• DOGGIEVILLE RANCH •
COVID HAS ALSO CHANGED THE LIVES OF PETS
We have received so many calls from dog owners whose puppies arrived at the same time COVID-19 did. Today their super cute puppies are a year old, have no manners, no socialization skills and a whole lot of pent up energy. I wanted to share some thoughts and tips for anyone considering going down this road and for anyone trying to navigate this pandemic with pets. Bringing a new puppy home is challenging enough without bringing the training challenges the pandemic has bought into the mix.
This new COVID puppy syndrome is not that different to the restrictions placed on new dog owners for the first few months of any puppy’s life. You can’t get a rabies shot until your puppy is at least 3 months old. He won’t get his final booster until 16 weeks. Veterinarians recommend keeping your puppy away from dog parks and avoiding walking outside until after he’s had all core vaccinations. By that stage you have a 4 month old, highly strung puppy, getting bigger by the minute and picking up all sorts of bad habits.
Meanwhile, socializing your puppy is the most important thing you can do when it comes to behavior and training, and it's critical to do this during the imprint period that lasts between approximately seven to 16 weeks of age. Puppies who miss out on socialization are at a higher risk of developing problems such as fear, anxiety, and even aggression. Socialization should be top of your mind if you decide to bring home a puppy right now, and you need to plan how you'll make up for missed socialization opportunities.
There are many ways you can work with your 4 month old puppy out in the world while keeping your distance from other dogs and people.
It’s never too soon to start teaching your puppy basic commands like “sit”, “stay”, “come”, “down”, “leave it” and “drop”. Make sure everyone doing the training is consistent, using the same words and gestures. Otherwise, your puppy will become confused. There is a lot of information available on the internet and many trainers who are offering virtual training sessions.
Doggieville Ranch offers virtual sessions. We also offer private lessons and a board and train program for fully vaccinated dogs.
Just because you don’t want to risk walking your pup around the neighborhood doesn’t mean you can’t walk. Attach his leash and guide him around your living space so he gets used to the leash and to you leading him around. If you have a backyard, use bathroom time as another opportunity for leash training by walking your pup out to the spot where you want him to go, instead of letting him have the run of the yard.
Separation Anxiety is a common problem during normal times. Since the beginning of Covid, many pups have been around their families 24/7. Learning to be alone and without people is as important as learning to be with them and now is the time to teach your puppy to stay alone in a crate or a gated area. Place your crate in a nested area, such as a corner of the family room or in your bedroom. Provide a chew or a treat dispenser in the crate and put a cover on the crate, if it helps. Go for some neighborhood walks (practicing social distancing) without your puppy, or spend time in another room, cooking or reading. Learning to be without you will be a useful skill for the rest of their life.
Exposing your puppy to the environment is imperative. There are limitless examples of stimuli in the outdoors that you can introduce your puppy to safely. Allow him to take his time approaching, stepping on, or passing different stimulus like textures, including asphalt, grass, uneven trails, wet and dry conditions. Traffic and traffic sounds. Bicycles, skateboards, and other wheels – all from a safe distance. Weather conditions can also be frightening to a do. Expose him to light rain and wind in addition to sunny days; darkness as well as daylight.
You can also expose your puppy to social stimuli. Whenever your puppy sees a person or dog in the distance, give him a treat and lots of praise. Not only does this create a positive association, it also means your puppy will be better focused on you in the future when around those distractions.
Learn to read your puppy’s body language. You have the luxury of time and distance (from others) to learn about puppies social boundaries safely. Expose him at a safe distance, to other dogs. It’s better for all new puppies to meet others from a distance rather than to have close encounters with dogs who might be aggressive. You might also walk past dogs in fenced yards who bark or run along with you. Again, this is an opportunity to watch your puppy’s reactions and respond accordingly. Always use positive reinforcement, using happy voice and treats to reassure him. This will aid in teaching him to have consistently good associations with the dogs in his world.
Doggieville Ranch
March 2021
This new COVID puppy syndrome is not that different to the restrictions placed on new dog owners for the first few months of any puppy’s life. You can’t get a rabies shot until your puppy is at least 3 months old. He won’t get his final booster until 16 weeks. Veterinarians recommend keeping your puppy away from dog parks and avoiding walking outside until after he’s had all core vaccinations. By that stage you have a 4 month old, highly strung puppy, getting bigger by the minute and picking up all sorts of bad habits.
Meanwhile, socializing your puppy is the most important thing you can do when it comes to behavior and training, and it's critical to do this during the imprint period that lasts between approximately seven to 16 weeks of age. Puppies who miss out on socialization are at a higher risk of developing problems such as fear, anxiety, and even aggression. Socialization should be top of your mind if you decide to bring home a puppy right now, and you need to plan how you'll make up for missed socialization opportunities.
There are many ways you can work with your 4 month old puppy out in the world while keeping your distance from other dogs and people.
It’s never too soon to start teaching your puppy basic commands like “sit”, “stay”, “come”, “down”, “leave it” and “drop”. Make sure everyone doing the training is consistent, using the same words and gestures. Otherwise, your puppy will become confused. There is a lot of information available on the internet and many trainers who are offering virtual training sessions.
Doggieville Ranch offers virtual sessions. We also offer private lessons and a board and train program for fully vaccinated dogs.
Just because you don’t want to risk walking your pup around the neighborhood doesn’t mean you can’t walk. Attach his leash and guide him around your living space so he gets used to the leash and to you leading him around. If you have a backyard, use bathroom time as another opportunity for leash training by walking your pup out to the spot where you want him to go, instead of letting him have the run of the yard.
Separation Anxiety is a common problem during normal times. Since the beginning of Covid, many pups have been around their families 24/7. Learning to be alone and without people is as important as learning to be with them and now is the time to teach your puppy to stay alone in a crate or a gated area. Place your crate in a nested area, such as a corner of the family room or in your bedroom. Provide a chew or a treat dispenser in the crate and put a cover on the crate, if it helps. Go for some neighborhood walks (practicing social distancing) without your puppy, or spend time in another room, cooking or reading. Learning to be without you will be a useful skill for the rest of their life.
Exposing your puppy to the environment is imperative. There are limitless examples of stimuli in the outdoors that you can introduce your puppy to safely. Allow him to take his time approaching, stepping on, or passing different stimulus like textures, including asphalt, grass, uneven trails, wet and dry conditions. Traffic and traffic sounds. Bicycles, skateboards, and other wheels – all from a safe distance. Weather conditions can also be frightening to a do. Expose him to light rain and wind in addition to sunny days; darkness as well as daylight.
You can also expose your puppy to social stimuli. Whenever your puppy sees a person or dog in the distance, give him a treat and lots of praise. Not only does this create a positive association, it also means your puppy will be better focused on you in the future when around those distractions.
Learn to read your puppy’s body language. You have the luxury of time and distance (from others) to learn about puppies social boundaries safely. Expose him at a safe distance, to other dogs. It’s better for all new puppies to meet others from a distance rather than to have close encounters with dogs who might be aggressive. You might also walk past dogs in fenced yards who bark or run along with you. Again, this is an opportunity to watch your puppy’s reactions and respond accordingly. Always use positive reinforcement, using happy voice and treats to reassure him. This will aid in teaching him to have consistently good associations with the dogs in his world.
Doggieville Ranch
March 2021
March 20
TWENTY ONE
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