Be Your Dog's Best Friend
Module 2 - Section 5
Module 2 - Section 5
General Theory - Puppies
- Crate Training
- Auditory Habituation
- Picking Puppies Up
- Grooming and Handling
- The Importance of Exercise
- The Importance of Mental Stimulation
The concept of crate training your dog or puppy is a relatively new one to most dog owners in South Africa. However, crate training has been around for ages, especially in USA and UK and is used in obedience, showing, agility etc. It just hasn’t been introduced to the everyday pet owner as much here in SA, more the pity.
Please note that we do not agree with the practice of keeping a dog in a crate all day or for long periods of time. The crate should be used, as and when needed, and should always be a place of safety for a dog – unless in specific situations such as travelling etc, we recommend keeping the crate door open so that the dog can go in and out as it pleases.
On first hearing that people put their dogs in crates, many people have the thought of ‘oh no, how cruel’. This is not the case at all and it will actually make not only your dog’s life happier by giving him a ‘safe’ place, but will also impact positively on your own life as you will be able to control elimination, chewing, cut down on separation anxiety etc.
If we look at dogs in their natural environment, they are ‘den’ animals and in the wild an adult dog will instinctively look for a safe area to sleep. When a dam is about to give birth, she will set up her own den where she will give birth and keep her pups there until they are old enough to go outside by themselves. When the pups are very small the dam will eat the faeces in order to keep the den clean, and when the pups are a bit older, the pups will be taught by their dam where the elimination area is. The golden rule – you don’t mess where you sleep. When pups are kept in cages in pet shops this causes problems with toilet training and this is covered in the toilet training section.
Take a look at dogs in the home environment – you can normally find them cuddled up sleeping under a piece of furniture, against a cushion or blanket etc. If we look at dogs that are fearful of storms, the first thing they do is try to find a place to hide where they feel safer, this will often be in a cupboard, behind a couch and so forth.
Crate training our dogs, both as puppies, or later on in life, is not cruel in any way at all and can be really beneficial.
What is important is the way the dog is trained to use the crate, and the manner in which the owner uses it. We are sure that after you have tried crate training you will never have a dog again without crate training it. You can liken it to a child’s playpen, it allows the child to be safe, and the difference being that a crate has a roof.
Below is our preferred crate to use. Metal, folds down for easy transport and mostly chew proof and escape proof – having said that, there are older dogs that will find a way to get out of it, if they are what we call ‘professional escape artists’!
- Crate Training
The concept of crate training your dog or puppy is a relatively new one to most dog owners in South Africa. However, crate training has been around for ages, especially in USA and UK and is used in obedience, showing, agility etc. It just hasn’t been introduced to the everyday pet owner as much here in SA, more the pity.
Please note that we do not agree with the practice of keeping a dog in a crate all day or for long periods of time. The crate should be used, as and when needed, and should always be a place of safety for a dog – unless in specific situations such as travelling etc, we recommend keeping the crate door open so that the dog can go in and out as it pleases.
On first hearing that people put their dogs in crates, many people have the thought of ‘oh no, how cruel’. This is not the case at all and it will actually make not only your dog’s life happier by giving him a ‘safe’ place, but will also impact positively on your own life as you will be able to control elimination, chewing, cut down on separation anxiety etc.
If we look at dogs in their natural environment, they are ‘den’ animals and in the wild an adult dog will instinctively look for a safe area to sleep. When a dam is about to give birth, she will set up her own den where she will give birth and keep her pups there until they are old enough to go outside by themselves. When the pups are very small the dam will eat the faeces in order to keep the den clean, and when the pups are a bit older, the pups will be taught by their dam where the elimination area is. The golden rule – you don’t mess where you sleep. When pups are kept in cages in pet shops this causes problems with toilet training and this is covered in the toilet training section.
Take a look at dogs in the home environment – you can normally find them cuddled up sleeping under a piece of furniture, against a cushion or blanket etc. If we look at dogs that are fearful of storms, the first thing they do is try to find a place to hide where they feel safer, this will often be in a cupboard, behind a couch and so forth.
Crate training our dogs, both as puppies, or later on in life, is not cruel in any way at all and can be really beneficial.
What is important is the way the dog is trained to use the crate, and the manner in which the owner uses it. We are sure that after you have tried crate training you will never have a dog again without crate training it. You can liken it to a child’s playpen, it allows the child to be safe, and the difference being that a crate has a roof.
