It's been a little over a year with Jade. In that time I've become more involved in Akita rescue, started teaching classes again at Yappy Hour Pet Resort (www.yappyhouronline.com), and most recently lost my little man Tazz. Luckily, a constant in all of this has been Wayside Waifs (www.waysidewaifs.org) which is always my main cause. If it had not been for my Tazz, I would never have been a dog trainer or Wayside volunteer.
When I adopted Jade my goal was to have an "everywhere" dog like I had with Michigan and Tazz. Michigan and Tazz went to schools, parks, Wayside and often both off leash when we could. Michigan was an Akita/St Bernard, but as I look at past picture he was a whole log Akita. I made mistakes with both dogs, Tazz was well trained, but could have been better with other dogs. Michigan, well I can't say he had any issues but he made me look like a much better dog trainer than I really am. One common theme between both dogs were they were both socialized, safe and trained. While Tazz could have been more dog-social he met hundreds of dogs in his lifetime, 200 or so that passed through our home. When I taught my first classes in 2004, I stressed this same issue to my clients. Get out and explore the world with your dog and train as you go.
Jump to 2010, I still stress this very same fact. Once you know your dog's temperament and teach enough control commands to have an 80% success rate in your immediate environment (home and yard) then move to the rest of the world. With my experience at Wayside I understand that breed does matter when it comes to a dog, but I also know that it's not the first thing I consider. I've worked with thousands of dogs and I see friendly pitbulls to aggressive labs on any given day. No matter the breed, I look at their temperament:
If you want a well socialized, safe, trained and a dog who can be your "everywhere dog" you have your work cut out. Instead of figuring your dog's triggers for your home and yard, you will need to be ready to see how your dog will react in world outside your immediate domain. For Jade, I systematically:
"Additionally, to maintain self-confidence and offset the stress of adult-doggy discipline, an adolescent dog requires many positive social interactions. Regular play sessions and repeated friendly encounters are vital. However, for many dogs, socialization with other dogs is abruptly curtailed at between six to eight months, usually following the first couple of scraps. This is especially true for small dogs and large dogs. Worrying that a little dog may get hurt, the owner is more likely to pick him up and less likely to let him play. Similarly, worrying a large dog might hurt other dogs, the owner now tends to keep her restrained on a tight leash. Thus, at a crucial developmental stage, many dogs are seldom allowed to interact with unfamiliar dogs. A vicious circle develops—the dog desocializes and his bite inhibition begins to drift, whereupon fights and potential damage now become more likely, making it even more difficult to socialize the dog." http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/fighting
As I said many times, I'm not a big fan of dog parks. They provide way too many opportunities of humans and dogs to make mistakes and I don't think they are a key part of a socialized dog. Dog socialization should be more controlled than a dog park. I really like the development of the socialization classes that some trainers run. I run them twice a month at Yappy's to help people evaluate their dog's social temperament and provide some guidance. In addition, a place like Yappy's allow people to meet and have canine get togethers with familiar dogs, a much safer alternative.
Evaluate your dog first, as a dog, then by the breed and then look at your skills. Any one of those could limit what you can do with your dog. Yes, that's Jade playing with a puppy...
Jump to 2010, I still stress this very same fact. Once you know your dog's temperament and teach enough control commands to have an 80% success rate in your immediate environment (home and yard) then move to the rest of the world. With my experience at Wayside I understand that breed does matter when it comes to a dog, but I also know that it's not the first thing I consider. I've worked with thousands of dogs and I see friendly pitbulls to aggressive labs on any given day. No matter the breed, I look at their temperament:
- general reactivity to their surroundings - how well do they handle changes in their life?
- sociability - do they like being around people?
- resource guarding - people, places, items
- Arousal level - do they generally appear relaxed or tight?
- How much control do I have with them or their owners
If you want a well socialized, safe, trained and a dog who can be your "everywhere dog" you have your work cut out. Instead of figuring your dog's triggers for your home and yard, you will need to be ready to see how your dog will react in world outside your immediate domain. For Jade, I systematically:
- Worked her with smaller and smaller dogs at Wayside to acclimate her to a selection of types and temperament. (left - after playing with her little friend)
- I visited farms and areas with livestock and each time I worked the basics Come, Attention, Sit, Stay and long lead work when she was ready.
- I introduced her to obstacles like elevators, kids, fountains, power tools, tethering and yes - ran her off leash in parks and trails.
- Each week she accompanies me to a dog training classes and/or private consults.
"Additionally, to maintain self-confidence and offset the stress of adult-doggy discipline, an adolescent dog requires many positive social interactions. Regular play sessions and repeated friendly encounters are vital. However, for many dogs, socialization with other dogs is abruptly curtailed at between six to eight months, usually following the first couple of scraps. This is especially true for small dogs and large dogs. Worrying that a little dog may get hurt, the owner is more likely to pick him up and less likely to let him play. Similarly, worrying a large dog might hurt other dogs, the owner now tends to keep her restrained on a tight leash. Thus, at a crucial developmental stage, many dogs are seldom allowed to interact with unfamiliar dogs. A vicious circle develops—the dog desocializes and his bite inhibition begins to drift, whereupon fights and potential damage now become more likely, making it even more difficult to socialize the dog." http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/fighting
As I said many times, I'm not a big fan of dog parks. They provide way too many opportunities of humans and dogs to make mistakes and I don't think they are a key part of a socialized dog. Dog socialization should be more controlled than a dog park. I really like the development of the socialization classes that some trainers run. I run them twice a month at Yappy's to help people evaluate their dog's social temperament and provide some guidance. In addition, a place like Yappy's allow people to meet and have canine get togethers with familiar dogs, a much safer alternative.
Evaluate your dog first, as a dog, then by the breed and then look at your skills. Any one of those could limit what you can do with your dog. Yes, that's Jade playing with a puppy...
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