Cloud’s Puppy Diary Week 5
Cloud has been cruising right along learning all kinds of things including imprinting of behaviors I want to see the rest of his life. I have until he is 16 weeks old to teach him those vital things. Who he will be is a combination of genetics and experiences. Essential to having many talents, I give him many experiences using his nose, exposure to the training wheelchair, crutches and walker so unusual things in life do not startle him.
More critically, is that I want Cloud to focus on me with a calm, confident manner so he learns to “defer” to me in my leadership. In the long run, I want him to learn to depend on me to guide him through as I set boundaries, and provide encouragement. Avoiding over stimulation is really important for Cloud to learn self control which he is totally capable of at this age. While I want to socialize Cloud with both people and other dogs, I DO NOT want him thinking that all dogs and people mean out of control, wild, jumping, biting behaviors. What he learns NOW in self control will last his lifetime.
Just as with children who must learn self control in the classroom and on the playground, puppies need to learn the same thing. Somewhere along the line, we dog owners have come to believe that wild, non-stop play sessions with a multitude of dogs is a good thing and that jumping, mouthy greetings with people are friendly behaviors. They are not. They are offensive to both other people and to other dogs!
When Cloud is over stimulated with dog play, he can no longer function appropriately. Studies are showing that play any longer than 3 to 7 minutes turns into what is called “ritualized aggression” or what I call “RA RA’s”. Just like children when they get over stimulated, they can start hitting, bullying and name calling. Practicing ritualized aggression sets a puppy up for dealing with other dogs in a more aggressive manner as they mature. They can even become fearful, resentful, or angry with other dogs. What I want to do is give Cloud short play sessions with other puppies or well behaved older dogs. Then, we take a break for a while or we walk. Breaks should consist of exploration of the environment and practicing natural skills like hunting. It should also involve practicing basic obedience skills like sit, down and watch with me.
The same is true for interactions with people. A large group of people is overwhelming and over stimulating for puppies. I am giving him short, directed interactions, where Cloud is asked to sit for petting and given treats. This helps him to see that friendly strangers are a good thing. Letting him run crazy up to people, jumping, barking, lunging, mouthing is not going to make points for him as he matures, especially for a German Shepherd.
Caption: Sitting for petting and self control is essential at this time of puppy development. Don’t wait until a puppy is 6 months old to teach these manners.
