Train the dog in front of you. It’s a mantra often repeated by dog trainers and instructors. But what does that really mean? I believe it serves as a reminder to be an observer, to watch behaviors and reactions carefully, and to see what the dog is actually doing, not what you expect them to do.
Let’s say you’ve owned dogs or puppy-raised for years. The dogs have been active, goofy, hard-necked hooligans. You’ve had to spend time teaching them not to jump on people, and maybe you’ve actually wiped a paw print or two off of the walls (or ceiling!). Exposures were a breeze, other than working on leash management skills. Then you pick up a new puppy. This puppy is softer in temperament and a little more sensitive. He’s quiet and serious. He lets loose a little bit in the backyard and in the house, but tends to flop down or pull back on the leash when going on walks or exposures. He doesn’t rush up to people, but instead wags his tail and lets them come to him.
I would not follow the same training and exposure protocols with this dog as I had with the others. I would take short, frequent strolls rather than long, energy-draining walks. I would start with a couple of very routine, low-stimuli exposures, such as work and the grocery store. I would save the mall or a crowded playground for when I felt the puppy was confidently striding through his routine. If a meeting is being held at a busy mall, and I feel that the 16 week puppy at the end of my leash is a little hesitant, then we’ll cut the exposure short.
Yes, it is important to make sure that these pups get everything on the exposures list. However, the QUALITY of exposures is what’s important, not the QUANTITY. When a young pup is being socialized, the puppy should CHOOSE to interact and should have the option to leave the interaction. As a puppy raiser, start training yourself to be an observer. If your puppy hesitates before approaching a group of children, slow down the interaction. Have the children stop (easier said than done, I know) and allow the puppy to approach them. Give the children a tidbit to encourage the puppy towards them in a positive way. Don’t assume that this puppy will be excited to meet every group of children; the last puppy may have loved kids, or this puppy may have even had positive experiences with kids previously. But if the puppy in front of you shows timidity, hesitation, or wants to back away, make sure that puppy has an option for escape. Be an observer and don’t take it for granted that your puppy is tolerant. The puppy will gain confidence and have a positive experience when they can make the choice to socialize.
If, on the other hand, the puppy is a whirling dervish when children appear, and tends to want to jump on them, you will also want to carefully manage the interaction. In this case, learn to observe the signs that your puppy is “revving up”. He may speed up his pace, start to tremble with excitement, or vocalize. Interrupt any interactions when you feel the puppy is getting over-stimulated. Walk the puppy away to calm him down. Practice some down-stays and then return to the interaction. If the puppy can’t handle the interaction at that moment, then skip it. There is always time to return to it later, when the pup is in a better frame of mind.
We’ll be talking more in-depth about body language and how to get a better read on the puppy. As much as you learn about various body language cues though, each puppy is an individual. Start paying attention and observing little clues. One weekend, Scorch and I had an out of town, two-day dog show. The days were long, and after the show was over, we went out to eat and visited an art festival. I was not paying as much attention to Scorch as I should have been, but I did notice that he kept circling and acting strange. I thought he had to “busy”, but despite multiple opportunities, he didn’t. When we finally got back to the car, he leapt into the back, grabbed a towel, and pulled it over his head. He was overwhelmed and just wanted to escape from the world. He’d been trying to tell me and I hadn’t understood his signals. Now I recognize the cues that he uses when he’s had enough and wants to curl up into a hiding place.
Observe when your puppy has had enough. They might get more active and intense, or they might withdraw and look for escape. In either scenario, learning will not happen when that puppy is in that state of mind. Give the pup a break or reduce the amount of distractions and stimuli surrounding the puppy. Be an observer of the behaviors the puppy is presenting, rather than interpreting behaviors based on what you expect.
