My thoughts on Socialization & Fear Periods

Every dog owner has their own opinions about socializing their puppy.  The one thing everyone does seem to agree on is that socializing a puppy to as many different situations/noises/people/appropriate adult dogs/other animals/travel is a MUST.  Most experts agree that the window closes at around 7 months.  That is not a lot of time to positively expose meG to everything and everyone! 

It is also a well known fact that all puppies go through "fear periods" - periods of time when the puppy might react in a fearful manner to situations/things...Even if these situations and "things" are known!  While these fear periods are generally short lived, they can be frequent and, GASP!  The Socialization Clock is ticking!

However, I learned many years ago (from the BEST school - the School of Hard Knocks and my "autistic" dog, Spur), that the best way to get through these annoying fear periods is to ignore them.

meG says, "Fear Period?  What's that! I'm not 'fraid of anthing!" 



Here is what I did with meG during her first fear period at about 11 weeks, and will continue to do during her subsequent fear periods:

I did not FORCE her to meet the scary man/dog/child/cat/rock/log/hole in the ground.  No "Oh, come off it, meG, it's your BUDDY, Kitty, remember?" all the while dragging her up to said Kitty, with her body language saying she'd rather do ANYTHING else.  Rather, we stop and observe.  Usually she catches herself, sometimes I can see her embarrassment (LOL) as she realizes that the scary monster is really our friend Jack in his full chainsaw kit (helmet/faceguard/ear protectors/chaps/giant gloves). Sometimes it takes a bit longer and might not happen today.  "Tomorrow" often brings about a complete change and the Scary Thing is back to being mundane again.

What I don't do is indulge her.

No cookies or petting, and no cooing, "It's okay, meG, don't be scared......It's okay....Poor meG...."

Because why mark Fear? Why would I want to REWARD fear?   Everyone knows rewarding a behavior only makes it stronger!  Yes, I know about "classical conditioning" - teaching the puppy to Like the Scary Thing" through an association with something pleasant (cookies, play etc.) -  but I don't believe it is the best thing to do in these types of situations.  I think it just creates a "Your Fear is a Real Thing" headline, often in blazing, neon, in your dog's head...

And likely yours as well!  Subconsciously, maybe...But if I KNOW she was scared of The Thing yesterday, and I made a Big Deal out of it...Today I will probably (unconsciously?) Prepare for The Thing and meG's Real Fear. 

Now,  when she finally does wriggle into Jack's patiently waiting (steel fiber clad) arms, tail wagging, tongue licking; that is when cookies should be delivered!...Except meG is too busy being coddled and petted to take cookies ;)  Self rewarded bravery!  The best!

 



And now, for fun, here are some photos of meG and her sister Cass on a walk near Boston on their 3 month birthday.  After a few initial minutes of sisterly punching and hair pulling, they were fast friends.

meG was also a superstar in the hotel - her first time! She traveled with Fen, who thinks hotels are awesome.  meG just copied her Auntie!

She met a ton of people:  got treats from housekeeping staff and a toddler who (inadvertently?) gave her his slice of toast; rode the elevator up and down; managed the stairs like a pro; visited Lowes and PetSmart and went for a walk in a busy park (busy for this country gal, anyway).



Never-stop-puppies = blurry photos.



Creekside Cass, the Flying Nun, with meG close at her heels.





In the BIG dog crate.

 

Creekside meG (almost) 13 weeks...And some thoughts on "puppy training".

Time flies...Puppies grow up so fast!  meG is 13 weeks tomorrow and we are enjoying her so much.

She seems to be enjoying her puppyhood very much as well.  Yes, we have begun some fun training (tricks, relationship, play drive, recall etc.), but I do not see the point in overtraining "agility" behaviors that will take such a short time to learn anyway.  I watch video after video of very young puppies beginning some puppy agility training (plank work for running  or stopped contacts, wraps around jump stanchions, balance work, startline stays and even early jump training) and also beginning "herding" training on ducks or pigmy goats... I just don't see the point. 

1. meG's body is changing daily, any muscle memory learned now will not matter tomorrow!

2. meG's brain needs to develop to be able to take stress and pressure - forcing too much on meG at this age might turn her into a worrier (yes, even POSITIVE training, and often ESPECIALLY shaping with a thinking dog, if your rewards don't come fast enough and for the tiniest effort can turn your dog against training, setting up for failure in everything that comes in her future!)  I know my line: Creekside dogs are biddable and want to be right!  I do work with positive stress (restraint games, food/toy trades, and clicker training with HIGH reward for small efforts) but I am careful to stop the session before she chooses to and watch for any signs that she is not enjoying the training session.  And most of my sessions are completely informal and just "happen".  I look for opportunities to reward all the time:  outside, inside, on walks, in the barn, next to the running tractor/log splitter/chainsaw, amidst barking, frothing dogs, beside the electric fence, near the sheep/chickens/kids/strangers....You get the picture!

3.  Hiking and outdoor play is all meG needs right now, for her balance and body awareness.  The plank work for contacts, "jump training" is best in a natural setting where the puppy chooses or not to go over/under the log, walk across the log, balance on the rock etc. When meG tires, she gets picked up and carried. 

4.  That said, we do train tricks that will help her know she has back feet ;)  But they are just that - tricks that are fun and have a very high reward rate! 

Do you have a new puppy or a new rescue (which is often a puppy brain in an adult body)? News leak:  Jenny Damm has a new online Agility Foundations course coming soon!  Well, it is not that new, but is currently being translated into English.  I am currently doing lesson one and it is full of great tricks to build relationship, toy/food drive and enjoyment of activity and training. 

