evaluate or adjust the situation accordingly. Here are a few examples:
•If your puppy is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, remove the vacuum and turn it on in another room. If possible, have someone turn it on in another room while you praise and reward your pup with plenty of yummy treats. (Don’t confuse a puppy’s innate herding or hunting instinct—attacking a vacuum—with fear. These are two different situations that require different approaches.)
•If your puppy is afraid of a particular person, do not force him to engage. Simply allow your puppy to adjust on his terms. Have the person sit on the floor, which is less intimidating than having him or her stand over the puppy, and reward the puppy with treats when the pup approaches.
•If your puppy is not used to children, a room full of rambunctious kids may be overwhelming or downright scary. Ideally, you should modify or restrict his exposure to just one quiet, well-behaved child until your puppy is confident enough to handle more.
•If your puppy yelps because someone accidently stepped on his foot, avoid coddling him. Instead, immediately play with him and talk to him in a happy voice. This takes his mind off the situation and puts his focus on your happy, positive energy.
It is human nature to want to comfort a puppy, but by babying or otherwise rewarding a puppy who shows fear, you are reinforcing that fear. It is also important never to scold or correct a puppy who shows fear or apprehension. Again, this only exacerbates the situation. Manage your puppy’s environment so he is not put in overwhelming situations. Instead, set him up to succeed so you can praise and reinforce him for being brave and inquisitive: “Good puppy!” or “Look at you. Aren’t you clever?”
Your Puppy’s Future
Evidence clearly shows that early socialization can prevent the onset of serious canine problems, such as fear, aggression, avoidance, and so forth. If you do nothing else for your puppy, you owe it to him to take the time to properly and adequately socialize him during this critical life stage. Doing so is time consuming and takes a lot of energy. However, it is a necessary and obligatory investment if you want your puppy to grow into a happy, confident dog. His future will be shaped by how much you do—or fail to do—during the critical socialization period.
Little-Dog Syndrome
Everything you do with your puppy—showering him with affection, taking him everywhere dogs are permitted, feeding him, taking him for walks—help facilitate a first-rate human–canine relationship. Buying him fun toys and a fancy dog bed makes his life more comfortable, and it’s fun for you, too. Some people consider it “spoiling” a dog, but it’s a fine line. If your puppy comes to you when you call him; if he doesn’t fight with other dogs, swipe food from the counter, or commit heinous acts against your personal property; and if he grows into a well-behaved dog, a little spoiling isn’t too bad, is it?
The key is recognizing the difference between a well-behaved puppy that you indulge from time to time and a spoiled ruffian who bites and snaps because he has truly been spoiled. Some people label this “little-dog syndrome” because you tend to see it more often in small or toy dogs. For some reason, people tend to be amused by snarky behaviors in little dogs, such as a pampered Pomeranian sitting on his owner’s lap and growling passersby or a 4-pound Chihuahua sprinting to attack someone’s shin bone. You have probably caught yourself laughing at these situations, too. Some owners think this behavior is comical, so they reward it, whether intentionally or not. Sadly, these behaviors are dangerous because they become ingrained, and these puppies grow into adult dogs who think they are invincible. It is nearly impossible to turn these half-pint hooligans into nice, happy dogs. Instead, these puppies grow into dogs who can’t be trusted and really aren’t fun to be around.
Look ahead to your puppy’s future and recognize what behaviors you want to encourage and discourage so that you instill and reward those behaviors that foster a happy, healthy puppy.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
