Collins Good Dog Behaviour: An Owner’s Guide. Gwen Bailey

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       Older dogs may take more time to learn new ways because you will be working against established behaviour patterns. However, all dogs will readily pick up new ways of behaving if it is to their advantage to do so.

      Although it is relatively easy to change the way in which a dog behaves, it is unlikely that you will be able to change a dog’s character fundamentally once he is mature. A shy, submissive dog, for example, is unlikely to become a super-confident extrovert. Being realistic about how much you can change the way your dog behaves is important, but, with knowledge, understanding and some effort, even the most unruly of dogs can be tamed.

      THE PERFECT PUPPY

      If you take on a puppy, you start with a relatively clean slate. Raising a puppy takes a lot of time and effort but at least the mistakes, or lack of them, will be all yours.

      Most ways of achieving good dog behaviour are common to both adult dogs and puppies and are covered elsewhere in this book. However, a most important area that relates specifically to puppies is that of socialization. One of the primary requirements of a pet dog is that he is friendly with people and other animals. This will depend on the quantity and quality of social contact he gets with them as he grows up.

      The early weeks of a puppy’s life are very important, particularly up to the age of twelve weeks. During this time, a puppy will approach anything unfamiliar without caution. Meeting plenty of people, including children, as well as other animals, makes it more likely that he will be unafraid and sociable with them in later life.

      As a puppy gets older, he becomes more apprehensive of the unfamiliar and, as a result, socialization becomes more difficult. For this reason, it is essential that a puppy is obtained from a source where every care has been taken to ensure that the socialization process is well underway before he reaches you. Never be tempted to buy a puppy from someone who will deliver him or who has numerous litters of puppies, often from different breeds, for sale. Only buy from a place where puppies are kept in a home environment or where each puppy has been given enough individual attention to make him confident and outgoing.

       It is unwise to buy a puppy that is older than eight weeks unless he has been well socialized with humans.

      VACCINATIONS VERSUS SOCIALIZATION

      You will also need to protect your puppy from contagious diseases until such time as he has developed sufficient immunity against them. Consult your veterinary surgeon for information on the disease conditions in your area and how to keep your puppy safe. There is always a balance to be found between keeping your puppy protected from disease and preventing him from growing up shy and unfriendly because of a lack of social contact. With care, it is possible to reach a compromise and keep your puppy healthy while ensuring that he socializes enough to become confident and friendly towards people and other dogs.

       Take particular care if your puppy is shy or sensitive, and give him more opportunities to overcome his fears.

      It is also unwise to buy a puppy that is older than eight weeks unless he has been kept separately from other dogs and has learned to relate well to people. Obtaining a puppy that has spent a long time playing with other dogs rather than people can result in a dog that is less than ideal as a pet.

      Once you have collected your puppy, you will need to continue the important socialization process that has been started (or make up for lost time if it has not). Take your puppy out and about as much as possible, meeting a wide variety of people of different ages and characters. Take care not to overwhelm your puppy with too much at first and allow him to make all the approaches. Socialization will need to be continued until your puppy has become a mature adult to ensure that he remains friendly and interested in people throughout his life.

      Take particular care if your puppy is shy or sensitive, and allow him more time to come out of his shell. Make sure that every experience he has with people and other animals is pleasant. Watch his body language to determine whether or not he is enjoying the experience and take action if he is not. Try to think ahead and prevent him from having any unpleasant experiences. If all of his early life is happy and enjoyable, he will grow up with a view of the world as a safe, comfortable place. This will allow him to be friendly and outgoing.

       Having plenty of happy times with children and adults helps a puppy grow up into a friendly adult.

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       CHAPTER TWO

       SPEAKING YOUR DOG’S LANGUAGE

      The reason why dogs make such popular pets is that they are so like us in many ways. However, their similarities to us can often deceive us into thinking that they are just like us in all ways; that they are a less complicated, furry version of ourselves or our children. We often expect them to think and act like small people. They cannot. All they can be are dogs. What is frequently overlooked is that they are members of a completely different СКАЧАТЬ