As soon as a puppy is born he begins learning. Training is simply the alternative you provide to what he learns on his own. I “train” my pups from day one by handling them, playing with them in gentle ways to build trust and habituate to handling.
Exercises one and two are recommended only for small puppies up to three months of age. Exercises three and four are suitable for pups up to six months of age. Be gentle but firm with all exercises, as you would with a baby human. If your bitch becomes anxious, work with the puppy near to her so that she does not fret. Gently teach your bitch to share her pups with you.
1. Pick up the pup and support him comfortably with your hands underneath him so that he faces you. Hold him away from you at arms’ length. You want to make direct eye contact and as you look at him, you can rock him gently. If he struggles, growl gently like mama wolf. Your purpose in all this is to get him to relax. Vary the time you hold him in this position from 15 to 45 seconds. If you vary the locations for the exercise, the pup will hear and accept different ambient noises.
2. Cradle your pup, placing one hand under his head and the other supporting his back so that he is upside down on his back, and up in the air. Hold a larger puppy across your lap. Hold the pup for 15 to 45 seconds, using the same growl as in exercise one if he struggles. Hold him gently but firmly until he relaxes. The posture of the pup (on his back) will teach him to calmly accept a submissive posture. Allowing you to be in control is the foundation of trust.
3. Large breed pups can be straddled with one of your legs on each side of him. Face the same direction as your dog, and lock your fingers together under his chest, just behind the front legs. Lift his front legs off the ground for 15 to 45 seconds. If he struggles, growl at him till he is quiet.
4. As your pup is lying on the floor beside you encourage him to be quiet. Talk quietly and see if you can get him to let you rub his tummy. It might take two or three minutes to get him to relax. Do not allow him to struggle, get up, or nip. Praise him in a quiet tone when he relaxes. At this point you can gently handle his paws and raise his flews to look at his teeth. Don’t go too fast for him; take the time to keep him relaxed.
Use the stare: Eye contact is one of the ways order is kept in a wolf pack. Only an alpha animal may use the stare to remind everyone who is in charge. Eye contact expresses your alpha position. Encourage your pup to maintain eye contact for several seconds, making it a pleasant experience. Do not force him to do this. Use the term “watch me” and always praise him the instant you have eye contact. You may use cooked liver (in small amounts) as an incentive, a reward for watching.
Use the sit: The single most important command your dog can learn is “sit.” You can incorporate “sit” into everyday situations to punctuate your activities with pauses. Sits are reminders that you are in charge of things. Tell your dog to “sit” before you feed him, before you play, before he proceeds calmly out the door. Once your pup is old enough to sit for a short period of time, he may accompany you to, say, fold up laundry in the laundry room. While you fold the laundry, he can lie on a mat with a bone. This ordered activity teaches the dog that he must respond to you before indulging in his own pleasures.
Ignoring your pup because you think he’s too young to learn would be like deferring your son’s education until he’s 18.
Next week: Why dogs and humans cannot mate
Ravinn O. West is kennelmaster and trainer at Ravendale Kennel and Training Centre at Cochrane, Alberta.
Her latest book, The Tao of Dogs is available from www.ravinnwest.com You may send questions or comments to her via [email protected]