Below is our preferred crate to use. Metal, folds down for easy transport and mostly chew proof and escape proof – having said that, there are older dogs that will find a way to get out of it, if they are what we call ‘professional escape artists’!
Here are some of the many benefits of crate training your puppy: -
With a puppy who is introduced to a crate when it first comes home simply have the crate ready with either the blanket you brought back from the breeder, or a nice cuddly blanket and a really interesting chew toy or two. Be careful not to put too many blankets in the crate to ensure the pup does not get too hot. Lure the pup in the crate with a piece of food and offer the new chewy to have a nibble at (it is often helpful to ‘spike’ this a bit by smearing a little peanut butter in the cracks – if possible use organic peanut butter as excess peanut butter can be toxic to dogs) and under NO circumstances, use peanut butter that contains artificial sweeteners, especially xylitol which is lethal to dog.
- Dogs by nature are ‘den’ animals, and when the crate is introduced correctly it becomes the dog’s den.
- Teaches puppies bladder and bowel control during the night.
- Limits destructive chewing - puppy is given and learns what objects can be chewed and these can be given in the crate, making the use of same even more rewarding to the pup.
- It allows you to have a bit of a time-out
- When travelling, a crated dog has more change of surviving a car accident and less chance of causing one
- You can take your dog on holiday with you, and be welcomed into hotels.
- If your dog goes to the grooming parlour, kennels or has to stay at the vet, it is already used to the crate and feels safe, rather than stressed.
- When you have workmen in your house fixing electricity etc, you can pop your dog into the crate. This limits the chance of the repairman leaving the door open and your dog going walkabout.
- It is a place where your dog feels safe and will go by itself if it wants a bit of privacy or time out, or is feeling stressed in any way – if you have a dog that suffers from Storm Fear, a crate will go a long way to helping the situation as a safe place has already been provided, especially if a blanket is draped over the top of the crate.
- If the dog ever needs to be kept quiet after an operation, the crate is excellent and because the dog is used to using it and views it as a Safe Space, reduces the stress of being contained.
- In the event your dog needs to be separated from other dogs or children, it can be put into its crate and still be part of the situation without danger and less stress – in a case like this the crate is not approached – dog is left alone in peace. The only time where a problem could occur in a situation such as this, is, if the dog is prone to resource guarding – it may not want people or other animals coming up to the crate. If your dog has to travel by train or plane (in this scenario, habituate your dog to the actual crate to be used a few weeks before travel).
- If you decide to participate in dog shows or obedience, you have a safe place to leave your dog if you want to take a quick walk around without him/her.
- It teaches a dog to be able to lie quietly.
With a puppy who is introduced to a crate when it first comes home simply have the crate ready with either the blanket you brought back from the breeder, or a nice cuddly blanket and a really interesting chew toy or two. Be careful not to put too many blankets in the crate to ensure the pup does not get too hot. Lure the pup in the crate with a piece of food and offer the new chewy to have a nibble at (it is often helpful to ‘spike’ this a bit by smearing a little peanut butter in the cracks – if possible use organic peanut butter as excess peanut butter can be toxic to dogs) and under NO circumstances, use peanut butter that contains artificial sweeteners, especially xylitol which is lethal to dog.
Do this as often as possible, leaving the door open. This allows the pup to come in and outside by itself and will eliminate any fear associated with the crate.
When the pup appears tired, again lure it into the crate with food, offer the chewy to the pup (or even have a new one, already spiked, for interest) and then close the door. At this time, we don’t leave the pup alone, just sit in front of, or next to the crate to give the puppy a sense of security. If it cries or whines, just ignore it and the pup will soon drop off to sleep. What is very important here is that if your pup is crying or pining to get out, that you do NOT take the pup out till it is being quiet.
If you take the pup out whilst a noise is being made all you are achieving is having the pup train you that ‘when I make a noise and cry, mum and dad let me out or come and see what I am doing!’
Do try, where possible to have a CD on with some quiet calming music which helps the pup to settle easier. Keep an eye on the pup and when it wakes up, open the door, pick the pup up and take it to the toilet. By picking up the pup you eliminate the chance of an ‘accident’ happening.
The pup does not spend all its time in the crate of course, but for eating, sleeping, alone time chewing sessions you can use the crate, and this will ensure that the pup gets used to the crate and you will be able to close it the first night which will immediately help with toilet training. Then simply put the crate next to your bed and pop the puppy in with its blanket and some nice chewies.
