puppy socialization time
Unstructured Socialization Time
During Puppy Class, we are going to have the dogs off-leash for a majority of the class!! I know, this sounds like it could be a little crazy but it’s important to train this way for many reasons. First of all, this is a critical time in your puppy’s lives for socialization – they are not born knowing how to play! They may know how to play with their littermates, or another dog in their household but different breeds play differently – Boxers use their paws more, Border Collies try to herd dogs, etc. It is good for a puppy to learn how to play with all dogs, so they can understand dog body language. This is an imprinting time that will carry on with them throughout their adulthood.
They are also learning what is called “Bite Inhibition”. Bite Inhibition is learning how hard they can bite when they play. If they bite a puppy too hard that puppy will yelp and then play will be over. If your puppy only plays with adult or older dogs, they will have a harder bite when they play. This can lead to a dog that is a bully when they are older because they bite too hard and no one will want to play with them…
Another important aspect of letting the puppies play for a majority of the class is that they will learn that they still have to listen to YOU when they are playing with their doggie friends! Having the dogs on leash for the entire class won’t give you the opportunity to work with your dog during these more distracting settings! Having a puppy that listens to you when they are on-leash is GREAT but it would be even GREATER if they listened to you even when they are off-leash!
There are some things we want to talk about:
Mounting and Aggressive playing. If you see your puppy start to mount another puppy, or start to play too rough, simply say Off and gently take their collar and redirect them to a different puppy. If they keep going to the same puppy and you have to redirect them a couple times you can give them a short time out on the other side of the room.
Do NOT pick them up, because we do not want an aggressive puppy to have a height advantage! Do NOT tell them how naughty they are because they are just learning – Play is just as much a part of a puppy’s learning process as teaching them commands!
We will also start to incorporating handling and recall exercises into our play time!
Giene Keyes
Giene Keyes is the owner of Moon Dog Training, LLC, providing positive in-home training, behavior consultations and group classes. After receiving “Best of Madison'' multiple years in a row, Giene sold her dog daycare to focus on her dog behavior work. Giene has been working with pets and their owners for over 30 years. She is a professional animal trainer and behavior specialist in Southern Wisconsin. Giene divides her time between teaching group classes and private lessons – Specializing in manners and aggression cases. Giene works with vets, rescue groups and shelters, evaluating dogs for adoption, developing Canine Aggression Management Programs, and educating staff on dog language and behaviors. She consults for dog daycares and training companies by educating staff on dog body language, cues, managing a pack, difficult dogs and much more. She provides behavior consultations for service dog organizations and rescue groups in the Midwest. She has been an Instructor with the American Red Cross in Pet CPR and First Aid, a Certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator with the American Kennel Club, and a Licensed Judge with the WI Dept of Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection. Giene is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. She routinely presents seminars on dog behavior and training, as well as chicken training seminars to promote team building. Giene has been a regular guest on popular Madison radio shows and evening newscasts. Giene has also been featured in numerous local magazines, including the cover for Wisconsin Woman. Giene is a published author (see her Chicken Training Book!) and loves demonstrating to people how clever dogs, chickens and pigs can be.
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