Exercising Your Young Pup

I saw a sight today when out in my garden that disturbed me a little, and thought I should put something down about my concerns. What I saw that perturbed me was a person striding briskly along the tar road next to my house with a young Labrador retriever on a leash walking beside her. The dog couldn’t have been more than 4 months or so – definitely half the size of your average full-grown lab. I don’t know how far they had walked, but I waited around in my garden for about 15 minutes in the hope that she would return past my house, but this didn’t happen. This meant that the pup was being walked at this pace, I assume, for longer than 15 minutes.
Don’t get me wrong – I am a firm believer in exercise and proper nutrition for a growing puppy, but the exercise must be appropriate for the age of the pup. A puppy’s bones are soft and spongy. They don’t completely harden until the puppy is 18 months to 2 years depending on the breed. Any high jumping and jumping out of things like trucks should be discouraged. The stress on soft bones, underdeveloped muscles and immature ligaments can create damage–maybe life-long issues.
However, having said that I believe that most puppies are under-exercised in the belief that too much exercise will damage their joints. Puppies can and must be exercised, but this must be appropriate exercise that is going to benefit the growing skeleton and not damage it. Research on humans has shown that high correlations exist between muscle mass and skeletal mass in exercising subjects, even in those who are in their growth periods. Surely this must apply to young dogs as well.
So, what is appropriate exercise? I believe that a “forced march” on a hard surface is inappropriate. I would rather see a pup accompanying its owner on a walk through a park or forest trail off-lead with the pup setting its own pace. I think a pup should be allowed to stop and sniff at interesting smells and explore the world around him. Puppies that are allowed to do this will benefit far more than pups that are walked on leash along a road. Beside the exercise benefits there is the bonding issue. I find it difficult to believe that a puppy who is marched along beside its owner until it is simply putting one foot in front of the other bonds with the owner to the same extent as a pup who has a strenuous interactive play session with its owner.
I also believe that the pup’s mind should be engaged; that he should be taught to be aware of ALL his body – not only his legs; spinning, weaving, walking backwards, walking up and down stairs, swimming. These are all activities that your pup will enjoy and that will prepare him for a life of health and well-being.

What Exactly is Puppy Socialization?

You probably hear the word “socialization” tossed around a lot – especially if you have just acquired a new pup.  Your pup’s breeder insists that you need to “socialize”; the rescue organization your pup came from says you need to “socialize”.  But what does everyone actually mean by socialization?

What they mean is that not only do you have to introduce your pup to a lot of strange dogs of all shapes and sizes, but also to different humans and as many different species of animals as you can, particularly animals that your pup will have contact with in your home.  It also means that you should expose your pup to as many different environments as possible; as many different sounds as possible from babies crying or toddlers screaming and shouting to traffic sounds, vacuum cleaners, motorcycles.

Even more important than just exposure is for you to carefully observe your pup’s reaction.  Your goal should be that your pup’s experiences should be positive experiences, not neutral or bad ones.  If your pup’s response to either the environment, person, object or handling is either overarousal (nipping, barking, growling or lunging), avoidance or freezing, then this particular item needs more work.  On the other hand, if the pup stays calm and relaxed, explores the object or environment, is playful and stays focussed on the food, or is all these things even without the food, then you know that your socialization is going well.

Some specific things you need to add to your list are:

Handling – in addition to the more obvious ones, cradling your pup in your arms, squeezing his paws, putting on his collar or harness, grabbing and pulling at his collar – all these things very gently, of course.

Different people, such as people with canes, people with uneven gaits, people with sunglasses, and so on.

Less obvious surfaces such as wet grass, manhole covers, stairs.

Also, blankets or rugs being shaken out, brooms, balloons…

Socialization is much, much easier to do during the Critical Period (before the pup turns 16 weeks) than later in the pup’s life.  Definitely worth it.

