Direct to Chapter: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22Chapter 18 - Development and Training II
FURTHER TRAINING
From the seventh to twelfth weeks, the puppy
should be expanding its horizons and absorbing
all that it can. it should have a real name and
respond to it and to its owner with dedication
and interest. Training during this period
should not last for longer than half an hour.
Plenty of praise should be given when the
puppy responds well. At this age, the puppy
has its best attitude toward direction and will
respond to what it is told. It is a time when the
dog-human relationship will grow.
From twelve to sixteen weeks the puppy
starts to declare its independence and the
owner and dog establish who is boss. This
period is when physical and social development
run parallel. It is also the time when puppies
cut their second teeth, and can be thought of
as teenagers. Their mouths bother them and
their attention span is short. Puppies should
still be treated kindly at this time.
After sixteen weeks the learning process that
has already been established should continue.
If the original foundations of training are not
well founded, it will be difficult to train the
dog to accomplish more. It is important to
remember that the first sixteen weeks of a
puppy's life is when its socialization between humans and other dogs takes place. Time and
effort spent during this time are well worth
the trouble. A puppy brought on in the best
way possible will ensure that the next
twelve or so years are both pleasant and
productive for both the owner and dog.
GROOMING POTENTIAL SHOW DOGS
Any puppy that is considered a show prospect
should spend time on the grooming table in
order to have its teeth checked, ears cleaned
and toe nails clipped. Short-coated breeds
should be groomed with a damp towel and
given a good brush with a mitt fitted with
bristles, called a hound glove. Dogs with
long coats that must be trimmed or plucked,
or washed and brushed dry under a dryer,
should have all this attended to on a grooming
table. Occasionally, ears need some attention
after cropping and terrier ears may need to
be set. This is another job for the grooming
table.
None of the tasks at the grooming table
should be a chore for the owner or dog. The
dog should enjoy the attention. The owner
should learn how to prepare a dog for the
show ring. An experienced person who has
knowledge of showing the breed will be
invaluable in helping the novice to groom a
dog so that the process is easy and pleasant.
Essentially, the making of a show dog
involves teaching it how to walk on a leash,
pose on both a table and the ground and rise
to the occasion. If the breeder bonds strongly
with a young hopeful it will try hard to please.
The more that both owner and dog learn and
share, the more fulfilling the dog-human
relationship becomes.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF PUPPIES
As the pup grows older, many changes occur.
Size and strength increase and sexual maturity
begins. A bitch pup may come into her first
season any time after she reaches eight months
and the consensus of opinion among vets is
that she should be spayed before this season
starts. Spaying is probably the greatest safeguard against cancer of the mammary glands at a later
age. The operation involved is also safer and
simpler at this stage than after a season or two.
A bitch's body matures and develops more
rapidly than that of a male dog, and early
spaying will probably not affect its growth.
In the United States, a bitch kept for show
may not be spayed and care must be taken
to observe and record its first season. in
contrast, a dog often does not become sexually
mature or become "bodied up" until it is two
or more years old. It may be sexually active
from around six months on and may be used
at stud after the age of eight or nine months.
A dog of this age is too young for proper
results in tests that should take place before
breeding. If a dog is not to stand at stud, it
should be neutered before it has any contact
with a bitch in season. If it has a retained
testicle, this should be removed to prevent
any possible cancer later in life. Toy breeds
reach physical maturity much earlier than
larger breeds.
BASIC TRAINING
To he a good citizen and an ideal companion,
a minimal amount of training is required. Dogs
enjoy a sense of purpose. just like people,
they thrive on praise and they are happiest
when they are being useful. This is only
natural since it was the dog's usefulness that
originally made him man's companion.
The basic lessons a dog should learn are to
"heel" while walking on a leash, sit, stay, come
and lie down. Many clubs and organizations
will help new owners to train a dog. Dog-
training clubs frequently advertise in local
newspapers when classes are held. If the new
owner wants to do the training without
outside help, there are many self-help books
that can assist. The vet may also be able to
help by recommending classes or by advising
the owner on a dog's progress and making
suggestions if behavior problems develop.
Unruly puppies are a nuisance, just like unruly
children. Training sessions for puppies should
be very short, maybe five minutes at a time, and training should not be at the same time and place as play time. Puppies will learn the
difference very quickly.
Anne Rogers Clark believes, and scientific
studies have proven, that dogs have a definite
adolescence. This varies by breed and sex of
dog; females generally show adolescent
behavior a few months before males. A change
in attitude can be detected and dogs need
special attention at this time. If there is a
tendency toward either shyness or aggression
it will appear most strongly during adolescence,
and this is the time to deal with it through
training.
LIVING WITH OTHERS
Being a good citizen applies not only to a dog.
An owner who picks up the dog (size and
strength permitting), or instructs it to sit when
strangers approach during a walk, is being a
considerate neighbor.
People own dogs for all sorts of reasons.
But whatever the underlying factor, the bond
between a dog and its human owner makes
people more of what they are. In an understand-
ing relationship people rise to a higher level of
responsibility, communication and compassion.
They become more aware of and more in
harmony with nature. A native American
saying is, "God had a friend and it was a dog."
Courtesy of Howell Book HouseChapter List Early Developments and Variety in Breeds Breed Classification Design & Function The Development of Standards The Size of Dogs Simple Genetic Principles Selection In Breeding Breeding Systems Selecting A Dog Finding A Dog The Cost of A Dog Health, General Care and Feeding Dog Breeding Part I Dog Breeding Part II Dog Breeding Part III Stages of Dog Labor Development and Training I Development and Training II The Competitive Dog Types of Dog Shows The Making of a Judge Exhibiting for the FirstTime
|

|