You're home. You have loads of time. Your kids are begging for a dog....so, why not? You start to look at rescues and find the "perfect dog" for your family! That's awesome ~ but is it realistic?
The truth is that many people ARE adopting puppies and dogs while under "Stay at Home" guidelines are in place. And, while this is an exciting time no doubt - it's not necessarily your reality. That's not to say it isn't a good idea - we love it when people adopt dogs! Nothing makes us happier than when a dog goes to its perfect FURever home.
But you need to create a real-life for your puppy now. They need to be well prepared for the day we go back to work and school full time with, of course, errands to run, recreational activities to attend, and taking opportunities to travel again.
Some concerns with our current situation ~
- Puppies are not being introduced to crates
- Puppies are overstimulated
- Puppies are not being left alone in an empty home
- Social opportunities are limited
- Unsupervised children are handling the puppies
- Limited Training
Here's how to create a "Realistic DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FAMILY"
- How much crate time will be expected: think about this in our regularly-programmed world. Will your dog need to be in the crate 8 hours a day? Will you have the dog at a daycare? Adjust your current at-home experiences to the real-world expectations so that the adjustment isn't so difficult
- Puppies, just like children, NEED DOWN TIME. Provide nap time! They need to know how to settle and self sooth when you are home and not home.
- Puppies are showing signs of separation anxiety, so leave your home for a walk or car ride without them. Set them up for success.
- What will the activity routine consist of on daily basis i.e. dog daycare, 2 walks at certain times, a dog walker, playtime outside, going on trails/greenways, etc. and to the best of your ability, mirror that. Again, set your dog up for success!
- Parental Supervision and clear boundaries need to be set to help your puppy settle and teach children to respect animals. Even children as young as 1 and 2 can have clear jobs and roles in caring for a pet. They can also be taught boundaries from the beginning with clear direction.
- Start Training NOW!
Socializing Your New Dog
Proper socialization is imperative to the foundation of successful training. Socialization is time-sensitive and, without it, behavior problems can occur if this process is not started when the dog is young.
While it may. be challenging to do so under stay-home orders, we suggest you introduce your dog to new places, animals, sounds, objects, and your daily routine with short, fun lessons. This may include taking your new dog to Home Depot or other dog-friendly essential businesses. Maybe, you bring the new dog with you when you run through the grocery pick-up line or take the dog on a walk at a local greenway. These places are open NOW and while you are surely keeping your distance from other humans, they can experience the world outside of your home.
Introduce new experiences and things in a way that is respectful to your dog, thus building trust and confidence. Go at a pace to generate positive experiences for your puppy's personality, temperament, and disposition. Remember, dogs can see, hear, and smell things that we can not, so be mindful of your introduction methods and their reactions.
Get to know your puppy's body language as this is their way of communicating. Observations are key to success if you use the information wisely. How does your puppy/dog react:
- Playfully jumps on it
- Shies away it
- Ignores it
- Lunges at it
- Hides from it
- Growls at it
- Cautiously moves towards it
- Plays with it
- Returns to investigate it
- or Shows void of movement (frozen with stiffness), etc.
With social distancing in place think of the benefit of teaching your dog how to ignore other dogs as your walk by teaching them to focus on you for a treat. This will reduce tension and forging on the leash. THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO BE SOCIALLY WELL MANNERED!
About Amy Ferguson and K9s Unleashed
AKC CGC,CGCA, CGCU and Trickdog Evaluator
Amy Ferguson has been professionally training dogs since 2002 with a concentration in Obedience, Canine Good Citizen, Therapy Dog Certification and Behavior Modification.
Amy has successfully trained many breeds and mystery mutts by utilizing positive reinforcement-based training methods. She excels in educating the handlers on how to observe and understand their dog’s behavior.
Located in Waxhaw, North Carolina, K9s Unleashed services the entire South Charlotte region and offers training options including Kids programs, private in-home training and group training classes. For more information or to schedule a consultation with Amy or one of her incredible trainers click HERE.