EARLY TRAINING FOR YOUR RETRIEVER PUP

CRITICAL PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT

Seven or eight weeks is normally the age when pups are sent out to their new homes.  There are varying opinions as to the optimum age, but one thing most people are agreed on is that pups should stay with their littermates and mother until at least 7 weeks.  It is the time between 4 weeks when they are weaned and 7 or 8 weeks that the puppy will learn all the behaviours that make him a dog.  He will be able to practice body postures, facial expressions and vocalisations, and learn their effect on his siblings and mother and any other dog around.  He will learn how to bark and bite and what it sounds and feels like.  And most importantly, he will learn discipline from his mother. The breeder’s responsibility is to socialize the litter with other animals and people during this period.  Puppies that are removed from the litter too early tend to be nervous and to bark and bite and often cannot accept discipline.

When you get your pup at 7 weeks, therefore, he should already be well on his way to becoming a well-balanced dog.  From 7 weeks to 12 weeks is when most rapid learning occurs.   He has the brain waves of an adult, but not the ability to concentrate for long periods of time.  He also does not have the experience of an adult.  Any learning the pup does at this stage is permanent, whether the learned behaviour is desirable or not, and whether you have anything to do with it, or not.  This is the ideal time to start any obedience training of the basic behaviours with gentle, positive methods and lots of play.  It is also the best period to expose him to many different people, objects and noises and anything the breeder has not exposed him to.  This is the time to set boundaries and to work on your relationship with him.

You should also be aware that between 8 and 11 weeks, any painful, frightening or traumatic experience will have a more lasting effect on the puppy than at any other time.  New experiences should be as non-stressful as possible, but they shouldn’t be avoided because this fear period has a purpose and is linked to the pup’s survival instinct. He is naturally inquisitive at this age but to protect himself, he also has to be a little fearful of any new stuff so that he doesn’t barge in to a potentially dangerous situation.  So let him explore – just make sure that he isn’t getting into anything that could be traumatic.

Between 12 and 16 weeks the pup will have gained more confidence and will, possibly, not be as willing to follow instructions as he was in the beginning.  It is more important now than at any other time to establish your leadership and make quite sure that your pup knows that you are in control of resources.  Consistency is extremely important if the pup is to learn to respect you.  

This period is the time that formal obedience training should begin if the full potential of the puppy’s intelligence and companion ability is to be realized. Bearing in mind that the pup’s attention span is still short your training sessions should be very brief – not more than 10 or 15 minutes twice a day, with frequent “play” breaks.

Of particular interest to retriever trainers with regard to training and critical periods of development of the young retriever is that many canine skills, like retrieving, willingness to stay close during walks and coming when called appear to have especially sensitive periods for their introduction and training.

Scott and Fuller (1965) discovered that a dog’s willingness to fetch an object is definitely influenced by early exposure to retrieving games.  What they found was that pups exposed to retrieving games between the ages of 9 and 14 weeks became significantly more avid retrievers than those exposed later.  They also discovered that these puppies were easier to train than those who had been introduced to retrieving later (around 32 weeks).

Another area of interest to us as retriever trainers, as well as pet owners, is the dog’s willingness to follow and come when called.  Steven Lindsay says in his book “Handbook of Applied Dog Behaviour and Training”:

“An area of interest for average dog owners regards active following and coming when called.  Long walks consisting of occasional surprise manoeuvres, exciting changes of pace, unexpected chase and counter-chase episodes, hide-and-seek games, punctuated with occasional opportunities for ball play or stick fetching – all facilitate the learning of appropriate “staying close” skills in puppies.  Such interaction strongly stimulates leader-follower bonding and other social components conducive to obedience training.  If puppies are not exposed to such experiences during the socialization period, as adult dogs they are typically more difficult to train to come when called or to stay nearby on walks.  In contrast, puppies exposed to off-leash walks, playful recall training, and ball play, are invariably easier to instruct in the performance of related tasks as adults.”

Knowing all this you can now plan what to do with your pup and when.