An additional method you can do here is to have the crate in the safe area for the pup and then it can come in and out by itself. If you are at home to supervise, we would suggest that you move the crate to the area you are working or sitting in so that you can see the pup wake up, and then interact and take the pup to the toilet.
It is very important here is that if your dog is crying or pining to get out, as we mentioned above, that you do NOT take the dog out till it is being quiet. Rather wait till the pup/dog is quiet and then open the door. Don’t make a fuss of the dog, in this instance for being quiet, just open the door and let the pup out.
Here are some of the crating rules to bear in mind:
When the pup appears tired, again lure it into the crate with food, offer the chewy to the pup (or even have a new one, already spiked, for interest) and then close the door. At this time, we don’t leave the pup alone, just sit in front of, or next to the crate to give the puppy a sense of security. If it cries or whines, just ignore it and the pup will soon drop off to sleep. What is very important here is that if your pup is crying or pining to get out, that you do NOT take the pup out till it is being quiet.
If you take the pup out whilst a noise is being made all you are achieving is having the pup train you that ‘when I make a noise and cry, mum and dad let me out or come and see what I am doing!’
Do try, where possible to have a CD on with some quiet calming music which helps the pup to settle easier. Keep an eye on the pup and when it wakes up, open the door, pick the pup up and take it to the toilet. By picking up the pup you eliminate the chance of an ‘accident’ happening.
The pup does not spend all its time in the crate of course, but for eating, sleeping, alone time chewing sessions you can use the crate, and this will ensure that the pup gets used to the crate and you will be able to close it the first night which will immediately help with toilet training. Then simply put the crate next to your bed and pop the puppy in with its blanket and some nice chewies.
An additional method you can do here is to have the crate in the safe area for the pup and then it can come in and out by itself. If you are at home to supervise, we would suggest that you move the crate to the area you are working or sitting in so that you can see the pup wake up, and then interact and take the pup to the toilet.
It is very important here is that if your dog is crying or pining to get out, as we mentioned above, that you do NOT take the dog out till it is being quiet. Rather wait till the pup/dog is quiet and then open the door. Don’t make a fuss of the dog, in this instance for being quiet, just open the door and let the pup out.
Here are some of the crating rules to bear in mind:
- The crate is NEVER used as a punishment
- A dog should not, apart from during the night, spend long periods of time confined to a crate. Especially when teaching a pup to accept a crate, try to make sure that it is tired – having gone for a walk, exercise etc, which will make it easier for the pup to settle. A pup that is full of beans will not lie for a long period of time, even with a chewy.
- Ensure that the experience is taught slowly and carefully making it a positive experience
- Crate must always be clean
- The crate belongs to your puppy/dog and is to be left alone by children or other family pets.
- Don’t use the crate if the pup has diarrhoea or vomiting or if the pup has a temperature
- Keep the crate in a section of the house with the family
2.Auditory Habituation
(Habituation can be described as the process whereby an animal becomes accustomed to non-threatening stimuli and learns to ignore them – David Bailey)
A very important point is that during the period 3 – approximately 16 weeks of age, the majority of pups will happily accept new and novel stimuli/situation/different people/other animals/locations etc into their lives with no problems at all. However, after this period, the ‘curtain closes’ (as it would in the wild) and it becomes harder and harder for a pup to accept new people, situations etc. Due to this, please do as much work as possible on your pups auditory and social skills before the 16-week period.
When we speak about dog’s auditory abilities, we need to realize the extent of their hearing abilities. Not only do dogs have the ability to hear and discriminate between wide ranges of sounds, they can distinguish same at approximately four times the range of us humans. Their inner ears are designed in a manner that they can operate their ears almost like radar – they can hear the sounds but can also perceive the height and depth of the sound that they hear. They hear ultra-high frequencies that we humans can’t (the dog whistle for example) and they can pin point exactly where the sound originated from.
Habituation to different noise should not be a haphazard affair (indeed the same can be said with socialization); it should be approached from a systematic point of view with the pup being exposed to as many different noises as possible, as often as possible. Remember the fear aspect and make
these experiences as positive as possible for the pup, ignoring or desensitizing the pup if a fear response does occur.
