By    Lena Skov of Noble Legacy Danes

"ALL ABOUT BEHAVIOR"

I do not have a PhD in dog psychology nor have I written any books.  I will not make claims I cannot support; however, I promise to dedicate my life to Danes, learning more about them, and dogs in general, reading every book available on dog behavior, watching trainers, handlers and owners, attend seminars and share all that I learn with those who are interested in reading it.

Today I would like to talk about

Socializing puppies at dog shows and building confidence

Just like the kids, puppies are the future. By shaping a puppy, we shape the future of the breed, one wagging tail at a time. What could be better than watching the Apollo of Dogs gliding confidently around the ring with ears up, tail relaxed, whole body alert and proud. The Apollo of Dogs that does not shy away from the judges, but looks them straight in the eyes, withstands the bite examination with dignity and stands like a fortress when the  most private area is checked. That is the dream Dane of us all, but how do we get there?

Confidence is the answer I hear most often. Confidence comes from a variety of sources, most of which, I will not be able to cover today. Majority of the breeders would agree that a well-socialized puppy will grow into a confident adult. The trick is in understanding what type of “socializing” a specific puppy needs.

For most of the puppies it will be sufficient just to be out in the new environment and be exposed to new things. These puppies you can simply bring to a show and let them do their own thing: climb on things, lick strangers’ faces, pull, pounce, etc. I see a lot of proud parents showing off their future champions. Most of the puppies are very comfortable being among all the commotion of dog shows. but there are some that tremble and cling to their parent for support. These puppies will need much more work and care.

There are a lot of controversial opinions about Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer."  One aspect he teaches should not raise debate - dogs are pack animals. No matter for how many generations they have been domesticated and bred to develop specific characteristics, they still remain canines with DNA almost indistinguishable from wolves. Wolves live in packs. The pack travels daily in search of food and water. The pack also has a leader who is responsible for its wellbeing. It is simple and straightforward.

How does this translate to socializing shy puppies at the shows?

You probably noticed that dogs do not multitask very well. They tend to do one thing at a time.  When a puppy is overwhelmed and is not processing the environment, the best way to relax him/her is to redirect their attention and give them something to do. It is always easier to invoke instincts rather than the learned behavior. One of the primal behaviors of a dog is walking in the pack. It sounds almost too easy, but it is not.

Walking off the puppy's anxiety and teaching him to stand on his own:

When I say walk I do not mean casually stroll and let the puppy stop and sniff or look around. What I mean is walking with purpose. Once you try it you will see the difference.

When you decide to bring a shy puppy to a show, please set aside enough time when you can be totally focused on him/her.  You have to take control of the situation from the very first moment and walk into the building at a brisk pace. If the puppy starts tugging and pulling away, keep walking in the same direction not giving into the panic of the little one.  After a few minutes you will probably notice that the puppy will start getting in the rhythm. His main focus will be on keeping up with you, hence walking at a brisk pace is very important. His attention will be diverted from all those scary new things to you, leading the way confidently. Please stay in the rhythm, do not stop to say ‘Hello” to your friends, do not stop by the vendors, etc.

3. Vocal encouragement

It is very difficult for us not to treat puppies as children. I am personally guilty in doing baby talk and calling myself a “Mommy” (I cannot believe I am sharing that).  Unfortunately, we forget that dogs process information in a different order. To them smell comes first, eyesight second and hearing third. As you know, puppies are born with noses open, two weeks later they open their eyes, and in less that a week, they start using their ears.

Going back to show socializing: It is not the best idea to vocally cheer the shy puppy to stay in the rhythm with the excited voice. It will actually have the opposite effect. It will tell the puppy that you are not calm and are full of nervous energy and it is probably all those new strange and scary things that are causing it…  You are back to square one. The best way for you is to say nothing, but calmly and unquestionably lead the way.

4. Keep attention on you

Change direction frequently to keep the puppy on his toes in order to prevent his mind from wandering off.  You can also make a tight circle or stop dead on your heels.

5. Do not over-exert the puppy
  
There is no set length of time that you will have to walk.  Five, ten minutes and, hopefully, not much longer. Please avoid exhausting the puppy and stop when you see that he no longer looks anxious, the tail is relaxed, the movement is smoother, and the rhythm is in the trot.

6.  Relax the body, relax the mind

You know from very popular yoga that when the body relaxes so does the mind. At this time the puppy’s mind is ready to process all new things in a more relaxed and positive way. It is a good time to give the puppy some positive reinforcement, whatever he likes best, belly rub, cookie or a toy. It is also a good time to meet strangers or best yet - observe and absorb the surroundings.

7. Give the puppy space

Once the puppy is relaxed – let him approach and sniff things. It is important at that moment to give the puppy space if he is interested in looking around on his own. You will have to relax the lead and follow him. This will give the puppy a chance to process information independently with no guidance or support from you.  That is the most important key to confidence. Do not talk to him or pet him. Let him figure out on his own whatever it is he is trying to figure out.  This in itself builds confidence.

8. Hold your ground.

If he gets startled and clings to you again for support, try to avoid physical contact. Step aside, give him a second to regroup on his own and only then redirect the attention. Once again, it is important to teach the puppy to process information on his own. It is also important to understand the difference between independence and arrogance. Processing the surroundings on his own does not mean that the puppy should decide to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.

9. Handing off

If you decide to “hand off” the puppy, ask your friends to do the same exercise you did at the beginning. Please make sure that your friends have enough time to do this properly. Have them take the leash confidently and walk away.

10. Taking the puppy back

Once the puppy is in the rhythm again (it should not take as long as the first time), take the puppy back, but not before he is relaxed.

We all know how frustrating it is when a handler is dragged across the floor as soon the dog sees his parents. It is very important to begin teaching the puppy that pulling to get back to you is unacceptable. If the puppy pulls, give him a little tug and relax the leash, tug and relax until he stays still. Not a step forward before. Please be patient. This exercise alone can take 5 minutes of straight struggle. Do not add anxiety by yelling: “No. Stop it. Stop it!!!” It is critical that you stay calm. If need be, break the eye contact with your puppy and look away until he behaves.

Unfortunately, for most shy puppies it will take several trips to dog shows to gain confidence. It is critical to start young, do it frequently and not cut any corners.

Most common mistakes:

Good luck!

Lena Skov
Noble Legacy Danes

Suggested reading for this month:

New York Times #1 Bestseller

“CESAR'S WAY"
The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems.

To Be Archived in"STACKS"