While I have no training videos, I did catch this cute session this morning: Ar-meG-eddon and her beloved chicken.

Enjoy their puppyhood, it doesn't last long!



Tired after her Berserker party.

 

Socializing meG

Now that I am home, camper is packed away and I am officially "in hibernation", I have to remind myself constantly that I have a puppy and said puppy cannot hibernate unless I would like her to become an anti-social hermit.  So I take meG everywhere with me:  the bank, the grocery store, the mechanic, the feed store, visiting friends etc.  She stays in the crate in the car while I do the "non-doggy" errands, but I bring her out wherever and whenever I can, allowing her to get used to busy streets, cars, trucks, other animals, kids, being carried, walking on leash, climbing on things, meeting strange people (often doing ALL the wrong things, making them seem weird and scary:  "OMG!  A puppy?  Is it a Berner?"  (said while leaning in menacingly and reaching overhead to pat between the ears).  meG takes it all in stride; you can almost see her little brain processing everything before she decides on her course of action (which, with the help of meatballs and liver treats turns into a wiggling session of tailwagaerobics).

Last week, meG and her pack went to a good friend's house and joined her two dogs (a 13 year old GSD and a 5 year old BC) for a walk in a new location.  Much fun was had by all - especially Uncle Mirk, who managed, within the first minute, to find a stinky pile of godknowswhat to roll in.  He was thoroughly covered in slime and needed an impromptu shampoo and rinse in the pond.  Otherwise, he was not riding home in the truck!

All photos below by France Poulin.

meG - future agility star as well as a sheepdog?

Bathing stinky Mirk in the pond.

She looks good with the equipment :)

The gang (minus Mirk, who was off rolling in filth) GSD "Kami", Red BC "Indy", then (L to R) Fen, meG, Grandma Tap and Mommy Gem.

meG wanted the stick, but not necessarily, to swim and get it!

The oldest and the youngest (Kami and meG)

meG is getting too big for her backpack!

meG and Uncle Mirk

The Creekside Family...Fen waiting for the Frisbee.

meG enjoys the mud.  A good thing, I guess!

Pretty meG

meG is not sure about all the hype over the Frisbee.

"This?  This flat, pink thing is what you all want so badly?"

"'Scuse me, this is mine."



Exploring pond-side.

 

meG and her mother, Gem.

 

meG trying to keep up with Indy.

Thank you France, for the amazing photos and the fun afternoon!

meG also made her first visit to the Feed Store - Clarke et Fils, in Lennoxville.  This is the most amazing place - choc full of everything you could ever need or want, from housewares to coveralls to pet and equestrian supplies to 50 lb bags of feed for your cow; all in what appears to be complete disarray, but obviously isn't, since staff are always able to - immediately - locate exactly what you ask for.  There were baby bunnies in the store.  And the two resident African Grey parrots were full of righteous indignation and many a speech was delivered to meG as she watched them, riveted.

 "These are not chickens," meG seemed to ask.  "No, meG, they are not."

"Can you come out and play?"

Thank you to Sydney, a student at Bishop's who took the cute photos of meG with the bunnies and parrots!

Fall Road Trip - Next up: UKI at Royackers!

Note: This is a catch up post!

Another long drive with a super-relaxing (not) overnight in a Wal-mart parking lot took us to beautiful Royackers Kennels for the UKI East Fall Cup, which was a qualifier for the UKI Canadian Nationals (and a points earning trial for those looking to apply for WAO Team Canada, which is not me ;) )

Our route took us close to Ellicottville, NY - where my family had a ski condo from the 1970's to the 90's.  It was weird seeing all the new buildings and how much the town and ski resort had changed, including the old condo, which looked a bit sad and in need of renovations when compared to the newer, more modern and much larger places.  But the dogs and I enjoyed a nice hike up the ski hill, right from the base of the chair lift I rode up when I was 6 years old. 

Our condo was the one with the red door.  Looks so shabby now, compared to how they used to look...I was kind of sad.

 

I had a spectacular fall on this part of the hill when I was a kid.  Garage sale of skis, mits, hat, goggles.....All in front of the audience on the chairlift, of course!

You can see my camper parked in the lot, of course empty at this time of year, except for the numerous workers that seems to be tuning up the chairlift or something.

It felt surreal to have my dogs here...

 

Mirk in the mist.

Gem and Fen...ready to go up?

Onward to Royackers

This was my first visit to Royackers.  I had heard what a lovely site it was, but wow! (Click here for photos) We were first to arrive and got a great spot to camp.  The dogs were able to be free hanging about for much of the time and enjoyed the space after being cooped up for the past 12 hours!

Unfortunately for us, Fen pulled up really lame on Saturday afternoon, so I had to pull her from the trial :(  This is a nagging, recurring injury that I am finally going to go get checked out properly.  I hope to get an appointment with a good sports vet in the next week or so. 

Anyway, I digress.  meG had lots more firsts:  First agility trial with lots of different breeds of dogs, loud music, lots of action and lots of cuddles!  Also, we spent the first really, REALLY cold night in the camper - thank goodness my propane tanks were full! meG took it all in stride, was her usual confident and easy self throughout it all.

We found a place to walk, just down the road, on an old farm track - probably trespassing, but nobody had used the track for anything but walking in a long, long time.  It was too chilly for swimming, but there was a super "lake", right on the property!  Perhaps, I will make it to Canada Cup in 2015? 

Here are a few photos of meG and the gang enjoying the beautiful fall days: