Puppy Temperment And "single Puppy Syndrome"

[Nova'sMum]

Just a question on how exact is it that a pups temperment is set by 16 weeks. My 15 week male ckcs pup is a bit concerned about other dogs. Weeks 1 & 2 at puppy school saw him under the chair, week 3 saw him sitting by the chair and asking for treats from the trainers, week 4 he tolerated the other pups attentions, but was still very wary. The following week I took him to different puppy class for socialization and again tolerated other pups attention but didn't initiate contact. Today met neighbours 5mth old pups and he would have bolted except he was on a lead. After about half an hour, he did finally do the puppy play bow for the beagle, but beagle wasn't interested. Next tuesday he turns 16 weeks - am I going to end up with a wuss of a dog (not that I really mind) or will further socialization increase his confidence?

[Dogsfevr]

Im not a believer of puppy preschool,its a case of throw all pups in together & go for it & often it is overwhelming for the pup can have a backward affect.

Often the dogs attend soon after arriving in there new home & havent yet gained the trust of there new owners & then attend a class where they dont trust anything.

Be patient & dont push the pup & dont react to his uninterest.Small steps result in giant advances.

With your neighbours pups i would be inclined at present to just do a meet on the front lawn ,be quick ,confidient & walk off with lots of praise & make it fun as the pup gains confidience then allow activities

Many dogs need to feel secure in the dogs they meet & some pups are very over bearing & pushy often a well behaved adult is more relaxing but dont panic,make sure pup is well socialized to the outside world.Dont fuss it & join an obedience club .

Not all dogs are social butterflies but you dont want any aggression reactions.

depending on how pup was raised from the breeder can also have some bearing on how quickly it adjust to the ouside world.

[Cosmolo]

I disagree with showdogs assertion that all puppy schools 'throw the pups in together'- a well run puppy school run by a qualified trainer should do no such thing and i have many puppies happily graduating puppy schools every month- some of whom started as nervous wrecks!

I would actually suggest speaking with a professional (perhaps the trainer who took your puppy school if you were happy with them, their methods etc or a trainer that a DOLer might be able to recommend depending on your location) about how to safely socilisae your puppy further. Yes it can help to increase your dogs confidence but its vital that it is done correctly. Going anywhere where there are lots of dogs bouncing around may not be the ideal next step for your puppy.

If you go to group obedience straight away, make sure it is well structured, preferably with a socialisation program, organised and under control. I have seen many free for alls at obedience clubs as well as puppy classes and that can be damaging to a timid pup.

[Monah]

My viszla was a nightmare for the first year. Just persevere, gently, and I'm sure things will be fine. At least your pup isn't lunging at the others like mine was She was a horror and very fearful. Now she is 90% fine but a bit nervy around particular dogs. I just have to read the situation carefully. Good luck. I really do think with outings etc. all will be good.xxx My girl was an only pup so I think that had a lot to do with her lack of 'puppy' reading skills. We took things slowly and encouraged her but didn't force anything, let her take her own time.

[becks]

My puppy classes have often had shy cavies at the start, by the end of the 10 weeks they are usually happy to socialise with all the other dogs. The only one that didn't come out of her shell had an owner who would constanlty make a fuss of the dog everytime another approached and so they reinforced the nervousness of their pup

[Poodle wrangler]

Some puppy schools are run out of vet surgeries, by vet nurses with no dog training experience or qualifications. These are the ones to avoid. Pups off leash in a bit of a free-for-all has been described by a couple of people here who've been to these sort of classes.

They're also really overpriced for what you get. Compared to a local obedience club, for example.

[Falling_dawn]

My cav went to a what I now belive was a badly run puppy school and did not do well But she is now much better I say take her to a really well run school with qualified staff

Edited August 15, 2007 by Falling_dawn

[Cosmolo]

PW- i totally disagree that puppy schools are over priced compared to what you get at an obedience club. (this is assuming you attend a puppy school with a qualified professional) My puppy schools work out to be around $20 a 1 hour session over 4 weeks. Tell me what other profession exists where you can get a trained professional for that fee? Not only do i spend the hour to 1/ 1/2 hours in class (the classes go for an hour but i stay back and speak with owners for anywhere between 15 minutes and 40 minutes every week) but i also provide email and phone support at no charge, not to mention travelling to and from a class.

You are talking about the people who are handling the most important formative part of your dogs life- their critical period. Its a small fee to pay for a lifetime of rewards and a well balanced dog. I agree that some puppy schools are badly run and result in a pup with issues. I also believe there are many obedience schools that are badly run and can ruin a dog just as easily.

Its very frustrating to hear people run down all puppy schools and send them off to their local 'cheap' obedience school. Do people choose the cheapest school for their children or their own education? Maybe they do sometimes- but they at least check what the quality of that education will be. Choosing a puppy school or obedience club should not just be about price- what about knowledge, experience, qualifications, service??? I'm not suggesting price isn't a consideration- but it should be one of many.

[Nova'sMum]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your responses and advice. Here's an update. This afternoon we went out to meet a friend with an adult ckcs. When Charlie (the friends dog) came over to meet Nova, Nova started to run off, but soon was interested in Charlie. He went over to say hello to Charlie and started typical puppy play invitation. Not sure if this is a result of meeting puppies yesterday, or if it's because Charlie is a Cav or because Charlie isn't a very dominant dog. Charlie was a bit overwhelmed by Nova if you can believe it.

Anyway, I'll definitely be taking Nova to further obedience training as I firmly believe in having a well behaved dog, especially if it's to be a companion dog and go everywhere with the family. I also have a 2yo niece who's a bit frightened of dogs. She's OK when she's on the sofa and Nova is on the floor, so I want Nova to learn to ignore her if possible.

[bridgie_cat]

are you saying your pup is from a singleton litter? or that he is the only puppy in your house?

[Nova'sMum]

are you saying your pup is from a singleton litter? or that he is the only puppy in your house?

He's was the only pup in the litter. He s also the only pup in our house, but that's not what I was concerned about.

[2cavs]

Hi Nova's Mum,

Firstly congratulations on gettig your first CKCS - the best companion you'll ever find. I have 2, one is a social butterfly, and my younger girl certainly looks to me and my other dog for our reaction to new situations and new dogs. I don't think this is a bad thing, as she has learnt to trust me and our other dog. She still waits for us too make the first move when appraoching other dogs etc, but if she sees it is ok, then she comes over enthusiastically.

Both of my girls went to puppy school, I think the lady who ran ours did a very good job (she was a vet nurse, so I don't think we can generalise as previously done). She assessed all the pups first in terms of their confidence and personality etc, and then they were allowed play time in small groups of compatible natures (2-4 pups). My youngest was put in a group with a border collie, and they had a great time sniffing each other, cuddling and sharing toys. It propbably would have been the obvious thing to put my CKCS with the other small dogs - who were mainly terriers and a few maltese, but I am glad our trainer was observant enough to see their energy was to high for my girl.

We now go for lots of walks where they come in contact with other dogs (in controlled environments), and they have free play time with dogs who we trust and they get along well with.

So persevere with Nova, get him out in social situations, but monitor the situations to ensure he has lots and lots of Positive experiences only, and I'm sure his confidence will grew. He might never be the most social dog out, but it may allow him to relax and not feel anxious in new situations.

Have fun with him (I'm sure he won't be your last CKCS!)