A crucial point is to watch the pup’s reaction – if the pup appears fearful, both lower the volume, or casually move the pup away from the noise. If you make a fuss about the pup’s reaction, you will be inadvertently reinforcing the fear behaviour. If you feel that there is definite fear responses to
noise/s, we do suggest getting hold of a behaviourist to help you to overcome this. Unfortunately, if left alone, the odds are that the fear will increase, and the pup could start to become fearful of more noises (when getting the pup used to different noises, you always go slowly – with the pup first being a good distance away and then gradually brought closer to the noise. You can then repeat the exercise by going back to a good distance away and repeating above, but this time with the noise slightly louder than before. This does take a bit of time; however, it helps to prevent a fearful response)
Things that can be done in the home
Visitors: Introduce the pup to as many people, being as noisy as possible. Even go to the extent of having a braai with your hubby’s rowdy rugby mate (the type you normally can’t stand!). Start with the pup a good distance away and gradually bring it closer. You can make events such as these rewarding for the pup as well, by supplying praise, treats and toys for the behaviour you do want.
If you have young children, have their friends over and let them engage in noisy play, even playing with drums and trumpets. Have the pup safely in the crate or being held by owner, on lead, with a nice chewy to get busy with. Always start the noise at a low volume and increase as you go along. If at any stage the pup stresses, then reduce or take the pup a bit further from the origin of the noise. We find it helpful when doing exercises such as this, that rather than holding the pup, supply a really nice chew bone to occupy it or have a game of ball, pullies etc, which gives the pup something else to focus on and tends to make the association between the noise and the chew toy a good one.
Noises in the home: The burglar alarm, banging pots and pans, the radio blasting, the vacuum cleaner, washing machine and tumble dryer, the doorbell etc, in fact anything you can think of. We know an adult dog that although it loved its food, it used to cringe when the food bowl was placed on the floor as it was metal and made a noise. Don’t limit to noises inside the home, think about what comes out of the garage – drills, lawn mower, weed eaters and so forth. Get the pup used to the postman, the rubbish truck, and the rubbish collectors.
Away from the home: As early as possible the street. Many dogs can tolerate being in the car, but go nuts when motor bikes, trucks and the like come past. Start with quieter streets and build up to the busy ones. Again, you can supply a safe chewy to entertain the pup.
Any place where people congregate. This can be shopping centres, vet’s room (which are
often noisy) and especially schools. Have you ever realized the noise that kids make when the home bell or play time bell rings?
Beach. Not living by the sea, we do tend to forget this side of things! Take the pup to the beach; let it hear the sounds of the sea breaking on the rocks, the horn of any boats in a harbour etc.
(Habituation can be described as the process whereby an animal becomes accustomed to non-threatening stimuli and learns to ignore them – David Bailey)
A very important point is that during the period 3 – approximately 16 weeks of age, the majority of pups will happily accept new and novel stimuli/situation/different people/other animals/locations etc into their lives with no problems at all. However, after this period, the ‘curtain closes’ (as it would in the wild) and it becomes harder and harder for a pup to accept new people, situations etc. Due to this, please do as much work as possible on your pups auditory and social skills before the 16-week period.
When we speak about dog’s auditory abilities, we need to realize the extent of their hearing abilities. Not only do dogs have the ability to hear and discriminate between wide ranges of sounds, they can distinguish same at approximately four times the range of us humans. Their inner ears are designed in a manner that they can operate their ears almost like radar – they can hear the sounds but can also perceive the height and depth of the sound that they hear. They hear ultra-high frequencies that we humans can’t (the dog whistle for example) and they can pin point exactly where the sound originated from.
Habituation to different noise should not be a haphazard affair (indeed the same can be said with socialization); it should be approached from a systematic point of view with the pup being exposed to as many different noises as possible, as often as possible. Remember the fear aspect and make
these experiences as positive as possible for the pup, ignoring or desensitizing the pup if a fear response does occur.
A crucial point is to watch the pup’s reaction – if the pup appears fearful, both lower the volume, or casually move the pup away from the noise. If you make a fuss about the pup’s reaction, you will be inadvertently reinforcing the fear behaviour. If you feel that there is definite fear responses to
noise/s, we do suggest getting hold of a behaviourist to help you to overcome this. Unfortunately, if left alone, the odds are that the fear will increase, and the pup could start to become fearful of more noises (when getting the pup used to different noises, you always go slowly – with the pup first being a good distance away and then gradually brought closer to the noise. You can then repeat the exercise by going back to a good distance away and repeating above, but this time with the noise slightly louder than before. This does take a bit of time; however, it helps to prevent a fearful response)
Things that can be done in the home
Visitors: Introduce the pup to as many people, being as noisy as possible. Even go to the extent of having a braai with your hubby’s rowdy rugby mate (the type you normally can’t stand!). Start with the pup a good distance away and gradually bring it closer. You can make events such as these rewarding for the pup as well, by supplying praise, treats and toys for the behaviour you do want.
