HOW TO PREPARE YOUR DOG’S EDUCATION
First of all, you must realize that your dog will be your faithful companion for many years. Here is some advice to help you.
>>You want to get a dog?
First decide what kind of dog would be suitable for your lifestyle. You can get advice from books, magazines, vets or trainers.
It’s better to get a puppy from a breeder rather than from a pet shop. His young life and weaning are essential for the rest of his life. Choose a breed fitting your way of life, the space you have and the amount of time you have to look after your pet.
If you have small children, choose a patient and docile breed.
>>What should you do when your puppy arrives?
Start by choosing a special place for him. Avoid the kitchen, bedrooms and frequent passage ways. When your puppy arrives, he may be anxious. This can be explained in two ways: the first are that the surroundings (smells and sounds) are completely different to anything he has known so far and the second is the absence of his mother. The puppy will have to become familiar with all this.
If he seems worried, you can wrap up a hot water bottle in a towel and place it in his basket. The heat will remind him of his mother.
Teach him to stay alone by disappearing a few minutes longer each time you leave him. You will avoid him barking every time you leave in this way. You can also leave music on if he cries for more than 5 minutes when you leave him alone.
These measures can be used when you first get your puppy but must be temporary.
>> Naughty puppies
Life with a puppy can be tough over the first few months. Puppies can chew-however do not encourage him; small puppies grow into big dogs!
Some damages can be caused when he is on his own due to separation anxiety. Talk to your vet or dog trainer to get advice and know how to handle these situations.
If you are having difficulty house training your puppy, they can help you with this too.
>>Socialisation
As soon as you are able to take your puppy out, he must meet other dogs. Take him to parks to discover new friends and find his place in the canine hierarchy. This way you will avoid any aggressive or fearful reactions.
A puppy’s education must be adapted to his personality and your lifestyle. A professional can help you adapt the education to your needs. |
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You can start schooling your puppy when he is 4 months old. No physical effort is necessary therefore no harm will be done to the young bones.
Lessons always include the owner or owners. The puppy does not have one master but a whole family. There are no ‘dressage’ or defense lessons but a gentle education: authority is not brutality.
To socialize a dog, we use every day situations as a starting point. Depending on the problems encountered, the lessons can be at home, in the street, in a park…
Five basic lessons are necessary for family obedience:
>>On the leash, walking at heel
so that your dog does not pull
>>Off the leash, walking at heel
hands in pockets
>>Stopping on demand
to allow you to open doors, to avoid the dog jumping on people, to stay still whilst you are eating
>>Coming back
if this is under control, you will be able to let your dog off the leash even when in a hurry
>>Refusing food
dogs often steal food and can end up eating all sorts of rubbish…
Pavlov conditioning is used to elaborate these exercises: provoking a reaction by associating two ideas.
Most problems encountered during your dog’s education (barking, damage, house training, growling when eating…) can be solved using these simple exercises.
Do not leave your dog’s education until it’s too late!
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Why take lessons ?
Learning ‘good manners’ is essential for your dog’s well-being and your own peace of mind and can be started at 3 months of age.
Our professional coaches can help you educate your dog from the start and overcome any problems.
Also, coming once or twice a week and spending quality time with your dog will strengthen the relationship you have with him.
You can really enjoy the time spent with your canine companion and you can train for fun or for competition but always in a playful and tolerant way: the quality of the dog/owner relationship is our priority.
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Please note that:
- You need to know your dog, i.e. understand his attitudes, his behaviour, his eyes…
- You need to educate him, socialise him with other dogs and people in order to integrate him into our society
- You must give him all the necessary attention and affection
- You must respect him : he is not a toy, not a child and must not be brutalised
Authority
 In the old days, dogs were social and gregarious animals living in a pack with a strict hierarchy and visual, auditory and olfactory communication between the dominant and subdominant members of the pack.
Domestication made Man the new leader of the pack but over the last years, dogs have been used more as companions than as working dogs.
An owner who doesn’t know anything about canine history or how to interpret a dog’s reactions could lose his status as leader of the pack and suffer from any unpleasant consequences that could arise from this situation.
To avoid these kinds of problems, make the effort to give your dog the life that he needs, for example enough physical activity with varied activities.
An educated dog will never be abandoned for bad behaviour.
« Take me with you and with both our miseries, we may be able to create some kind of happiness» (Baudelaire)
Always keep in mind that it takes time to get to know one another and that you mustn’t give up, even if the dog has misbehaved due to a misunderstanding.
The decision to get a dog, a puppy or a cat is an important one: you need to be able to take care of his needs (food, vet fees…approximately 2 euros per day) and give him affection for over 10 years.
Puppy or adult dog ?
A puppy is very energetic and needs to be educated but it’s a wonderful experience and one can adapt the education to one’s lifestyle.
Adopting an adult dog is a very different experience: not all dogs in kennels are difficult, their owner could have died or moved away from the area, allergies can cause problems or money problems…Before choosing to adopt one, you just need to find out a little about his history.
Male or female?
Males are said to have more character than females: an adult male, non castrated will want to mark his territory and try to run away if he smells a female on heat.
A female will be calmer but can be on heat 2 or 3 times a year, lasting 3 weeks each time.
Today, when people adopt a dog, it’s for many different reasons : for company, sport, to care for a human being who is psychologically or physically in need, helping a child learn responsibilities…If you know why you want to adopt a dog, you will know what type of dog to look for.
Then ask yourself the following questions: will the dog adapt to your lifestyle? What will you need to change in your way of living for the dog? Are you patient? Do you have the necessary authority? Are you a sporty person? Will you be able to pay for his needs? Do you have young children? Could a dog disturb anyone in your family circle?
Choose a dog to suit your way of life: some dogs need a lot of walks, other dogs are quieter and like to stay at home; some dogs are better watch dogs and others for keeping company. Do not follow a fashion, keep all this in mind! |
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR DOG’S EDUCATION – 2