to particular surfaces and will do all they can to avoid walking across them. You can prevent such issues by gradually exposing your pup to various surfaces right away. Praise, food, and toys can be useful motivators and rewards when teaching your dog to be comfortable on varied surfaces.
Habituation Checklist: Getting Used to Surfaces
✓ Ceramic tile
✓ Grass
✓ Gravel
✓ Ice
✓ Mud
✓ Stairs
✓ Wood flooring
✓ Other slippery surfaces
Make Your Dog a Social Climber
Climbing the social ladder can be tough for people, but you can have a whole lot of fun helping your dog climb her social ladder. Let her experience as many things as possible in a rewarding setting so that she becomes a confident and well-adjusted member of your family. The earlier you start, the better. By 16 weeks, your puppy’s view of the world and her place in it has already become well established, but it is never too late for your dog to become better equipped socially.
Getting to Know People
To keep up with her developmental timetable, your puppy needs to be well on her way in regard to socialization with people by the time she is 4 months old. As a general rule, your pup needs to have met at least fifty different people in a positive setting. Fifty people by 4 months old? Actually, it’s easy. All you have to do is invite people to your home and have a few puppy parties!
Some people have told me that this is an unrealistic demand to make of a new puppy owner. But again, nothing is more important for a pet dog than to be well socialized and friendly. And there is no better time to lay the foundation than in early puppy hood. Investing time and energy in this process early on will save you a whole lot of time and energy (and probably grief) later on. Anyway, socializing your puppy is fun! Put the word out to your friends that they can come and play with your new dog, and chances are you’ll have to throw a few little parties a week to accommodate them all! If you can find a puppy class in your area, all the better.
Helping Your Pup Gain Confidence
If your puppy or dog shows signs of stress when exposed to something, let her gain confidence gradually in well-planned training sessions. Be prepared with plenty of high-level reinforcers (your dog’s favorite treats and toys), which you can offer while she is at a safe distance from the thing she is scared of and gradually make closer contact. Don’t try to force the situation or accidentally encourage the fearful reaction by saying something like “Poor puppy!” This well intentioned attention is likely to make the problem worse.
Puppy Parties
If you want a dog who is friendly with people and other animals, you must begin socializing in puppy hood and maintain socialization throughout the dog’s life. There is no better way to introduce your dog to numerous people in pleasant and rewarding settings than to host puppy parties in your home or at a local training school or veterinary practice.
Initially, invite close family and friends, and teach them all to use tiny bits of food (you can use your dog’s normal meals or special treats) to teach your dog to come, sit, and lie down. Not only will your friends train your dog for you, but your dog also will learn to love people. Be sure to invite women and men, as well as children, a few at a time.
Puppy parties are the best way to improve your dog’s social life — and yours, too!
Once the puppy is thoroughly at ease with all sorts of people, it’s time for a little frivolity. Have costume parties where everybody wears a hat, carries something unusual, and adopts silly mannerisms. This might sound a little ridiculous, but it’s for a serious reason. Basically, after a series of puppy parties like these, little in the real world will really scare your dog. For example, if a child who has dressed up for Halloween as a frog hops by your dog and taps her on the head with a wand, your pup will think, “Been there, done that!” and wag her tail happily.
If it is unrealistic for you to host a puppy party in your home, all you have to do is contact a local trainer or veterinarian, who may already host their own weekly puppy parties. If not, suggest that they do!
Get your dog used to the strange things people do, too, like staring and man handling. Sadly, not everyone is respectful of a dog’s limits, and it’s likely that at some point someone will touch your dog a little more roughly than is appropriate. So get your dog used to this now when she is a puppy. In fact, if you do things right, you will have a dog who not only tolerates, but enjoys just about any sort of handling!