If you have young children, have their friends over and let them engage in noisy play, even playing with drums and trumpets. Have the pup safely in the crate or being held by owner, on lead, with a nice chewy to get busy with. Always start the noise at a low volume and increase as you go along. If at any stage the pup stresses, then reduce or take the pup a bit further from the origin of the noise. We find it helpful when doing exercises such as this, that rather than holding the pup, supply a really nice chew bone to occupy it or have a game of ball, pullies etc, which gives the pup something else to focus on and tends to make the association between the noise and the chew toy a good one.
Noises in the home: The burglar alarm, banging pots and pans, the radio blasting, the vacuum cleaner, washing machine and tumble dryer, the doorbell etc, in fact anything you can think of. We know an adult dog that although it loved its food, it used to cringe when the food bowl was placed on the floor as it was metal and made a noise. Don’t limit to noises inside the home, think about what comes out of the garage – drills, lawn mower, weed eaters and so forth. Get the pup used to the postman, the rubbish truck, and the rubbish collectors.
Away from the home: As early as possible the street. Many dogs can tolerate being in the car, but go nuts when motor bikes, trucks and the like come past. Start with quieter streets and build up to the busy ones. Again, you can supply a safe chewy to entertain the pup.
Any place where people congregate. This can be shopping centres, vet’s room (which are
often noisy) and especially schools. Have you ever realized the noise that kids make when the home bell or play time bell rings?
Beach. Not living by the sea, we do tend to forget this side of things! Take the pup to the beach; let it hear the sounds of the sea breaking on the rocks, the horn of any boats in a harbour etc.
his one may sound a bit strange but try and have the dog exposed to heavy winds. On the same point, try and take the pup to a public garage (BP, Caltex etc) so that it can experience the smells and noises and especially the tear drop type flags that garages have advertising different products. These make a strange noise in the wind. Drive past the airport and park in the area where planes fly overhead.
What about the countryside? Although the pup may not be one that goes out hiking with you, it may well be exposed to the mooing of a cow or braying of a donkey, the noise of a tractor.
Storm Phobia Habituation - As fear of storms is such a major problem in South Africa, especially the Gauteng area, unless an owner has no possible alternative, we would always recommend purchasing a new puppy during our rainy/storm season. Yes, you can help a pup to be desensitized to the noise a storm makes, but a CD with all the sounds of a storm does not take the place of the other factors that accompany storms – change in Ions, static electricity, howling wind, trees bending, hail, the sound of rain on a metal roof, and of course the thunder and lightning. We need to realize that a phobia can be caused from a single experience (this is called one event learning) or even from continued exposure to the fearful stimulus.
Some pups may only exhibit mild fear responses such as panting, pacing or hiding behind an object, and if your pup is racing outside and trying to ‘catch’ the thunder, this is a sign that the pup is not coping – one which people do not often realize is a sign of a stressed dogs. These are the pups that tend to develop full storm fear phobia if the problem is not attended to, as the odds are that the phobia will get worse – please seek the help of a behaviourist.
Fireworks - This is another area where severe phobias can develop and is much easier to desensitize a pup to as you can buy CD’s which contain the sounds of fireworks on them, and they also have You Tube available with Firework noises. When using these CD’s make sure that it is started at a low volume and gradually turn the volume up. At the same time, use counter conditioning to turn this into a pleasurable experience for a pup, even playing outside with it as long as the people next door are not letting off fireworks which may result in the pup being startled. As in the Storm Fear Phobia above, if the pup is trying to ‘catch’ and bark at the lights in the sky and the bangs, this pup is not coping.
5. Picking up Pups
As pups are such wriggly little things it is not uncommon that they are either dropped or jump out of arms, causing damage and also the fear of being picked up. Picking up a puppy incorrectly can cause the puppy to fear the experience. Practice picking up your pup and placing on a grooming on a table, getting into the car, on a vet’s table and avoid picking up when you arrive home – this is also often the beginning of a bad habit.