8 Weeks to 12 weeks (Rapid learning and Relationship building)

• Establish boundaries – be consistent.
• Introduce retrieve as a game.
• Attention-paying, follow me and establishing sit as a default behaviour by feeding one meal out of your pocket whenever your pup does something you like.  At the same time start using your clicker.  Click for eye contact, click for following you, click for sitting.  Withhold rewards for undesirable behaviours such as jumping up and biting.
• Adventure walks with play recalls, play retrieves, and chase games.
• Desentisizing to the collar and lead, but, at this stage no formal heeling.  Pup should want to stay with you, so there is no danger of developing a “pulling” habit.
• Introduction to the water and swimming.  Remember that any negative experience will have a lasting effect on your pup during this period of his development, so be sure that his intro to water is as positive as possible.  Even if you have to wade in to encourage him in after you.  I wouldn’t advise using a retrieve to get him swimming, because if he associates a scary experience with the retrieve in water, this would not be a good thing.
• Introduction to permanent sleeping area and desensitization to being left alone for short periods.
• Introduction to riding in the car – pair the rides with pleasant experiences
• Out and about – shopping centres, traffic, motorbikes, bicycles, children of all ages, visits to the vet (do these before he is due for his second vaccination), enrol in a puppy class.
• Now is the time for crate training if you plan to use one.

12 to 20 weeks (Onset of Independence and Start of Formal Training)

At this stage your pup still has quite a short attention span, so make the lessons short.  The most important obedience skills for him to learn now are:

• Sit to whistle – near and at a distance.
• Recall to whistle
• Brief sit and stay
• Walk at heel with an automatic sit
• Swing finish
• Start formalizing the recall
• Retrieves should still be fun.  Steadying not that important, but he must be sitting calmly before being released.  So wait until that happens.

Always remember to stop before pup wants to stop.  He should be begging for more.  Limit the number of retrieves to 3 a day.  At this stage keep the retrieves relatively close and in very short grass.  Do not grab the dummy away from him, but rather let him hold on to it for as long as he likes before you take it.  Start introducing him to someone other than you throwing.

The Power of Play (Part 1).

Why play games?

Games build a better relationship.
Games are an outlet for predatory behaviours.
Games can relax a stressed or anxious dog.
Games can be used as powerful rewards for good behaviour.
Games can be used to assist learning.  Play should be part of learning and training part of play.

Because games and play are such powerful bonding tools, it seems to me that allowing pups – and adult or adolescent dogs for that matter – unrestricted play could be counterproductive if you want your pup to bond with you.  That doesn’t mean that dogs and pups shouldn’t be allowed to play together, but this play should be rationed, with games and play with you as the handler taking precedence.

Do games need rules, and if so, why?

• Games with rules offer excellent training opportunities.
• Games with rules increase our control in arousing situations.  “Control the games, control the dog”.
• Games with rules help to teach impulse control.
• Games with rules improve and maintain bite inhibition.

Some interactive games you can play with your pup include tug-of-war, retrieve, hide-and-seek and scent games such as the shell game.

Rules.

These rules are especially relevant for the games which tend to arouse the dog such as tug or retrieve.  The games that require problem solving or concentration are less exciting, though no less compelling for the dog.

• Dog stops game on cue every time.
• Dog only starts the game when invited and never at other times.
• There should be many obedience breaks during games.
• If dog touches human’s skin, clothes, hair or shoes with teeth, claws, or body, game ends.

Many of the dog games we teach our pups we teach backwards – in other words we teach the end part of the game first.  This is so that we can stop the game quickly when necessary.

Teaching the “Drop”

Teach the “drop: when your pup is not revved.

Step 1:  Let your pup take an offered toy into her mouth but keep hold of the other end.  As she takes it, say “Drop” and hold a tasty treat on her nose.  When she lets go of the toy, click or “Good” and let her have the treat.  Repeat, repeat, and repeat many times.

Step 2:  Once she drops the toy on cue, extend the time she is allowed to hold on to the toy.

Step 3:  As your pup gets better at giving the toy up you can practice when she is increasingly more aroused and also by putting gentle pressure on the toy to encourage her to tug back.

Step 4:  Practice the “drop” game using other toys and objects, and exchanging them with other favoured objects.  Work from objects which are low on your pup’s object list to objects which are higher on the list.

