Maybe it's been a minute since you raised a dog, or maybe you're a first timer, or maybe you're just interested in how someone else might do it, here's a few things I've learned over the years.
There are many ways to teach an animal something, some fair, some not. Some kind, some not. Mostly, animals are shaped behaviourally either accidentally, or on purpose, by their surroundings and the animals within them.
Imagine yourself dropped into a totally alien country, alone, at night, in the city if you were born in the countryside, or in the countryside if you were raised in a city. You would hope that the first person you met was friendly and kind no? You'd have communication issues, but you could probably get by with sign language in an emergency.
If you can hold that feeling within you when you get your pup home, and then choose from the following two options.
Option 1:
If you want your pup to sleep quietly at night, and to grow slowly into a steady, self confident, easy, friendly dog (and to not wake up really early in the morning and howl the place down until you appear), largely ignore them for the first few days. Allow them to quietly explore with you calmly and quietly monitoring and showing them around. Boisterous pups will learn you expect mostly calm, and timid dogs will learn you can be trusted. Quietly watch and softly stroke their chest when they sit and look at you. If you talk to them at this point they'll be more likely to jump up. Save your voice for when you want it to mean something. Allow them to find, leave and re-find their bed. Show them where the toilet is in the day and put some paper down for them in the night. As they grow, the happier you are when they pee outside, the more they will hold on and wait to show you how cool they are. If you're angry when they have an accident inside, they'll lose faith in you. That body shape they make when you're cross is neither understanding, nor apology. It's fear.
Make the bedroom dark at night and fill the bed with soft toys that don't squeak. Put the bed in a dark corner and cover it with a blanket, leave the door open if its a crate. Keep the room cool, but put a warm (just warm, not hot - body temperature) hot water bottle under a piece of the bed that smells like mum and family.
Ensure there is no interaction in the last hour before bed. If they're calm at bed time, they're likely to easily fall asleep. If you happen to have a pup I've raised, they may moan for a few minutes before sleeping, then stop. Other people raise puppies to know that a person will eventually appear if they cry loads - beware the noisy litter full of over the top puppies.
If you do play with your pup in the first few days, keep the games quiet and soft. If he starts mouthing and yipping, your game was too exciting, disengage. You're teaching him the rules of play. If you play with yipping and mouthing, yipping and mouthing will be allowed and will get worse.
Once they've found their feet at your place, you can begin to play faster games that encourage excitement (and the kids can join in), if it gets too much for anyone, separate them and ignore them until calm is restored. Always make sure there is quiet an hour before bed. Kids should be encouraged to read quietly to puppies.
The puppy that has completed his own orientation will start to understand recall in the house - he will be happy to explore away from you, which means you will have the opportunity to call him back.
Be kind, firm and matter of fact - no must mean no, but needn't be harsh. Teach the pup to go to bed and stay there and that the house is a place of rest and relaxation, not excitement. Interact with him more out of the house than in it.
The above scenario will raise a good, steady dog that listens when you talk and stops when you ask.
Option 2:
If you'd rather your pup howl the place down for the first few weeks/months all day and all night, make sure you play hard and fast and squeaky with them from the moment you get them home until they pass out, exhausted at night. Give them only toys that squeak, make sure the room is uncomfortably hot and don't give them any soft toys to feel like their mates to sleep against. Put the bed in a bright, busy area, that is never quiet.
Play with them excitedly all day, making sure they fall asleep in your lap, and you sneak them into their bed for the rest of their sleep. Never allow them to find their bed on their own - that way they'll need you every time they find themselves tired and not near their bed. This also ensures they wake up disoriented and never quite feel confident or safe in their surroundings. If you want to build more separation anxiety, place the bed next to your bed so you can respond to and comfort every whimper. Ideally play with them fast and excitedly right up until late at night and until they pass out exhausted.
If you want them to get you up at five, then four, then three, then whenever they feel like it, make sure you interact with them fast and excitedly, no matter what they're doing, as soon as you get up in the morning.
Don't teach them to go to bed and stay there, and allow them to follow you around the house. Ensure you give them all the love they could possibly need in the house, that way they'll completely ignore you out and about. The house must be a place of high excitement and no relaxation.
This will be a true example of a totally dependent dog, anxious, frightened, both over and under stimulated. Jumpy, bitey, knocking people flying, no self control, displaying separation anxiety that will worsen over time.
Option 1 or option 2? The choice is yours.
There's loads of information about raising a puppy on the internet. Most of it's unnecessary guff, some is useful - if something feels good to you, try it! Your pup is the only feedback you need and you're not helpless, you can choose! Decide what you want and do it.
The next post will help you instigate what you choose - "Rewarded behaviour is more often seen, or behaviour that is often seen is being rewarded.".
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