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Canine Socialization
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Most of us are happy
to train our own dogs or have one-to-one sessions with a professional,
but we can only socialise puppies in a group. If socialising is
not done at the appropriate age we have a far harder job with the older
dog, which may never be comfortable in the company of its peers.
It can take only one bad incident for a dog to become permanently
fearful of dogs of a particular breed or colour, or a particular place
where a bad incident happened.
Finding good
socialising classes can be difficult, however. It is not enough
for a trainer to have qualifications - a good reputation can be
preferable. Similarly, one would like to think classes run at
veterinary premises by the staff would be a good bet, but that is not
always the case.
Always go
without your puppy at first, and even before you get your puppy, to
give yourself plenty of time to check the class is to your
satisfaction. Classes should not be a free-for-all, but carefully
supervised, giving puppies of similar size and age a chance to interact
and develop their manners without risking injury. This is how
dogs acquire their social skills but they need guidance. Some
breeds are delicate in the developmental stages, and no situation
should be allowed to arise where a puppy could be damaged.
Shy puppies
should be allowed to come out of their shells ion their own time and
bumptious puppies need to be controlled with gentle firmness.
Nursery school for puppies is so important, and it is essential to
choose the best available.
Jackie Drakeford
reprinted with kind permission
from Alastair Balmain
Deputy Editor:Shooting Times
& Country Magazine
Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street SE1 0SU
Tel: 020 3148 4750
Socialization - Part one
Socialization - Part Two
Behaviour, Socialization and Training
Socialization
The Importance of Socializing your Puppy
SOCIALIZATION –Part One
George K. Hobson Copyright April 2005
Our companions in the
field are ever more frequently becoming the same dog that lives in our
homes. The growth of apartment living, and smaller yards for private
homes,
often prevents the building of an outside kennel where hunting dogs are
kept. However, even for those field companions that do live an outside
life, manners and socialization should be a part of their development.
Dog-to-dog aggression is
not often seen in working hunting dogs, but it does happen and can be
prevented with proper training. It is just as unnecessary as the dog
that is a
family pet having a fight, or acting aggressively when out on a walk.
Training in at least the basic obedience commands for recall, heel,
sit,
down, and remain in place is a start for our companion dogs, but not
the
complete solution. It is why the dog carries out the command that is
important,
and gives reliability around other dogs and humans. Proper
socialization
is the second major component of the answer to achieving a dog that
understands its role in our world, and modifies its genetic drives to
conform to the rules of human society. Rather than having a dog that
complies with a command because it has been forced to do so, the
correctly socialized dog will be one that complies because it knows it
is safe when doing so, and is rewarded with the internal satisfaction
of a job well done.
Socialization is not a
one
time, or short-term training program. Socialization is the ongoing
exposure
of the dog to all of the experiences of life in human society. To be
fully
successful it must be done continuously, and on a recurring basis with
all
possible and varied distractions and in different locations. The
goal
of socialization is to help the dog to learn to act appropriately
around
people, other animals, and in the many public and private situations of
its
life. A dog cannot be considered socialized until it has
demonstrated the ability to act in a confident and relaxed manner to
changing environments, and new situations.
Developing a dog that is
mentally balanced, and able to readily adapt to changing environments
can not
be approached haphazardly. There are some well-defined, and other more
general critical periods in the development of a dog from puppy to
adult
that need special attention in the work of socialization. These
critical
periods are recognized because the dog's experiences during them result
in well-documented behaviors and attitudes later in the dog's life. For
owners the first critical period is the human-dog bonding period of age
8 to 12 weeks, and is generally viewed as the most critical
establishing
a trusting attitude in the dog. A dog's inappropriate or unacceptable
behaviors resulting from experiences with humans during this period are
often the most difficult to correct.
Recognizing that critical
periods are when experiences will have a significant impact on the dog,
owners must plan and set up the activities and exposures to ensure
positive
results. As in any training, the factors of distance, duration, degree
of difficulty, and levels of distraction must be integrated into the
learning experience. For example, we want to expose a dog to heavy
traffic
with blaring vehicle horns and loud mufflers for the first time. How
would we consider the four factors in planning the exposure?
One approach would be to
take the dog to a large, busy parking lot at a mall, and park at the
far
end, away from the high level of traffic (distance). We would then
gradually work closer to the higher levels of traffic and noise
(duration) until
the dog showed signs of anxiety (degree of difficulty for the
dog).
Now we have established the level of comfort for the dog that tells us
the
activity of vehicles and noise (distraction) has become more than the
dog
can deal with in a calm manner. At this point socialization has moved
from
just exposure to a situation, to training for that situation. Failure
to recognize a requirement for transition from exposure to specific
training
is one of the most common reasons for failure and development of
undesirable
behaviors.