What about the countryside? Although the pup may not be one that goes out hiking with you, it may well be exposed to the mooing of a cow or braying of a donkey, the noise of a tractor.
Storm Phobia Habituation - As fear of storms is such a major problem in South Africa, especially the Gauteng area, unless an owner has no possible alternative, we would always recommend purchasing a new puppy during our rainy/storm season. Yes, you can help a pup to be desensitized to the noise a storm makes, but a CD with all the sounds of a storm does not take the place of the other factors that accompany storms – change in Ions, static electricity, howling wind, trees bending, hail, the sound of rain on a metal roof, and of course the thunder and lightning. We need to realize that a phobia can be caused from a single experience (this is called one event learning) or even from continued exposure to the fearful stimulus.
Some pups may only exhibit mild fear responses such as panting, pacing or hiding behind an object, and if your pup is racing outside and trying to ‘catch’ the thunder, this is a sign that the pup is not coping – one which people do not often realize is a sign of a stressed dogs. These are the pups that tend to develop full storm fear phobia if the problem is not attended to, as the odds are that the phobia will get worse – please seek the help of a behaviourist.
Fireworks - This is another area where severe phobias can develop and is much easier to desensitize a pup to as you can buy CD’s which contain the sounds of fireworks on them, and they also have You Tube available with Firework noises. When using these CD’s make sure that it is started at a low volume and gradually turn the volume up. At the same time, use counter conditioning to turn this into a pleasurable experience for a pup, even playing outside with it as long as the people next door are not letting off fireworks which may result in the pup being startled. As in the Storm Fear Phobia above, if the pup is trying to ‘catch’ and bark at the lights in the sky and the bangs, this pup is not coping.
5. Picking up Pups
As pups are such wriggly little things it is not uncommon that they are either dropped or jump out of arms, causing damage and also the fear of being picked up. Picking up a puppy incorrectly can cause the puppy to fear the experience. Practice picking up your pup and placing on a grooming on a table, getting into the car, on a vet’s table and avoid picking up when you arrive home – this is also often the beginning of a bad habit.
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Small Breeds
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- If you put the pup back on the floor while it is struggling, you have started a bad habit.
- When pup is happy in this position, place you other hand under hindquarters and support against your body and gradually pick the pup up.
- Place your right arm between the front legs, under the chest, and your left arm under the body, close to the hindquarters. This position will make the pup feel secure. As above, hold off the floor for a few seconds and then praise and treat and follow the procedure above.
- When picking up anything heavy, one must always remember back health, so be sure to bend your knees and pull in your tummy muscles before trying to lift the pup.
These exercises must be done by as many people as possible, as often as possible as structured exercises. Always start with somebody the pup is comfy with, and then slowly introduce new people and even children. An important note is to practice this at both vets’ rooms and also groomers.
7.Grooming and Handling
Grooming
(If you are going to use a hair dryer, get the pup used to the noise and also the blowing feature before washing your pup for the first time)
There are differences of opinion as to what age a pup should first go to the groomer; your best bet is to check with both your vet and groomer for the age they recommend and also ask why. Originally, the pup did not go to the groomer until about 16 weeks of age, and if your groomer is in agreement about this, ensure you habituate your pup to visiting there on a regular basis and being left for period of time in a crate with a nice chew toy to keep it busy, in order that location separation anxiety does not occur.
The groomer can place the pup on the table, brush it, trim nails, and look inside ears etc, right from an early age. This will help the pup to become used to the whole process and future visits to the parlour will not be stressful.
Whether you are going to groom yourself or have the parlour do it for you, start to gently brush your pup as soon as you can, and make sure that you can touch all areas of the body. Nails and feet can be played with, the pup shown a pair of nail clippers, and a tiny bit taken off the ends of nails. This is a good idea as puppy nails are like needles!
Here are some points about the differences in human and canine skin.
If you are going to wash the pup yourself at home, here is a procedure you can follow: -
Handling
The more a puppy is handled (gently) the better, especially during the early critical period of up to 16 weeks. Ensure you can touch the puppy all over, especially inside the mouth, paws and tail, which tend to be the area’s most dogs don’t like. Don’t stop at doing this yourself, get children to touch and handle (always ensure that the puppy is held correctly) and as many different people as possible and ensure a positive experience for the pup, even associating the above with treats being given.
