Mama's Monday...

Nanook's Mama here - I'll be guest-blogging on Mondays for a little while to give you all an update on Pooka's training and development. Mostly because Nanook cannot be trusted to report fairly and also because I think it's darned interesting. Brace yourselves, because I do tend to run on.

So. The wee baby bear has been with us for a week! In that time he has learned that people are not for biting, that his brother's tail makes the best toy, that if he rings the bells hanging from the doorknob the door is magically opened by the people, that if he doesn't poop before bedtime he will have a very uncomfortable evening, (and so will everyone else), that tarps are wonderful places to play Snout Wars with Nanook - especially when the people are trying to put leaves and fallen branches on them, that cats are for barking at, and surreptitiously sniffing the bottoms of, when the cats are not looking, that bully sticks are delicious and a wonderful way to waste an hour or two, that bitter apple tastes horrible, that shoes without bitter apple on them are delightful but that those same shoes will taste like bitter apple very shortly after he first chews on them, that when his brother gets the Dreaded Puppy Zoomies he had better hide under the garden cart or he might get run over, that digging in loose dirt is one of the very best feelings ever - especially if he can take a nap in it, that his crate is NOT evil provided he is given a fan to blow on him, that he is supposed to sit down before he gets his dinner, and that Nanook does not mind sharing his dinner and vice versa.

He's had his first trip to the ice cream parlor and learned that ice cream is delicious, (he only had a tiny nibble so as to avoid gastrointestinal misery for everyone involved), that the car can actually be a fantastic way of getting from very interesting Point A to even more interesting Point B, and that it goes to other places than just the vet's office, he had his first trip to a pet store, (a very small retailer so no other dogs present), and got to pick out a toy for the first time, he went on his first Pack Walk with Nanook, his papa, and I, he learned that the vacuum cleaner is NOT terrifying, and neither is Nanook's blow-dryer, he met his first horse and learned what all those scary snorting noises in the next field over were caused by, he met the cows for the first time, and the sheepies. It has been a very busy week!

We don't want to waste this very important period of socialization in his life - this is the time when he is most malleable, and when his brain is doing the most growing. From now until 16 weeks he is accepting new situations, learning, and developing. To gain a well-socialized, flexible and responsive dog capable of independent thought and reason you have to put in a lot of work. All the puppy books I've read suggest lots of field trips to places that are safe for puppies that haven't had all their boosters yet, (places that won't have other dogs capable of spreading diseases to your puppy), introducing the puppy to new sights, smells, sounds and experiences. Things you might not even think of your dog may react to - like different kinds of flooring or people of varied ethnicity. Of course it is important to keep the sessions positive, and you don't want to overdo it, but you DEFINITELY don't want to keep your puppy locked up in your house for the first two months you have him or her! I've met dogs who were afraid of steps, even solid concrete steps, dogs who were afraid of flagstone paving, of water, of African-Americans, of cats...such fears can be debilitating to a dog, and in almost every case they are preventable. Can you imagine if I had to carry Nanook up steps?!

So while Pooka is in this tender period I try to look at the world as though it were new to me, and then I try to share it with him in an upbeat way.

If you're training a new puppy, here are some things to try, and some things to avoid. These are the things we've been doing with Pooka since he arrived...

1. Leash training: don't put a collar and leash on your dog and immediately start pulling him around. If you want a dog that will happily trot after you on walks, first begin by putting a collar on the puppy for short periods of time multiple times a day, until the puppy feels comfortable with it. If you want a puppy that will come running to you to be collared, always have a treat handy when you are putting the collar on. Once the puppy has accepted the collar, (and some puppies are quicker to do so than others), add a short leash and let the puppy drag it around for short periods of time throughout the day. Once the puppy is comfortable with the weight and feel of the leash, you can pick it up and follow your puppy around while holding it. Don't attempt to guide the puppy by it for a few sessions, just go where he leads.

You can then start by calling your puppy to you happily, with a treat ready. Add very gentle tugs to the leash until he comes and then give him a treat. You can start then by walking slowly, and continuously encouraging your puppy by voice and perhaps a hand patting your lower leg to follow you. Go for a short distance and then praise and treat your baby dog! Rinse and repeat.

2. Introducing potentially scary new experiences: No one wants a puppy that is terrified of the vacuum cleaner. Here's how I introduced it to Pooka and Nanook - I took the vacuum out and put it in the center of the room, off. Then I got down on hands and knees and made a huge show of sniffing it confidently, patting it all over with my hands, and acting very happy. There are not many puppies that can resist this invitation to investigate something. Let the puppy sniff and check out the vacuum. Wait a little while for the puppy to become completely comfortable with the vacuum off, and then turn it on. Leave it running and repeat the happy investigation act. It might take the puppy a little longer to get over the surprise of how noisy the vacuum is, but be patient and keep sniffing and checking out the vacuum. Ignore your puppy completely. Do not pet, hold, or console your puppy while the puppy is acting afraid. DO praise your puppy when he or she acts brave though!