During socialization that
introduces the dog to what could be frightening situations, it is
especially critical that the trainer be calm and in control by
leadership and not force,
and transmit that composure and confidence to the dog. A tight leash,
or letting the dog lead its handler away from such situations, has put
the human in the follower position with the dog fully in charge. The
training
has now moved from socialization to fear reinforcement, and the
possible
development of fear aggression in the dog.
It is also possible for
activities not previously causing an undesirable reaction to become
ones that are unexpectedly doing so. This can occur because there are
later periods
in the dog's life that require special awareness of the dog's mental
development. These periods are generally in the time frames of four to
six months,
eight to ten months, and sometimes as late as sixteen months to two
years
of age. In all cases of expected or unexpected shy or fearful behavior,
it is vital that coddling or soothing does not reinforce the behavior.
The dog's actions must be met with the handler's confident, normal
demeanor and tone of voice. The sequence of actions for the handler is
to:
1. Distract,
2. Redirect,
3. Train or Correct as appropriate.
Continuous and repetitive
exposure to the vagaries of life is a necessary part of socialization.
This means that over the full life of the dog it should be given
properly planned, repeated exposure to any given distraction. Fearful
and aggressive attitudes regarding particular situations won't go away
just because they are ignored, or have been brought under control at a
given point or at a single location. All training requires
practice to maintain a level of response or to
make improvement. Issues identified during socialization are no
different, and should be carefully noted for future emphasis in
maintaining a mentally healthy and balanced dog.
This is part one of a two
part installment on socialization. In part two the considerations and
procedures for socialization training will be discussed along with
recommendations for socializing a dog to become a confident and calm
companion.
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SOCIALIZATION –Part Two
George K. Hobson Copyright April 2005
In the first installment
about the need for socialization, the periods of development and
receptiveness to environmental influences were discussed. In part two
we will take
a brief look at how to approach the training involved in achieving a
calm and confident companion. Whether a field dog or a family pet the
approach is the same.
As with any training the
trainer must have a plan, and keeping a training record is the most
effective way to ensure the plan is accomplished. A good socialization
plan involves keeping a record of the individual situations, and all
distractions to which the dog is introduced. A very effective way to do
this is by the
use of a table of activities. A table format will not only provide a
record
of what has been done, but is most easily used to identify areas of
concern, activities yet to be accomplished, and how long since any
given activity has had a turn in the training.
One important
element in a complete socialization program is dog-to-dog activities. A
dangerous misconception is that of a dog getting along with all dogs
just because it gets along with one or two others it sees
frequently. Dog parks are not recommended for this activity as
the variety of untrained dogs, on and off leash, presents a significant
potential for a bad experience: particularly with a young dog. In
general, if you see another dog owner approaching you with their dog in
the lead or on a tight leash, you should move away and ask the owner
not to approach you: both of those activities are warning signs about
an uncontrolled dog with unpredictable actions.
The best place to develop
canine-to-canine social skill is in a controlled class, and the best
trainers offer group socialization with all dogs off leash. That means
little dogs, big dogs, young dogs, and old dogs doing dog things under
supervision. It is a fact of the canine world that humans cannot teach
dog-to-dog manners and social skills: we can teach them to be obedient
but we cannot teach canine manners to dogs. For example, we must not
assume obedience to heeling past other dogs (reliability to command) is
a display of socialization (lack of anxiety while doing so). Owners can
certainly train to a level that achieves one dog ignoring another while
under command, but the dog's level of confidence to act appropriately
in the absence of command or proximity for control
comes from socialization
People and dogs get along
best when each is respectful of the other. Unfortunately for the dog,
many humans have no idea how to be respectful from the dog's point of
view, and thus the burden of appropriate action falls most heavily on
the canine. The dog must be prepared to meet loud-voiced, and towering
humans that
unintentionally present a threatening aura as well as small children
that
back it into a corner. It must endure the rough pat of the unknowing as
well as the syrupy voice of the uninitiated when offering their
attention.
The dog must do this with humans of all ages, races, sizes, and manner
of
dress and deportment. An effective technique in this particular realm
of
socialization is to enlist the aid of friends and relatives to stage
training
scenarios involving unusual dress and activities.
Careful and planned
introduction into new environments should start early and with short
duration. Puppies should be taken for walks at night, and even
older dogs may exhibit a tentative attitude if this is not a part of
their normal activities. Just as country dogs need exposure to city
life, city dogs need to go
the zoo, and the country to encounter new animals, sights, and smells.