Take your pup for regular ‘visits’ to the vet and let as many nurses, receptionists, vets handle and interact with the puppy as you can. At puppy class one of the exercises that is normally always done, is called ‘pass the puppy’. The puppy is handed from person to person, with each puppy being handled by multiple people – a wonderful way to get the pup used to this experience as this is always accompanied by treats and lots of love.
This process can be taken further with regular visits to the vet and receptionists, vet nurses and vets all handling the pup and having ‘mock’ examinations. Not all vets work on dogs on the floor, many will place the pup/dog on a table, so ensure that the pup gets used to both methods.
Grooming
(If you are going to use a hair dryer, get the pup used to the noise and also the blowing feature before washing your pup for the first time)
There are differences of opinion as to what age a pup should first go to the groomer; your best bet is to check with both your vet and groomer for the age they recommend and also ask why. Originally, the pup did not go to the groomer until about 16 weeks of age, and if your groomer is in agreement about this, ensure you habituate your pup to visiting there on a regular basis and being left for period of time in a crate with a nice chew toy to keep it busy, in order that location separation anxiety does not occur.
The groomer can place the pup on the table, brush it, trim nails, and look inside ears etc, right from an early age. This will help the pup to become used to the whole process and future visits to the parlour will not be stressful.
Whether you are going to groom yourself or have the parlour do it for you, start to gently brush your pup as soon as you can, and make sure that you can touch all areas of the body. Nails and feet can be played with, the pup shown a pair of nail clippers, and a tiny bit taken off the ends of nails. This is a good idea as puppy nails are like needles!
Here are some points about the differences in human and canine skin.
- The pH of human skin is acidic at around 5.5 whilst a dog’s skin has a pH of 7.5, being almost neutral. Therefore, it is important to use a shampoo that is designed for canine’s (never human shampoo) otherwise you can cause irritation to the skin.
- Human skin’s superficial layer is about 3-5 times thicker than that of a dog and thus may be less susceptible to damage, infection or irritation.
- The human epidermis regenerates itself in about 28 days as opposed to about 20 days in a dog.
- Human hair grows continuously whilst dog’s hair grows in a cyclical manner with the old hairs being pushed out of the hair follicle by the new hairs, hence the shedding.
- Human skin has sweat glands and the dog only has sweat glands under its paws.
If you are going to wash the pup yourself at home, here is a procedure you can follow: -
- Brush all over the body gently and slowly. Make sure you have all you are going to use right next to you i.e. shampoo, towels etc., the last thing you want to do is run around with a wet pup looking for a towel!
- With a pup, wash it with running tepid water and rather not put water in a sink or a bowl. Use a cup or a shower head and gently wet all over – leave out the head area for now and make sure you get under the tummy and in the creases of the body as well. Talk to the pup softly, gently and reassuringly all the time you are doing this.
- After the pup is completely wet, place a small amount of dog shampoo on your hand and work up to a nice lather. Dogs normally love this part. Once again, work up the neck and chest and the whole body including the area under the tail, but avoid the head.
- Once the body is washed, wash each paw individually by lifting it up, bent naturally towards hindquarters and wash between the pads. Don’t leave out the anal area under the tail.
- Keep talking to your puppy to keep it calm.
- Now, just rinse her the same way, starting at the back of her neck. Make sure you give her a good rinse to get rid of all that shampoo.
- Now wash the ears and head area gently. Be careful of eyes and then quickly rinse off
- Grab her towel that you placed near you, put it around her and gently pick her up and start drying.
- Dampen a soft cotton cloth and wipe her face and eyes. Then wipe the inside of her ears.
- As many parlour's use either fans or hair dryers to dry dogs, we would recommend getting the pup used to both the noise and the blowing feature before washing, as mentioned above.
- You can give your puppy another good brushing after she is dry
- Rub her teeth with canine toothpaste and a doggy toothbrush. Check her nails, if they need to be trimmed, just trim the tips.
Handling
The more a puppy is handled (gently) the better, especially during the early critical period of up to 16 weeks. Ensure you can touch the puppy all over, especially inside the mouth, paws and tail, which tend to be the area’s most dogs don’t like. Don’t stop at doing this yourself, get children to touch and handle (always ensure that the puppy is held correctly) and as many different people as possible and ensure a positive experience for the pup, even associating the above with treats being given.
Take your pup for regular ‘visits’ to the vet and let as many nurses, receptionists, vets handle and interact with the puppy as you can. At puppy class one of the exercises that is normally always done, is called ‘pass the puppy’. The puppy is handed from person to person, with each puppy being handled by multiple people – a wonderful way to get the pup used to this experience as this is always accompanied by treats and lots of love.
