I have a 12-week-old German Shepherd puppy. I know how important it is to socialise her so I have been taking her out to familarise her with all the sights and sounds of the modern world. However, as soon as she sees another dog she starts to bark and jump about on her lead and it's very hard to calm her down. I would like to take her to puppy classes, but am afraid how she will react to a class full of strange dogs.
Mark Williams
It sounds to me as if your puppy is desperate to be allowed to play with other dogs! Has she been able to unteract with other dogs since you have had her? This is so important especially whilst she is under 14 weeks of age - a critical socialising time. Have you any friends who could bring their dog to visit you - or whom you could visit - in order to let your pup have some off-lead contact with another dog?
I have been running puppy classes for many years and have had many owners at class who were really concerned about letting their puppy loose when it seemed to be over-excited. The trainer running your local class will have seen this before as well. You will be amazed that when the lead is taken off the chances are that your pup will stop all the leaping and barking nonsense and start to greet the other pups calmly and probably quite tentatively. Being on the lead restricts the natural greeting behaviour of dogs and often results in what you are describing.
You do have a GSD, which is one of the noisiest breeds in my experience. They like to 'have the last word' and 'talk' back to you, which is part of the charm of the breed! But we do not want her barking constantly. Start to work on a 'Quietly' command. When she barks, decide how many barks are to be allowed - perhaps three woofs - and then hold a smelly food treat in front of her nose and say 'Quietly' whilst she sniffs the treat. Dogs can not bark and sniff at the same time, so sniffing interrupts the unwanted behaviour and gives you something to praise. I have found that it can help to make the point about being quiet by running your other hand gently down her throat whilst she is sniffing the treat. After about eight seconds let her have the treat. The eight second sniff means that she will associate the treat with being quiet rather then being rewarded for barking. Also start work on 'Sit' and practice it any time, any place, anywhere - in the lounge, in the kitchen, on the front path, on the pavement, at the gate of the park, on the grass in the park etc. Asking for a 'Sit' will help you control the leaping about.
Lynn Aitchison, Dogs Today Advisor
I would find a good puppy socilisation class and take her there asap, a good trainer will help you with her behaviour it is typical shepherd behaviour and can become a big problem if you dont sort it now.
ReplyDeleteMake sure its a socialisation class and there is controlled social interactions and not just a training class with young dogs and puppies in.
I will be covering this on my site in the near future. The best way which worked for me is not initially a formal dog training class.
ReplyDeleteHave you any friends with an adult dog, preferably female. Just introduce them and let them get on with it. In general the maternal instincts will kick in with the adult female. The puppy will gain confidence playing and play fighting with an adult female. Some adult male dogs will not tolerate a puppy, even a female.
The best person to teach a puppy is a female dog. We take puppies away from their mothers and siblings when they can physically survive without them. What they lose is the play with adult dogs and siblings. This is their socialisation and learning. You need to replicate this. If you know someone with a female dog give them time together one to one.
Another point is to give confidence, I will be covering this. If you follow this in the next week or so it will be covering the puppy socialisation and confidence issues.
http://celticlion.wordpress.com/2009/01/10/the-song-of-ruskin-the-beginning/