Kay Laurence - Learning About Dogs Kay Laurence, Frances McCormack & Sue McGuire

When we plan the future of this wonderful new life we can begin to think in terms of how we want them to be as adults. This can make our training plans quite narrow and centric to our expectations. 
Instead if we view them as learners that can be flexible then there is no limit to what they can learn for all of their future. 

As much as we would love to be able to let our youngsters enjoy plenty of freedom to explore, learn, run free; the realities of the desires of your adolescent dog means that:
"Explore" morphs quickly into reverse engineering your sofa, laptop, waste bins; or run the neighbourhood until darkness and hunger drives them home"Learn" is discovering of the joyous sensations of digging, chewing, chasing"Run free" becomes a license to irritate all local wildlife, other dogs, other people or cats We can design an adolescence with plenty of selected opportunities to learn without compromising their development or blossoming personalities. This period is very much about learning the future skills of being an adult in your world. 

Important conversations when we graduate from one dog to two: 
Does one dog teach the other bad habits and can we ask them to teach good habits? Delivering rewards, you only have two hands, training one dog without excluding the other: learning the important skills of spectating and not feeling left out. Walking together: your body language is the dominant cue and we have to be careful not to let them feed off each other in arousal. Nose put out: the long term resident can feel upset by the demands of the new puppy. Be sure they have their special moments. 

Our hands are very often used for communication and for the pup most importantly CONTACT.  

The way we use our hands, where they touch the puppy, how they touch the puppy will be building associations for life. Hands that can be trusted and hands that will deliver sensational rewards. Hands that will later becomes tools: hands can begin the feelings of brushes, cleaning and holding for stillness. 
 
Building familiarity with the movement and actions of your hands can build a future for easy veterinary procedures in the future. 

A period of exceptional growth  where the pup's world seems to shrink as they grow larger. Feet seem gigantic and unmanageable, teeth are falling out, appetites and growing and sleep is the deepest kind. Not a time we should be expecting cognitive gymnastics but still need to feed the learning appetite. 

Having survived many of these transition periods Kay and Frances share their observations and recommendations. 

Most of us want to take our pup out-and-about with us; from the countryside walks to brunch at the local café or pub. We will plan to go on holiday, stay in hotels or visit friends, perhaps go to classes, a dog show or the local garden fête.
To ensure these outings are as pleasant an experience for your dog as they are for you we need to begin to familiarise the youngster with these anticipated but unnatural environments.

A familiarisation protocol should ensure that a puppy has the time to assess, observe, and become familiar with, the weird and wonderful life that will be their future. If you rush this and the pup becomes fearful of people at the cafe, then this shared outing may never be on your dream list.

Do not rely on putting it right or fixing this associated anxiety at a later date. “Become familiar with” should never involve anxiety, it should always be gradual, never extreme and the pup should always have the right to say “no thanks”.

FEATURE: Familiarisation