This process can be taken further with regular visits to the vet and receptionists, vet nurses and vets all handling the pup and having ‘mock’ examinations. Not all vets work on dogs on the floor, many will place the pup/dog on a table, so ensure that the pup gets used to both methods.
8.The Importance of Exercise
Until your pup is fully vaccinated as mentioned, you have to be careful where you walk your pup. Another point is, don’t give the pup too much exercise – check with your vet as to what he recommends for the breed you have. Too much exercise that is not appropriate for a pup’s age and development, can cause significant, and irreversible damage.
Although many people know that a dog needs exercise in order to maintain condition and weight, not many dog owners really understand the importance of taking a dog out on a regular walk. Because they have a large garden they think that the dog has more than enough space, the truth being, the majority of dogs spend most of the day sleeping in these large gardens when their owners are not at home! A dog that is fit and walked on a regular basis will be more alert and content, sleep better and be more skilled at socializing and most importantly of all, the chances of behaviour problems happening are greatly reduced.
When it comes to smell, the section of a dog’s brain that is used to analysing smell is over 40 - 45 times stronger than humans which equates to about 200 million scent cells and in the case of the Hound breed, about 450 million more! Think how you would feel if you were locked up in the house day in, and day out? This is the equivalent of a dog being denied walks – no matter how big the garden is, the dog need the outside stimulation supplied by walks. It is estimated that 20 minutes of mental stimulation is the equivalent of an hour’s exercise for a dog. Taking your dog daily walk, even just 15 minutes during the week, will make for content and well-balanced dog that is receiving the mental and physical stimulation it needs to function 100%, and this dramatically reduces the chances of behaviour problems occurring.
Until your pup is fully vaccinated as mentioned, you have to be careful where you walk your pup. Another point is, don’t give the pup too much exercise – check with your vet as to what he recommends for the breed you have. Too much exercise that is not appropriate for a pup’s age and development, can cause significant, and irreversible damage.
Although many people know that a dog needs exercise in order to maintain condition and weight, not many dog owners really understand the importance of taking a dog out on a regular walk. Because they have a large garden they think that the dog has more than enough space, the truth being, the majority of dogs spend most of the day sleeping in these large gardens when their owners are not at home! A dog that is fit and walked on a regular basis will be more alert and content, sleep better and be more skilled at socializing and most importantly of all, the chances of behaviour problems happening are greatly reduced.
When it comes to smell, the section of a dog’s brain that is used to analysing smell is over 40 - 45 times stronger than humans which equates to about 200 million scent cells and in the case of the Hound breed, about 450 million more! Think how you would feel if you were locked up in the house day in, and day out? This is the equivalent of a dog being denied walks – no matter how big the garden is, the dog need the outside stimulation supplied by walks. It is estimated that 20 minutes of mental stimulation is the equivalent of an hour’s exercise for a dog. Taking your dog daily walk, even just 15 minutes during the week, will make for content and well-balanced dog that is receiving the mental and physical stimulation it needs to function 100%, and this dramatically reduces the chances of behaviour problems occurring.
9. The importance of Mental Stimulation
Just like us humans, dogs need mental stimulation as well. All breeds were bred for a purpose, and if you can invent and supply mental stimulation based on what the dog was bred for – a good way to have a happy dog. A bored dog is a dog that is ready for trouble!
There are countless types of dog toys that are made specifically to keep minds busy, such as toys that can be stuffed – great fun trying to get the food out. Objects that when pushed around cause kibble to fall out – dog puzzles and chew toys where the dog has to think to get the food out.
There are countless other ways you can stimulate your dog mentally, and at the end of the course, we have supplied you with a list of different things you can do/make to give your dog mental stimulation.
Just like us humans, dogs need mental stimulation as well. All breeds were bred for a purpose, and if you can invent and supply mental stimulation based on what the dog was bred for – a good way to have a happy dog. A bored dog is a dog that is ready for trouble!
There are countless types of dog toys that are made specifically to keep minds busy, such as toys that can be stuffed – great fun trying to get the food out. Objects that when pushed around cause kibble to fall out – dog puzzles and chew toys where the dog has to think to get the food out.
There are countless other ways you can stimulate your dog mentally, and at the end of the course, we have supplied you with a list of different things you can do/make to give your dog mental stimulation.
