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12 Week Puppy


KobiD
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First post here, and first time dog owner.

 

Have had ownership of a little mixed breed for the last month (just before Christmas).. Staffy x (I think Bull arab/GSP mix). She was a rescue pup and at 8 weeks when we got her, and as such had probably been away from her mother a good week or two before that.

 

She's very mouthy as expected, and we've been having a win with training and redirecting the behaviour away to toys, or with time-outs if things get out of control. She shows decent bite inhibition in that she doesn't bite overly hard, but it's a constant drive which needs addressing. I'm not concerned as she is showing progress.

 

We've also been busy socialising and making sure all experiences are positive and rewarding.

 

On a little walk around the block today on leash (she has been walking very well loose leash) we saw a man off around 50m. I'm not certain why but she had a strong fear response to the situation. Turned, tucked the tail and tried to run for home. We back tracked a little and then I redirected by picking her up for a second and then once she calmed followed with some commands and treats, while circling in the general area and then called it a day. The person was at the end of the street in their front yard so we didn't continue and they didn't towards us.

 

This is the first real fear response I have seen from her though, as most days we pass multiple people, pushbikes, dogs, cars, etc and she is very calm, sits, waits and if anything shows excitement towards strangers and I've been using impulse control techniques ('look at me'/her name) and positive reinforcement with good results.

 

The only thing I can think of was that it looked like the person had a leash in hand and was walking through an access between their house and a playground and I paused and looked for a moment to see if they had a dog off leash. Possible that the puppy picked up on this, but I wasn't feeling fearful, just being observant.

 

Any suggestions or thoughts appreciated

Edited by KobiD
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Welcome to DOL ... a great place to visit.   Between us we can usually help.    

 

Hard to know, but I'd say you might be on the right track .. and you did the right things.  (Well done on the work on bite inhibition too. :) )

 

So maybe note the experience, as you've done, as something to keep an eye on.  Now you know how she shows a fear response, if you can get in immediately with a calm response .. turn and go as you say to your pup something like .. "Oh, I forgot something . we'll just go back this way".  Of course she won't understand the words, but saying something like that will help to keep your actions and voice neutral, but at the same time letting the pup know you respect her need for a bit of distance at that moment.

 

And do we get to see a photo of your cutie?

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Thanks

 

I've always had dogs in the family but this one is the first of my own so it's not all foreign, but the finer details definitely offer up a learning curve. More than anything I was just shocked at the response as it was very abrupt and quick. She paused, tucked the tail, turned and headed for home all in a flash and very unexpectedly. Same little girl who shows very little response to the lawn mower, leaf blower, thunder, etc. It was just out of character for what I have seen in the last month which is what prompted me to ask the question.

 

In saying that she has still been her same old self and doesn't show any issues approaching the same area again, so either she saw something that I didn't or she picked up a vibe she didn't like from somewhere.

 

Here's a pic from the day we brought her home. She's put a couple more kgs on since then and become more leggy.

 

15578774_10212160529794913_5940647256086

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Our puppy wasnt  able to go out until about 17 weeks after her vaccinations so cant comment on 12 weeks BUT our puppy did react to a few things exactly as you describe (shied and tried to go the opposite way).  AS we'd been going to puppy training and then outside puppy classes and learning to use food to get them to focus on you I just would stop and get her to come alongside me (and ignore whatever she was concerned about but make sure I was trying to get her close alongside).  And then tempt her past it at the same pace with food and praise - no rushing.  I dont want her to rush past something scary either.  Lawn mowers are her main thing but she's a lot better now than when she first saw and heard them.  Cars still watches but will keep walking alongside and not want to stop and face them.  There was though the little kid on a little kids bike - that freaked her out as she'd never seen anything like it but as I got her to come back to me not pulling away on the lead the kids family encourage her to go forward so we also got past.  Next time she saw a young kid this time on a scooter she just stood and looked didnt try to run.

I just go with the theory that if she's worried she just needs to come alongside as she will learn its safe there (as whatever is scary is going to go past or we go past it and we will survive)

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I've made it a priority to expose her to all sorts of things and people during her early weeks.. not to play with/self reward but simply to be aware of what things are.. mostly the things she will see often and I think it has paid off. She still has her final vaccination to go, so we haven't been hitting up dog parks or such, just short trips down the street always on leash and closely monitored. Mainly for exposure and to train with a certain level of distraction.

 

Probably a topic of discussion in itself, but I figure you can't bubble wrap them too much during the socialisation period.

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She's gorgeous.    And it sounds like that situation was just a bit of a blip .. there will be things like that, and as you say, sometimes they're picking up on things we can't.  Good on you for getting her out and about a lot.  Personally I wouldn't be in any rush to add dog parks.   They're not the best place for all dogs, or for growing pups.   Play dates with friends, and finding good classes to go to are great too.

 

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Thanks,

 

She throws challenges at us daily. Being that my partner hasn't really ever had pets, and our children at 7 and 2 are both in different stages of life in terms of listening and following rules, along with their own energy levels it's had steam coming out of my ears at times. One moment you have everything setup to succeed. The next the energy level has gone up a notch. A puppy is determined to hang from a toddlers ear, and said toddler isn't interested in listening or going back inside to defuse situation, so 9 year old in his best attempt to help comes and grabs 2 year old, which then turns into a tantrum/struggle/fight. Not the ideal scenario by any means, and I can see how training a puppy would be so much easier as a single person with ample time, patience, and limited distractions.

 

In saying that, we also have the good times where the kids play and puppy is content just being in our presence. A pocket full of kibble and lots of opportunity to reward behaviours we like, as well as enforcing leave it and drop it when trying to get into something the children are playing with.

 

It's just very easy to get frustrated when things swing back the other way.. sometimes feels like one step forward and two backwards. Just have to remember she's just a little puppy and will be for some time yet.

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Wow ... you are doing a great job to manage all that!     A couple of thoughts .. and you may already be doing it.   In your situation, I would be making use of xpen, baby gate and crate to try to make it easier for you, the kids and the pup.   So there can be a defined space for the puppy to go into for some quiet time .. maybe with a stuffed Kong or something, and spaces for the kids to be puppy free when they need to be.    It makes time outs easier.     Even the 2 year old could understand (though not necessarily follow) the concept of puppy only space.    As you get the routines sorted, the 7 year old could have fun teaching the puppy some tricks (using hands free, force free methods.)

 

 

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We don't have a crate or pen setup, but have got secure areas and give the puppy ample time to herself as well as interaction. In her earlier weeks we did use a play pen however putting her in there got her more wound up trying to figure out how to escape the confines than calming down, where if we moved away she would simply realise that the play had stopped.

 

In all honesty the children (particularly the little ones (including relatives/friends)) prove the hardest to 'train'. Under the right conditions there is loads of opportunity to learn the right behaviours and we're seeing improvements just about every day.

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Sounds like you're pretty much on top of things.   Yes, confinement can be a bit confusing for pups . . ideally when they are put in the confined area, it's with a particularly special chew object or interactive toy, so that they see the confinement as a good thing right from the start..   But as long as there are separation areas (for the same of both little people and puppy) that's fine.   Your kids will learn so much by helping care for and train the pup, apart from the lovely companionship that a pet dog can bring.

 

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Thanks for the kind words.

 

We've had another pet in the house (meow) for the last couple years so the kids are already well aware of the responsibility and companionship that pets bring.. and I couldn't imagine a family without one. I've always had them throughout my own childhood and couldn't imagine growing up without a dog by my side.. Obviously getting the puppy was more for me than it was for the kids or the family, but we'll all benefit no doubt. 

 

 

 

 

  

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