Temperament and Puppy Development III
By Jerry Hope
In the first two parts of this article, I explained the natural instincts of
a dog, often referred to as “drives.” I covered the imprinting of basic
fundamentals needed to become a successful working dog, regardless of whether
you are working in obedience, agility, protection or conformation. In this part,
I will focus on increasing training and continuing the development of those
drives needed for success.
At eight weeks of age, our pups are completely
weaned. They are totally separated from their mom, and I begin to separate them
from their littermates. If pups are allowed too much time to interact with their
littermates, an unhealthy bond can occur. A pup that is submissive (ranking
begins at about five weeks of age), may remain submissive their entire life if
kept in with the same dogs for an extended period. However, if we separate the
pups and allow the submissive ones to develop confidence and find their place in
life, they too may become top performers.
It is extremely important to
continue socializing these young pups. Get them out to different locations and
around as many people as possible. Some breeders refuse to allow their pups into
different locations or around different dogs until they have completed their
series of shots for fear of catching a deadly disease. I too, have this concern.
However, when I weigh the risk of catching an illness that can usually be cured,
to altering temperament issues that are almost never cured, it is an easy choice
for me. I advise consulting with your veterinarian before making the final
decision. Our training field is behind our house. So, all of my dogs are around
40 other dogs each week. Even the ones that never set a foot on the training
field are in contact with the dogs that do. It would be almost impossible to
keep my pups from being exposed to something. Also, I am proud to say that in
the nine years we’ve trained at this location, we haven’t had one incident of
illness reported from any pup or adult. Many of the breeders in our club will
begin to bring pups out to the field at five- or six-weeks-old. We have a place
for them to stay confined and still be close enough to see and hear what is
going on.
At eight weeks of age, I begin to expose the pups to as many
other sports as possible. If you plan on participating in weight pulling events,
this is the time to begin exposure to the equipment and to actual pulling. One
method is to begin with a 1-liter plastic soda bottle. Fill it about one-third
full with small rocks and attach it to a make-shift harness, allowing the pup to
play while pulling the bottle. This begins the skill of pulling and gets them
used to a noise that follows them. If you have properly exposed them to noise as
I noted in my past articles, this should be an easy task. Slowly increase the
weight about every two to three weeks. Don’t try too much; it will do more harm
than good.
I increase my work with tracking at this age. I will do this
using one of two methods. One method is to do an exercise called “runaways.”
Runaways are done by having someone hold your dog while you run away from the
dog --- first to a spot where they can see you, and later to a hidden spot. The
person holding the dog then allows the dog to lead them to you. Once the dog
gets to you, you reward the dog with a hug and a favorite toy/ball/tug/treat.
The other method is the “footstep method.” The footstep method involves laying a
track and baiting it with a treat, like hotdogs. I quarter the hotdogs and slice
them about the width of a nickel, placing one bite into the heel of every step.
I start by laying three short tracks. The first one is about 30 feet; the second
one is longer, about 40 feet; and the last one is about 20 feet. These three
tracks provide them with a warm up, allows for a harder track, and gives them a
good motivational track. Tracking distances can increase based on the ability of
the dog. However, I continue to lay the tracks in groups of threes.
I
also continue my work with a rag on a string. If you are interested in lure
coursing or straight racing, a plastic bag on a string should be introduced at
around eight weeks of age.
At ten weeks of age, I continue the rag work,
but I advance to a “flirt pole.” A flirt pole is a rag or sack on a string,
attached to a 23” – 24” pole. The pole gives you more movement, and allows you
to provide a bigger fight once the dog bites the rag.
I believe in
playing rough with my pups. Regardless of whether it’s a Malinois, Rottweiler,
or Basenji, I treat them all the same. I play rough, but I have a toy or tug
suitable for them to bite. So when they get rough, it’s not my clothes or arm
that takes the bite. I begin rough play at around nine or ten weeks of age, and
gradually increase the play as they get older. Playing rough does not make a
stable dog aggressive if you do it correctly.
At 12 weeks of age, I want
most of the basic skills in place. I want a dog that understands basic
obedience, basic agility, and tracking/trailing to a fairly high degree of
accuracy. I want a dog that understands the retrieval games and is excited about
playing them. If I have exposed the dog to livestock, I want to see a smile when
we get around sheep. I don’t expect a trial-worthy dog; I am looking for a dog
that is ready to work and shows tons of enthusiasm when I ask them to work.
From this point, I will be looking for the dog’s true love. Usually the
dog will get really excited doing one activity more than the others. I will
continue to work on as many activities as I feel the dog can handle, but I will
pay more attention to the ones he seems to like best. I may require his
attention in one activity prior to him getting to do his favorite. For instance,
I may require some obedience drills before I allow him to do his favorite
agility obstacle.
By 16 weeks of age, we should have all the imprinting
done. This is about the time teething begins for most dogs. Sometimes it becomes
difficult to hold their attention while they are teething, and if you are doing
any type of rag or tug work, expect the bite to fade. Don’t stop your training,
just adjust to the situation. You should continue to offer the rag or tug, just
be quite a bit easier. Chances are, if you had a good bite before teething, you
will have a good bite again in a few months.
Please don’t forget the
socialization! You have one chance to prevent about 85% of all major behavior
problems. Don’t miss the boat! From 4 to 12 weeks of age is the prime time for
socialization to strangers. In a 1961 experiment conducted by Freedman, King,
and Elliot, it was determined that a puppy which was introduced to a stranger
for the first time at four weeks of age, would go to him almost immediately. If
the pup did not see a stranger until seven weeks of age, it took an average of
two days. A 14-week-old puppy was so fearful of strangers that he never went to
the stranger on his own. So, if you are too busy to do the socialization, you
are probably too busy to breed a litter or own a puppy.
I hope this
series of articles has been helpful to you. If you have any questions, please
don’t hesitate to call me or send me an e-mail. My e-mail address is
jerry@ckcusa.com and my phone number is 877-711-7205.