Let him have it!

This week I have a client’s dog staying with us for board & train. The dogs have gotten along just fine. Just a few “that’s my bed, ball or toy” “conversations” that have been curtailed readily.

Yesterday as I am attempting to play with Deuce and Rio and our friendly visitor, I realized that the lab is running hard after the “sacred” orange ball. Deuce and Rio continue to run and now I am worried that the little- tank of Labrador is going to crash into Deuce. Oh no!

Both males get into a minor … “It’s mine!", “No! She kicked it for me” kind of a thing. We continue to play with the ball. And once again there is a minor exchange of “words” surrounding possession of the ball.

I get smart and I go to fetch the second orange ball - now partially destroyed. I call the lab and I throw the ball for him down the driveway. Off he goes after it. Good, now I can play with Deuce and Rio as we normally do.

Occasionally Gator turns to our game and goes after the ball. I call out to both my dogs to let him have the ball and they kind of looked relived that they do not have to compete with Gator over the ball and are running back to me.

Yes, yes, yes pups! Well done! I slip them both a piece of dried liver that I happen to have in my pocket to thank them for diffusing and taking the high road.

I continue to send Gator for his own ball down the driveway with everybody minding their own ball.

On the occasion that Gator decides to join “our party” I let him run full throttle after our ball and I ask my dogs again to just let him have it.

Situations like these are great learning opportunities for all involved. I get to practice with my own dogs important behaviors such as stop engaging with (you can fill in the blanks here of all the things dogs love to engage with and that on occasion can be a problem for us). I am also teaching my dogs to share. Really. Dogs, just like people, have favorite stuff that they like to claim their own and they are not always ready to “just share” with this new dog that is now in their space.

If we want our dogs to have polite manners towards others we have to teach them what that looks like! On these same lines, I am a big fan of telling the dog what to do instead. Say I tell Deuce and Rio to “leave the ball” then I proceed to call them to me so that we can begin the game again with either the ball that Gator has graciously brought to my vicinity or incorporate the second ball. In this manner, not only am I avoiding a conflict, but I am also teaching my dogs that listening to my requests pays off. I will make sure that they get to play too even if Gator has not yet learned the rules of our games and it is being a bit of a putts by running full speed toward the ball.

Life and our dogs give us so many opportunities to teach and learn. Even the most mundane of circumstances are golden opportunities to either teach something new or continue to practice what we have taught before. In addition, we get to experience dogs being just dogs… animal planet in the comfort of our home…

Daisy

A potential client calls to see if I can take her 4-month-old Lab for a few days. It has been a while since I had a puppy for B&T and frankly I am looking forward to it for my sake and that of my two dogs.

They arrive and Daisy now out of the car begins to investigate. She runs in her cute puppy manner towards me as if she has met me before and I am her biggest friend.

I noticed a big grin on my face. Ah puppies! You got to love their energy and amusing ways. And how about that puppy-breath?

Now it's Deuce's and Rio’s turn to meet Daisy. Daisy has not had any experience (besides her parents) with adult dogs so we are eager to see her reaction. I bring both dogs out and have them investigate Daisy while Daisy remains next to her owner and separated by a gate from both dogs as to not overwhelm her by their approach, and to give me an opportunity to asses her reaction towards them.

She pees a bit in submission but otherwise she is happy to interact and the fun begins. The three of them are play bowing, taking turn sniffing each other, running and just having fun.

Daisy’s mom leaves and I make sure that she is comfortable.

As part of the board & train we will work on some basic obedience (drop it, loose leash walking, off, etc.) as well as to continue with her housetraining, and dog & dog interactions.

Finally all tucked in the dogs fall asleep. Daisy in her big crate next to Rio - who is lying on her bed as close as she can to the crate.

The next morning as Deuce lays in the kitchen Daisy approaches him eager to play. I am watching them and noticed that Deuce either has not fully woken up or is frankly over the cute puppy. Daisy continues to pester him and he lets out a growl. Daisy responds immediately giving Deuce the room he is asking for. I had told Daisy’s mom that most likely Deuce and Rio would “correct” Daisy.

The thing is this. Well-socialized adult dogs will cut young puppies slack when they act crazy and rambunctious towards them. However, this license begins to fade once the puppy turns 5 months of age - the beginning of adolescence in most dogs.

Corrections by adult dogs must be gentle: A sneer or a growl and even a gentle physical correction should do the trick to having the pup mend his or her ways.

Daisy was corrected three times by Deuce when she was here – all appropriate corrections and she responded also very appropriately.

In one occasion she rushed towards Deuce as he was (again!) lying down. This time I did not see exactly what Daisy did to warrant his growl, but I am assuming that she startled him because he was lying down as she rushed towards him -  perhaps she might have even stepped on him.

When I turned around Daisy had moved away from Deuce and was now sitting all alone in the kitchen. Ahhhh, I felt sorry for her. I went to her, picked her up and brought her to the sofa with me. Two seconds later she had bounced back to her happy and confident self and was now gnawing on an antler-bone that I was holding for her.

The next morning, I was curious to see if Deuce would once again engage in play with Daisy and he did!

The beauty of well-socialized dogs is that they help socialize younger pups by teaching them social skills but they have an understanding of what is an appropriate correction.

Because of their lack of overall experience, young puppies can be sensitive to the harsh treatment of other dogs- especially adult dogs and one should make sure that the interactions that they have with all dogs are overall positive as to avoid a pre-disposition to fear when it comes to dog & dog interactions.

After seeing Deuce’s reaction to Daisy that morning I began to fully relax knowing that Daisy had learned some really good lessons and that she had the social skills instilled by her sibs to continue to positively interact with all sorts of dogs.

Before she left, I was hoping to get some cute photos of her. It was almost impossible! The results were images of half a puppy, or a moving head and paw. Disappointed at my images, I finally took a picture of Daisy that revealed a tired pup just taking a rest from one more play session with her newfound “buds”.