Note: Once you get the toy back offer up another game so that letting go does not predict ending the fun.  This is especially important during training:   if obeying signals the end of fun we can teach the pup to not let go!  Until she understands that the end of the game is not the end of the world have a stuffed Kong or rawhide chew ready to give her at the end of the game or time your exchange game just before dinner time.

Teaching the “Take”

This cue is important so that your pup won’t make a grab for the toy when you are not ready for it.  Once your pup understands the “Drop” cue you can start teaching her the “Take”.  Hold the toy behind you and say “Take” as you bring the toy from behind you to offer it to your pup.  Allow her to hold the toy for the length of time that you have worked up to with your “Drop” cue.  Say “Drop” and take the toy when she lets go.  Reward her with a treat, or the “Take”.  If she lunges for the toy before you give her the “Take” cue, simply put the toy behind your back and start again.  As she becomes more familiar with the two cues “Drop and “Take”, you can start adding excitement to the game.

Some pups may be reluctant to take the toy because they have been scolded for taking items in the past and some because they are not sure what games are.  Some under-socialized pups are afraid of interaction with people.  Play is so beneficial that I feel it is important to spend time teaching your pup to play interactive games with their people.

Resource Guarding

Left to themselves many dogs will become resource guarders.  They may growl and show their teeth to anyone who approaches and/or tries to take a valued object – whether it be food, a bone, a favourite chew-toy, or even a sleeping place or owner.  To prevent this behaviour from surfacing in your adult dog take steps now to show your pup that your presence around his food is not a threat.

HOW TO PREVENT YOUR PUP FROM BECOMING A FOOD GUARDER

• Sit next to him while he eats his dinner, petting him while he eats, and occasionally taking food out of his bowl and hand-feeding him.
• Feed him some of his meals in small instalments to show him that your hand approaching the dish predicts more food.
• Take his dish away mid-meal and add a tasty morsel.
• Walk up to your pup while he is eating and drop a tasty titbit into the bowl.
• Let people other than yourself do these food-bowl exercises to generalize the no-guarding response.

This exercise will help to build his self-confidence.  You are teaching him that it is no big deal and can even be pleasant.

Socialization

As soon as you get your pup one of your responsibilities as a new puppy owner (apart from making sure your pup’s health issues are addressed) is to teach him or her about the world.  Your pup is at an age where he habituates to different things very easily so before he turns 16 weeks, he must be exposed to as many different people, dogs and environments as possible, so that he can cope with new experiences more easily when he becomes an adult.  Make a list of all the things your pup needs to be exposed to and in the next few weeks, work through the list to see where you are in exposing your pup to a variety of experiences.

The various categories could be:

• Humans of all ages and appearances – men and women, children, toddlers, babies.
• Humans wearing hats, or with peculiar gaits.
• Crowds, bicycles, motorcycles, traffic.
• Cats and livestock such as cattle and horses (if you live in the countryside).
• Rides in the car – not only to the vet for vaccinations.
• Other dogs.

In socialization to any category of person, the single best way to obtain this cushion is through hand-feeding. You cannot overdo socialization.  The payoff is enormous.

Puppies and Toddlers – do they go together?

Contrary to popular belief, puppies and toddlers or very young children do not necessarily go together.  Unless specifically socialized to toddlers and very young children, the pup cannot be expected to know how to behave around small children.  And, small children cannot be expected to know how to behave around puppies and dogs.  Puppies have very sharp teeth, and might bite if they feel threatened or are hurt or if they get over-excited.  Small children tend to think of puppies as fluffy toys and don’t understand that these are living things. They think they’re just really cool toys.  They tend to hug too tightly, pull ears and tails and carry or hold puppy inappropriately.

There are things you can do if you have pups and toddlers together to make things go smoothly and without incident.

1.       Never leave young children and puppies alone together – even for a moment.  If you cannot supervise, either put your pup into a crate or into another room.

2.      Do not allow your toddler to hug, kiss, follow or chase the pup, pull ears, fur or tail.  Show your toddler, by example, how to pet your puppy.  If your toddler does get rough, tell him or her firmly “NO NO. That hurts puppy. He’s a BABY DOG.”