Pet stores are good places to encounter birds, fish in tanks, cats,
strange
dogs, and sights and scents not otherwise available. As with all work
in
socialization, the handler's calm demeanor is critical in achieving and
maintaining a calm attitude in the dog.
How much, and when to
expose the dog to any given activity are two important considerations
in developing your socialization plan. The planned use of activities,
the duration
of exposure to them, the degree of difficulty they represent to the
dog,
and the distance of the activity from the dog at its first exposure
must
be mixed and matched in determining how much. In all cases the handler
must be alert to the signs of anxiety and take action before the dog
feels
the need to do so on its own. When to do so must be done with judgment
rather than any set formula or time frame.
Owners must remember that
there are critical periods of development that vary from dog to dog,
and sensitivity is affected by previous exposure and genetics. The
decisions as to how much, and when are as much in the realm of art as
in practical implementation. There are two rules that may be applied to
every socialization activity. First, the handler must be calm and in
control from the dog's point of
view. When the handler projects the confidence and energy that
he is going to take care of this "normal but unusual” situation the dog
is far less likely to attempt to do so by flight or fight. Secondly,
any
given situation must be handled according to the needs of the dog.
Always
introduce highly stressful or unusual activities slowly, and with the
same confident attitude and energy previously employed for less
demanding
ones. Remember that socialization is a life long activity, and those
activities
not revisited will fade in the order of reliable and predictable
response.
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Behaviour, Socialization, and Training
Trying to decide what level
of training is right for you and your dog is not all that easy. Most
people of the
dog world recommend "obedience" training. Most dog owners, however, see
"obedience" training as
marching around in circles teaching their dog to be perfectly
aligned with their left leg. Indeed some classes do that, but most
classes
for the beginner are simply using typical obedience commands as a tool
to teach basic teaching and handling skills. What most dog owners
really
want is simply a well-mannered, socially acceptable dog. How much work
it takes to achieve that goal depends upon many factors the most
important
of which are: the patience and consistency of the teaching, the
temperament of the dog, and the amount of time the dog has the
opportunity to learn.
The more time the dog spends as a member of the family the more easily
it will learn social skills simply because it will have more
opportunity to practice, make mistakes, be corrected, and receive
praise for behaving well.
Effective training requires good timing. This is the most difficult
thing for most dog owners to learn. A critical difference between the
way people learn and the way dogs learn involves the use of language.
A parent can explain to a six year old child that an action (praise or
punishment) is related to an event in the past.
Language connects the present action with the past event. Even more
importantly language can be used to
identify and describe for that child exactly what behaviour merited the
action. Dogs, for the most part, lack
language skills. Good timing becomes critical to connect the action
(your praise or correction) to the event.
Learning how to communicate without words is the most important basic
skill you can learn in a good quality basic obedience class. If the
instructor has the skill to teach you to read your dog's body language
and how and when to react to it, then you will be well on your way to
a polite, socially adept dog. For example:
Suppose you want to teach your dog not to chase a cat. The least
effective way of doing it is to yell at the dog after it returns from
chasing the cat. The second least effective way is to yank the dog back
as soon as it starts to run after the cat. The most effective way is to
correct the dog for thinking about chasing the cat.
HUH? How do you know what the dog is "thinking"? Observe the dog. Its
attention will be on the cat.
Observe the body language of the dog - see the tension rise -
if you've let the tension crest you have waited a smidgen too long.
Don't wait until the dog actually tries to take the dinner off the
table, express your
disapproval when the dog shows an interest and focus on it. By timing
your response to the point at which the dog is forming the intent to
act, but has not yet committed to it you will be able to make the
strongest
connection between your response and the act.
The best basic dog training classes teach you why to do what and when.
Most mediocre training classes
teach by formula. The mediocre instructors have little or no
understanding of dog behaviour, or how to read
dog body language. Good timing is very difficult to learn by yourself,
with only a good book or videotape. If
you don't have access to good quality instructors then at least
practice with a few other people so that you
can watch one another and observe each other's timing of responses to
the actions of each dog. Well-timed praise is just as critical as well
timed correction.
One of the other problems people face is conflicting information. There
are a lot of different training
techniques, and some that sound very different but are really
not. It is confusing and there is no getting
around it. The only advice I can give you is that virtually any
training technique you actually use consistently
and patiently will probably result in a well-trained and well-behaved
dog. It is worth taking some time to
explore the different styles and philosophies to find one that you are
comfortable with and will use.
