So you have a new addition to your family.....congratulations!!!! Did you receive your owners manual or instruction book? Unfortunately, puppies like children do not come with instructions or manuals. Confused to when to start your pup's education? Trainers and vets agree:
NEVER TO SOON

Top notch breeders start training as soon as newborns hit the ground. The utmost importance of a puppies development is socialization. This does not mean just socialization with other canines, but real world sounds and circumstances labeled as "distractions" in dog trainer world.

Top notch breeders will play distraction sounds/noises at low levels to familiarize pups to those distractions.  In theory the pups will be less distracted from these noises when they experience the real world. This is due to the fact they were repeatedly exposed to them .....repetition, repetition, repetition.

7,7,7
The best breeders will also follow the 'rule of seven'. By seven weeks of age puppies need to have eaten from seven various food dishes, exposed to seven different areas of house and yard and walked on seven different surfaces/levels. Developing confidence and easily acceptance of strange things comes from socialization in a calm and safe environment.

​UNDERSTANDING THE WHOLE PROCESS
For puppies, the utmost importance for their behavioral wellness is directly related to that proper socialization during their critical development period....which ends by 16 weeks.  Well adjusted pets come from positive reinforcement with socialization the day your pup arrives at your house. Everything they encounter is a new experience and they will be looking to you for guidance, the "pack leader".  Never ever
yell at your pup......you need to save that trump card down the road in extreme cases.   

Puppies have the attention span of a gnat....and that is being generous. They will be easily distracted and their focus will wander from you. Patience is a massive virtue in puppy world. The more experiences your pup has before 16 weeks of age, the more laid back and easy going he/she will be. This foundation relays in to a well adjusted dog in their real world journey.

The period from 7-1/2 weeks old to 9-1/2 weeks is known as the "socialization fear" period. Puppies must be highly protected from fear provoking experiences, for fear at this period in time may stay with them for a lifetime

Canines have four mechanisms in dealing with their new environment. 

1. Fight                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
2. Flight                                                                                                                                                                                                                
3. Submit                                                                                                                                                                                                              
4. Ignore                                                                                                                                                                                                              

The fight or flight strategy is derived from the instinctual responses. The submit & ignore strategy is derived from responses learned based on training and socialization.

An adequately socialized dog prior to six months of age is able to generalize, a valuable learning tool. A perfect example is a properly socialized dog  accepting a six year old child as OK will then accept all six year olds as OK. Without the ability to generalize, every six year old coming in contact  will then have to be "checked out" before being accepted. Dogs being kenneled and not receiving any socialization skills before six months do not fully develop the ability to generalize. This will hamper the dogs ability for adaptation to their environment and the learning curve for the rest of their life.

So you now  know that the foundation in the early weeks of puppy hood is what sets the tone for adult hood. It is a lot of work and patience while letting a puppy be a puppy. Not to mention training with consistency and repetition by everyone in the house hold..... a must to draw a clear picture for the puppy student. 

Then there are the various tangents which will follow in future blogs. Crate training, potty training, proper equipment and the list goes on. There are many reasons  why our animal shelters are full.....with behavioral issues ranking at the top. Having a well trained canine is by no means an easy task.

You as an owner have to make the decision on whether you have the time and patience....and most of all the tricks of the trade to have a well trained dog. "A well trained dog" is a relative term !!  Seeking a professional dog trainer for at least an evaluation/consultation is a start. Think of having the kind of dog you want as an investment and with any successful investment one has to do their homework. 

As in any business, finding that company to suit your needs is a task in itself. Integrity, knowledge, experience and a love for what they have to offer varies dramatically. Trusting your dog with just any trainer will be detrimental in the long run.....this is a part of your family !! VIPet services has had numerous clients where sadly we had to fix problems created by so called reputable dog trainers. 

​Bottom line is taking on a new puppy is a decision that can not be taken lightly, Do your due diligence in all phases for a quality of life you and your new family member both deserve. 
DOGS ARE THE MOST AMAZING CREATURES. THEY GIVE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND ARE THE ROLE MODEL FOR BEING ALIVE. 

Please call or email us with any questions or concerns you may have from deciding to get a puppy to  solving behavior problems. We understand every pet is a VERY IMPORTANT PET !!