Start by having family members hand-feed while they stare at and touch the pup. Touch her very gently at first. Gradually, increase the force of your handling. At the same time, you might want to increase the value of the rewards. Work up to being able to be only as rough as a typical child might be if left unsupervised. Not that any young child should be left unsupervised with a dog, but if it happens by accident, you want a dog who is as prepared as possible. After practicing for a week or so, invite a friend over and have her hand-feed your dog while she gently touch- es the dog and you handle the dog a little more roughly. Eventually, you should have a dog who is comfortable with just about anyone handling her in just about any way (within reason, of course).
Don’t Keep Your Puppy a Secret!
Remember, your puppy needs to meet fifty people before she is 4 months old. Make a point to invite your neighbors and their children over to meet your puppy. Neighborhood children are less likely to taunt or be afraid of a dog they get to know as a puppy. And when your dog is old enough to go outside, walk her on a different route at least once a day so she meets lots of unfamiliar people.
Socialization Checklist: Getting to Know People
✓ Family
✓ Friends
✓ Visitors (strangers)
✓ Children
✓ Elderly people
✓ Joggers
✓ Mail carriers and delivery people
✓ People carrying things (baseball bats, bags, umbrellas) ✓ People in costumes
✓ People in the park
✓ People in the street
✓ People in uniform
✓ People in wheelchairs
✓ People of different ethnicities
✓ People on bicycles, skateboards, and inline skates
✓ People wearing hats
✓ People wearing sunglasses
✓ People who move quickly
✓ People who move slowly
✓ People with facial hair
✓ People using canes and walkers
Getting to Know Animals
Some socialization to animals will have to wait until the pup is old enough to go to a puppy-training class. Because the pup may have been in virtual social isolation (at least to dogs) since coming into your home, socializing your puppy to other appropriate dogs now becomes a major priority. Once you have enrolled her in puppy class, your pup will have lots of opportunities to meet other pups. Remember, although it’s important, it’s not sufficient that your dog becomes friendly with just a small circle of canine friends. She must learn how to greet unfamiliar dogs as well.
Playing with another dog can be great exercise for your dog, both mentally and physically. Set up doggy play dates with friends and people from dog-training class. You can also use this time to practice having your dog greet people nicely by sitting.
When socializing with other dogs, it’s important to choose playmates carefully and monitor their interactions closely. Initially, let your dog play with pups of a similar age; then you can plan interactions with adult dogs who have good social skills and temperaments. While some dog parks can be a great experience for some dogs, they are generally not recommended as a starting point for socialization, as they can be overwhelming due to the constant influx of new dogs.
Cats and dogs can become the best of friends. But it helps to introduce them when the dog is a youngster. If you want to socialize your puppy to the resident cat, you have already done the right thing by starting early. It is generally much easier and safer for an adult cat and a young puppy to work things out than an adult dog and a young kitten. Have your pup on leash and give her a food-stuffed toy so that she is prevented from developing a habit of chasing the cat and instead learns to hang out calmly and play with her toys while the cat is in the room.
Depending on where you live, you may or may not want to socialize your dog to horses and livestock and to teach her not to chase or otherwise harass livestock or wild animals. Simply keep her on leash to prevent problems, and teach her to pay attention to you when you ask her to sit, lie down, and come when called (even around other animals). This training is covered in Chapter 7.
Socialization Checklist: Getting to Know Animals
✓ Dogs of all ages
✓ Cats
✓ Birds
✓ Pocket pets (hamsters, rabbits, rats)
✓ Horses
✓ Livestock
Getting to Know Places
You don’t want an adult dog whose fun and freedom are limited because she feels uncomfortable in strange places. So make it a point to take your young puppy or new adult dog anywhere and everywhere with you. Without a doubt, the single most effective and enjoyable socialization procedure is walking (or carrying) your pup on different routes on a regular basis. There is simply no other activity that will prepare your pup for her life ahead in the same way.