3.      Make your pup’s crate or sleeping area off-limits to your toddler. 

4.      Do not allow your toddler to take away a bone or toy.  But make sure you play the Take/Leave game with your pup to show him or her that it’s ok to have things taken away.

5.      Do not allow your toddler to carry your pup.  The only way pup can be held is if your toddler is sitting down on the floor.  Even then, supervise closely to be sure that pup isn’t being squeezed too tightly.

Use food rewards to desensitize the pup to the things a toddler may do. Recognize warning signs from the pup, such as moving away, half moon eye, licking chops when not eating, yawning when not tired, sudden scratching.  If the pup becomes fearful of small children because he has been traumatized this fearfulness may become aggression towards small children later in the dog’s life.  Try to make your pup’s interactions with toddlers as pleasant an experience as you can in the critical period of socialization.

If you are thinking of getting a puppy as a “playmate” for your toddler, please give it a lot of thought. Do not be seduced by sentimental pictures such as these in this article. Toddlers require so much time, and puppies can be almost as demanding as children. And the early stages of a puppy are so important – the time and effort you put into the first two years in training and shaping their behaviour pays off years down the road. It would be a real challenge to train and socialize a puppy at the same time as having a toddler.”

Separation Anxiety

Consider this: Your pup has just spent the first 8 weeks of his life in the company of his litter mates and mother. He comes to your home, and because he is so cute you spend an entire week with him before your life returns to normal and you return to your everyday routine, leaving your pup on his own (for the first time in his young life) . Spending time with your pup is a good thing as it strengthens the bond, BUT you can have too much of a good thing and puppies need to understand that being alone is OK.

If puppies are not taught at an early age that being left alone at home is not a bad thing, symptoms such as digging, barking, destructive chewing of things like furniture and other things can appear. The best way to treat separation anxiety is to train the pup from day one so that it never becomes an issue. Once your pup has settled down in his new home, you can start this part of his education by picking up your keys and calmly stepping out the door, closing it behind you. Before your pup even starts stressing, you step back into the room and give him a treat. Continue this, adding more time as you go along, until your pup is being left alone for an hour or two without fussing. He will soon realise that his people are coming back and that he is being calmly rewarded on their return.

Often what happens is that you unthinkingly contribute to the puppies anxiety by making a production of leaving and returning. The very best thing you can do to alleviate your pup’s stress levels when left alone is to simply make leaving and returning a non-event! Owners often reinforce bad behaviors and contribute significantly to their dog’s level of distress without even realizing they are doing it.

One Puppy – or Two…

Anyone who has ever acquired a puppy has at some time or another considered getting siblings, or even pups of the same age but from different litters.  One puppy requires a huge commitment in terms of extra expense and time.  Two puppies, apart from the additional expense and time factor, require extra attention over and above normal training and socialization in order to avoid the problems inherent in two puppies of the same age being raised together.

Buying, or acquiring, two pups the same age, whether siblings or not, would seem to be the ideal solution to our busy lifestyles.  They would provide stimulation for one another, and provide companionship.  They could learn from one another – in fact, they could become best friends.  The reality is far from the truth and, unfortunately, irresponsible breeders and some animal rescue organisations encourage this romantic notion.  What actually happens is that their personalities merge, they become more and more withdrawn with the result that they may become fearful of all strange dogs and people, as well as being extremely anxious in any situation where they are separated from each other.  

 As they get older these problems become more severe and, if this is not enough, the pup’s are not particularly interested in their human companions. Why should they be?  They have one another.

However, if you for whatever reason, acquired two siblings, there are some things you can do to ease the situation.  What you are trying to do in the next couple of months is to establish each pup as an individual with its own personality and with the confidence to be able to do things without the support of the other.  These are the things you need to put in place:   

• Walk them separately
• Feed them separately
• Play with them separately
• Limit their playtime to a few short sessions a day
• Train them separately
• Separate their sleeping areas.

If you feel this is all too much for you, find a trainer with some experience with this “Littermate Syndrome” to help you.