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Socialization
Dawn S. Sylvia-Stasiewicz
A well-socialized dog is a
joy to live with. He will readily accept change, new people, and
interact comfortably with his own species. Socialization is a
continuous process that begins at around 3 weeks within the litter, and
continues throughout the life of the canine. However, puppyhood is the
ideal time for any pet owner to take advantage of. The ‘socializing
period’ is a crucial time in a puppy’s life, but begins to close at or
around 16 weeks of age. A puppy purchaser has a golden window of
opportunity to ‘shape’ the future personality of the canine during this
time. All that the puppy will experience is new, and if controlled by
the owner, each experience should be safe, happy and positive.
Until the puppy has been sufficiently inoculated, socializing can begin
within your own home. Invite friends, and neighborhood children over to
sit down on the floor and hand-feed your new puppy, this is a wonderful
way to expose your dog to strangers, and the little hands of children.
With
your supervision, the puppy will learn through this experience that
children
are safe, and those little hands reaching forward to pet the puppy are
gentle. Associating ‘touch’ with something the puppy already enjoys
like food makes that ‘first’ contact with children and strangers a
pleasant experience.
Also, this is a grand time to educate young children about dogs.
Once your pup has been sufficiently inoculated, throw some puppy kibble
in your pocket and begin to take him for walks down the street. Puppies
are adorable, and attract a lot of attention. Anyone that passes by
will
enjoy petting him. Offer your neighbor a piece of puppy kibble to feed
to
your pup, he will soon learn to ‘enjoy’ strangers. Offer another piece
of
food as you approach ‘Mr. Mailbox’ and Mr. Fire Hydrant’ encourage him
to
investigate, and then give him a treat for doing so. These things along
the street can produce an array of responses from your dog, ranging
from
very scary to very curious. Get him use to the ‘everyday’ sights and
sounds
of children playing, cars passing by, and people petting him.
Puppy classes are one of the best ways to expose your dog to other dogs
within his age group. In a ‘controlled’ indoor environment, he will
‘safely’ meet other people; men, woman, and children, as well as other
puppies,
all under the ‘supervision’ of a qualified instructor. Plus, your not
putting your puppy at risk by guessing whether or not the dogs at the
local doggy park are social and friendly, or current on their
vaccinations. You’d be surprised how many adult dogs attend doggy parks
without proper training
or socialization. This will put your new puppy at considerable risk for
not
only picking up diseases, but also getting hurt or bitten by an older
dog.
When one weighs the risk of behavioral problems caused from lack of
socialization, and disease from the soil at the local doggy park, I’d
rather take my risk in the form of a ‘clean, indoor’ puppy class. Most
reputable instructors
have not only ‘screened’ each puppy prior to registration, they also
have
on file the inoculation records of each puppy registered. This will
help
to put the puppy owner at ease simply knowing that the risks involved
have
been minimized.
Unfortunately, many veterinarians still advise new puppy owners NOT
to attend any classes until the dog has completely finished with the
necessary round of shots, putting the owner and canine at quite a
disadvantage. This usually gives us two distinctive groups of puppy
owners. Group A; completely isolates the dog, thereby living in a
vacuum for the fist four or five months of his life. Group B; takes
their puppy to the local dog park for exercise and play, but when asked
why they are not in a puppy class they answer,
"My vet told me he is too young and I should wait until his shots are
completed."
Socialization must be approached with a common sense attitude. If you
would like to have the kind of adult dog that will be a joy to not only
you, but also society, then you should begin while he is still a puppy,
more specifically and far easier to accomplish before his 16th week of
life.
Think of all the things he will most likely come in contact with during
his lifetime, and expose him to those things now in the most ‘positive’
format
you can muster up. The ‘greater’ his experiences are while he is still
young,
the better his chances are of handling new situations, new people, and
a
joy to take out into the world with you. If your veterinarian suggests
that
you not attend any classes with your puppy until his shots are
finished,
ask why. Most vets today are more ‘up-to-date’ on all the new
information
that ‘supports’ puppy classes, positive reinforcement training, and the
importance of early socialization.
Dawn S. Sylvia-Stasiewicz, CDBC Shaping Your Dog's Future
Relationship Training for You and Your Dog APDT #
513www.MeritPuppy.com C - 703 915 3635 H - 540 364 2781
O - 540 364 3200 O - 877 Dog News Fax 540 364 2957
Washington Post Washingtonian Magazine Dog Fancy -
Popular Dog Series The Hill Rag Newspaper, Washington, DC
The Importance Of Socializing Your Puppy
What is socialization?
Socialization is introducing your puppy to, and establishing a positive
relationship or response to all creatures and its environment.
Why is socialization important?