Puppy Class
Again, one of the most important places to take your pup is to puppy class. This is perhaps one of the most exciting things you can do with your young pup. You both will learn a lot and have the time of your life. For many owners, puppy school moments are some of the most cherished memories of spending time with their young dogs, as they are the foundation of learning how to communicate and bond with their canine companions. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunities. Anyway, you wouldn’t want to neglect your puppy’s education, would you?
Puppy class is the best night out for you and your dog!
In puppy class, your pup will have ample opportunities to socialize with a variety of dogs and their owners. Apart from the fun aspect, the off-leash play sessions in puppy classes are essential for your puppy to learn bite inhibition and develop a soft mouth (see Chapter 5 for more on teaching your pup not to bite). Puppy class also provides a convenient opportunity for you to ask for professional advice on any pressing or potential puppy problems. To find a puppy class in your area, call the Association of Pet Dog Trainers at 800-PET-DOGS or go to www.apdt.com.
Socialization Checklist: Getting to Know Places
✓ Beaches
✓ Cars
✓ Crowded areas
✓ Dog-friendly shops
✓ Dog-training school
✓ Elevators and escalators
✓ Friends’ homes
✓ Frequent walks
✓ Gas stations
✓ Grooming salon
✓ Parks
✓ Pet stores
✓ Public transport
✓ Veterinarian
The Social Small Dog
One of the many benefits of having a very small dog is how easy it is to get her from place to place by carrying her rather than having her walk by your side. But be sure your small dog has adequate social experiences in a position other than in your arms. If you don’t, she may learn to be comfortable with things when in your arms but not when on the ground, since dogs are very specific learners.
Being overly protective can cause Small Dog Syndrome. Help your small dog gain lifelong confidence by giving her a chance to encounter new experiences and challenges.
If you’re bringing a new adult dog into your home, your major concern is to check out how well socialized the dog is and to strengthen any weak spots.
For example, if you find that this dog is a bit uncomfortable with men in hats, then you must make a concerted effort to help your new dog learn to love men wearing hats. Invite one or two friends at a time to meet your new dog. Ask them to bring hats, but not to wear them. Have your dog on leash and ask everyone to take a seat. Have one friend (without his hat on) hand-feed the dog her dinner. When your dog is comfortable, have your friend place the hat on the floor or his lap and feed the dog. Then ask him to casually put on the hat and feed the dog. Make an effort to invite over as many of your male friends as possible, one or two at a time, to follow this procedure. Pretty soon your dog will be searching out men wearing hats because she will have learned that they are a generous bunch.
Socializing an Adult Dog from a Shelter
Few things are more rewarding than giving a loving home to an adult dog from a shelter. However, keep in mind that, as with puppies, you might experience a couple of weeks of a honeymoon. As your dog becomes more comfortable in her new home, her true personality will shine through. Be especially careful to take things slowly so as not to push your dog too far too fast in regard to exposure to potentially new and frightening experiences.
Socializing a dog is so easy and so much fun that a lot of people fail to take it seriously. However, without adequate socialization and habituation, your dog may face situations she is not prepared to deal with. When a dog isn’t comfortable, she is likely to react in one of two ways: by fighting or by running away. This is called the fight or flight instinct. As a result, she may develop three of the most serious and hard to resolve problems: biting, fighting, and barking.
Make sure you socialize your dog to people and teach her how to greet visitors properly.
Socialization is ongoing for the rest of your dog’s life. Your dog may have gone to a puppy class (yippee!), and a lucky dog is walked on a fun, social route each day. But while this dog has met a number of people and a number of dogs, it is also likely that she will meet those same familiar faces each and every day. To keep your dog socialized, she must continue to meet new dogs and new people. The three best ways to do so are by
Walking a different route each day
Having small parties in your home
Attending as many fun dog-training classes as possible
Doggy Dates
Set up as many safe, off-leash play sessions as possible so that your dog can make friends. This is one of the best ways to maintain your dog’s social- ization to other dogs. A good training school will offer a variety of weekly play dates for puppies and adult dogs.