There are some scenarios where no matter how patient you are, the puppy is not going to come around. Sometimes you just have to soldier through. A good example is medication in the ears. I don't know a single dog that is thrilled by this - most run when they see the bottle - Nanook included. This is a case where Mother Knows Best and the puppy is just going to have to get over it. Always give a treat at the end of the procedure, and always praise your puppy when he or she behaves well - but don't let flailing or whining or complaining stop you from doing what you have to do to keep your puppy healthy. I am a little embarrassed to admit it, but I cut deals with Nanook when he has ear infections and I have to treat him. I will take a favorite cookie and put it on the ground next to me so that he can see it. Then I'll hold up the bottle. Nanook is a very clever dog, and he knows exactly what the bottle means. He also knows what the cookie means, and he puts 2 and 2 together very fast. Then I'll approach him (never call your dog to you to do something that the dog hates) and do the medication. Once I'm done I rub his ears, tell him he's a good dog, and then say "okay." Then he goes and gets his reward for behaving.

Your new puppy won't be able to do thinking of that nature at first, but you can hold a treat in a closed fist while you perform the hated activity - whether it is brushing or clipping nails, and let the puppy smell the cookie and lick your hand. Once the puppy has held still, even briefly, for you - open the hand and give him or her the cookie. Pooka is not a huge fan of being brushed yet - he doesn't like to hold still for very long, but he gets covered in cedar needles from playing in the backyard and I have to get rid of them. So I hold a small piece of hotdog in a closed fist in front of his nose while I brush him, and he's so involved in trying to get at it that he'll lie pretty still just long enough for me to get the worst of it.

3. Beginning obedience training: Now is the time to instill the habit of obedience in your puppy. Correct the puppy calmly but firmly for poor behavior, and praise the puppy for good behavior. Do your best to set your puppy up to succeed. Direct your puppy onto a toy when he or she appears to be hunting for something to chew on, and then praise the puppy for chewing an appropriate object. You can also start teaching your puppy his or her name now by calling it and then praising and treating when the puppy looks in your direction or comes to you. Always praise your dog for responding to his or her name.

Mealtimes are a good time to train the sit - which is, after the name, the first command usually taught to puppies. Once your dog's food is ready, take the bowl over to the feeding area. When the puppy has caught up to you, hold the bowl just in front of the puppy, and slowly move it up and over his or her head towards his or her tail. The puppy should rock back to follow the bowl with the nose, which should cause him or her to sit. Immediately praise and put the bowl down.

Lots of people watch the Dog Whisperer, and have seen the episodes where the dogs hoard their food bowl, growl and snap at anyone coming near them when they are eating, or attack another dog for looking at its toy. This can be nipped in the bud when your puppy is still a puppy by doing a few easy things. Make sure you sit with your puppy while he is eating, and every so often place your hand in his or her bowl. I make my hand in Pooka's bowl a positive experience by holding a bit of hamburger meat or hardboiled egg and slowly adding it to his meal while he is eating. Newfs are notoriously easy-going, and I've never had either Nanook or Pooka react negatively to my hand in their bowl, but use common sense with your puppy regarding whether or not this is right for you. I've also put my head near their bowl and made eating noises, (which I don't recommend for most - I make sure I know how my dogs will react before I try this), and once a week I will hand-feed a meal to Pooka - literally giving him each mouthful out of my hand. I will also interrupt him when he is eating to lift his bowl away, and put it back. Again I always add a little something delicious to his bowl before putting it back so that my interference is a good thing. I don't stop doing this after a month or two, either - I keep doing it at infrequent intervals to remind the dog that a) I am in charge of everything; including what you eat, when you eat and HOW you eat, and b) polite eating behavior is rewarded.

It sounds like a lot of work, but right now Pooka is eating his dinner either immediately next to Nanook's bowl, or actually out of Nanook's bowl while Nanook is eating too, and Nanook is politely allowing it because he knows I will give him something special to make up for whatever Pooka is managing to steal.

Now, you may have noticed that I haven't mentioned Potty Training yet, which ought to be taking up a lot of my time right now. I say ought to, because it isn't. Pooka has not had a single accident in the house since he came home. When he did his initial tour of the living room he found the bells hanging on the doorknob and gave them an experimental pawing. The door was immediately opened. He went outside, peed, and that was that. I haven't mentioned it before because I was afraid of jinxing it, but an entire week without an accident at 9 weeks old??? Already ringing the doorbells whenever he has to go out??? He is obviously the best puppy ever. Since this is the case he has been given a great deal more freedom than Nanook was given when he was a puppy. Pooka has the run of the downstairs - living room, library, sitting room, hallway, and kitchen. The same spaces that Nanook is allowed in at a year old. When Nanook was Pooka's age he was only allowed in the sitting room! Then again, when Nanook was Pooka's age he had a grand total of 18 accidents in the house before the Potty Training lightbulb went off in his head so we had a reason to keep him to one room.