Socialization prevents a puppy from being fearful and, quite possibly,
aggressive in new situations or environments. A properly socialized,
confident, and happy puppy, when startled, should be able to recover
quickly and respond in a positive fashion.
When do you start socializing your puppy?
Initial socialization should start to occur between birth to six weeks
of age. During this period, puppies are stimulated by frequent
handling. This helps them to be more social, handle stress better, and
build confidence.
Primary socialization should begin at three weeks through fourteen
weeks of age. This time is the most important time of social
development in your puppy’s life, as lack of socialization may lead to
the puppy regressing to an irreversibly fearful state.
How do you socialize your puppy?
Introduce your puppy to new situations, people, animals, and places.
Take your puppy with you everywhere possible. However, when introducing
your puppy to these new situations, there are a few things to remember:
1. The first experience should be a positive and safe one. For
example, if you take your puppy to the playground to meet children, the
children should be respectful of your puppy. Do not allow children to
jump,
scream or tug at your puppy, as this may make your puppy fearful of
children.
The children should approach calmly and quietly, allowing the puppy to
sniff their hands, and then pet the puppy with perhaps giving it a
treat.
2. Watch for signs of fear in the puppy. If you see your puppy
with its tail between its legs, body hunched over, fur on its back
raised, growling and/or barking, not wanting to approach some something
or someone, constantly laying down or startled, immediately stop the
introduction and go no further! Forcing an introduction at this point
could create an irreversible fear of what the puppy does not want to
approach as well as create trust issues between your puppy and you.
Instead, allow the puppy to take a moment to process what is going on
and approach it at its own pace.
3. Do not reinforce a fearful response from your puppy. Meaning
if your puppy is acting fearful, do not pick puppy up, hug, comfort or
pet it. Act as though nothing is wrong and give your puppy a moment to
process the situation and approach at its own pace. By trying to
console and comfort a puppy when in its fearful, you are reinforcing to
the puppy that acting fearfully gets a positive response from humans.
Moreover, human interference does not allow the puppy to learn how to
process and recuperate from being startled or fearful of a new
situation.
4. Do not correct a puppy for acting fearful, your puppy will
associate what ever it was fearful of with a correction.
5. Remember if puppies or dogs are startled, they can become
unpredictable. They may try to bolt, or if startled, may try to snap at
what has startled them. In order to mitigate this, keep your puppy on a
leash whenever introducing it to something new or not in a safely
confined
area.
6. Your attitude means a lot. If you act uneasy or
uncomfortable, your puppy will respond in similar fashion, as it takes
queues from you. Remain patient, calm, confident, and unaffected by the
response of your puppy in these situations.
7. Talk to your veterinarian about vaccinations and common
puppy illnesses before socializing your puppy with other animals.
Remember when you are in public places keep your puppy leashed as it
may save its life one day, and it is also the LAW. Do not limit your
puppy to this list, be creative, and have fun! Here is a list of things
to socialize your puppy to:
1. Introduce your puppy to as many people as you can,
irregardless of age, sizes, ethnicity, disabilities, appearance or
dress.
2. Introduce your puppy to people in motion such as walkers,
bicyclists, skaters, joggers, persons using wheelchairs or canes.
3. Introduce your puppy to other healthy, vaccinated, friendly
dogs and cats.
4. Introduce your puppy to different urban and woodland
environments. Remember to have them leashed you do this.
5. Take your puppy to the veterinarian’s office, not only for
its shots and check-ups, but to just visit. This helps build the
association that good things can happen when you go to the
veterinarians’ office.
6. Take your puppy to the pet shop with you.
7. Take your puppy on car rides. Do not leave a puppy in a
vehicle with its windows rolled up for even a minute as it can quickly
suffer from heat stroke and die. Also, do not leave the widows rolled
down as your puppy can jump out of the car and become lost, injured, or
even killed. If you can’t take your puppy with you when you get out of
the car, leave it at
home.
8. Take your puppy to a friend’s houses.
9. Take your puppy to outdoor sporting events.
10. Expose your puppy to anything which makes noise and/or moves
in your house such as running vacuum cleaners, sweeping and mopping or
a running dishwasher.
11. Expose your puppy to stairs, carpeted floors, wood or vinyl
floors, grass, *pavement,* gravel paths and anything else you can find.
*Please note: Check the temperature of any outdoor pavement before
allowing your puppy to touch it, they can get pretty hot.
12. Allow your puppy supervised visits in all rooms of your
home.
Sharon Bradberry is the founder and primary trainer at Fredericksburg
Canine Academy (540-898-8823).
Unable
to contact author, but some good advice is outlined in this article.
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