Yup, that sweet, adorable, well mannered puppy you read about a few months ago is now smack dab in the middle of his “teenage terror!” This is the precocious age between 6 and 12 months old and Kalidor is now 8 months old! It’s the age when he is testing the rules and wonders if he really has to do what I tell him to do, and when he is exploring more of his world with the “grown up” confidence he has now developed!
So many people have asked me about Kalidor after having followed my articles about what I did with him week by week as a puppy. I was so elated that my series won an award with the Idaho Press Club last spring! He is just over a year old now and I thought an update might be interesting to those that still ask me about him. He has grown up to be a very handsome young man with a flowing, shiny long black coat. Many people don’t really know what breed he is, although in general, long coat German Shepherds, and especially long coat black German Shepherds are being found in more places.
“YELP!” Limp, Limp! Across the yard I see Kalidor limping after I hear that unordinary sound as my other dogs play gleefully in the backyard. A trip to the vet reveals he has a broken toe which translates to me four to six weeks of quiet and leash walking! I think to myself, “This is an 8 month old puppy full of himself, energy, and summer coming which is time for lots of hikes and outdoor learning!” I’ve been through sick dogs many times – knee surgeries, spays, neuters, gastropexy’s, torsion, broken leg, extraordinary complex surgeries that include a urinary tube, heart disease, to name a few conditions that have blessed my household over the years. All of them required keeping that precious doggie QUIET, regardless of their age. It is especially difficult for an energetic teenage puppy – Kalidor!
In the past 20 year, dog training has taken a dramatic change of direction. Much of it is definitely for the better! We once used very a militaristic approach to dog training. Most of training told the dog what NOT to do and letting him guess what he SHOULD be doing. Dogs worked out of fear of punishment instead of joy of reward. Now, the dog-training pendulum has shifted from all negative/punishment to only positive reinforcement. The change has been phenomenal. So many dogs are much happier.
I am from the world of competition dogs that also contribute to the community. For many years, all my dogs were involved in Search and Rescue, Pet Therapy, but also AKC, UKC and SV conformation, obedience, agility, sheep herding, and tracking. I felt that I owed it to my dogs to do something with them because of their talents. Not that I wish to toot my own horn here, but somewhere along the line I starting feeling like this was something I HAD to do!
A dog jumping on people is probably one of the easiest things to stop, unless you wait too long. It is a huge problem in my book because it is dangerous. Yes, dangerous. If someone has a hidden disability such as being on blood thinners, having balance issues, or is afraid of dogs, any dog large or small can hurt someone badly. If your jumping dog does hurt someone, you are the responsible party. Jumping is not friendly, it is not attention seeking, it is not cute as some might think.
More and more our American society is pushing anthropomorphism on our pets. It feels good to use a pretty harness because it is much more “humane” or we buy luxury beds for our pets that cost hundreds of dollars (then our dog chooses to sleep on the floor). Our pups have elevated car seats so they can see out the window. We even see costumes for every holiday on the planet. Dogs are pretty good sports, really, to put up with our fanaticism! Because they are good sports, we humans tend to think it’s alright.
I think many times we bring dogs into our homes thinking if we just put them together, they will get along just fine. Sometimes this can be true. Other times, this can be a disaster, especially if either dogs is a herding dog or herding dog mix.
When we get into trouble with our dog, many people head to the internet to get information. As the information expressway, there is so much out there to gather! What becomes difficult for most people if they search diligently is that they will find conflicting information. Some information will say to never say, “NO” to your dog, never raise your voice, never do this or do that, or that there is only one way to train.
I am approached daily about dog owners wanting to eliminate behaviors in their dogs that are “instinctual”. An instinctual behavior is one that comes hard wired in the dog when they are born. The behavior is hereditary from the parents and ancestors. All dogs possess what is called “prey drive.” This is instinctual behavior passed along from the wolves for survival. In a very basic description, prey drive occurs when the wolf smells or sees game, then follows either the scent or vision, attacks the game, shakes it, kills it, and eats it with the pack.
Now back to work part time. Please call to schedule.
