17/06/2022
š¶ Puppy routines and training š¶
A client yesterday was relieved to hear that they did NOT have to follow the regimented routine they had found online. They were finding the precision of this routine challenging to maintain and thankfully for their puppy, were the slightly rebellious type!
What bothered me most about this routine was the control of water intake, and of course the excessive use of confinement. Looking online, many puppy training schedules do the same. This is one I found easily online, which I have thankfully told has since been revised.
š¦ Water is a basic need, essential for survival. We have no right to control it or decide when an individual needs it! We can certainly spot patterns and habits forming, but factors such as weather, exercise and stress can cause fluctuations.
Confining a living being without water isnāt my idea of training.
If a puppy is struggling to toilet train we should not revert to regulating their water! We should review their health (do they have a UTI), stress levels and even their diet (some can cause increased thirst). Sometimes, the layout of the house or garden and the individualās behaviour means it just takes extra time!
Mohawk was veeeeery slow to toilet train! Our house is long, causing signalling at the door to be very tricky to establish (bells aren't possible with a sound-sensitive senior dog!). Our garden is wild and can be quite windy- and Mohawk was a winter puppy!
Summer puppies may alternatively get distracted or startled by increased activity in surrounding gardens.
There is too much pressure on owners and puppies to toilet train as fast as possible, which can then lead to risky management strategies, such as controlling water or even punishing accidents.
Well-meaning puppy owners keen to get it right will look for the right thing to do, such as with this rigid routine. Some will follow it far more rigidly than my client! Professionals giving such advice should critique where things can go wrong.
Should we control water in this hot weather? Of course not!! So where is the disclaimer?
Routines can be beneficial for animals, as a level of predictability can reduce anxiety. However, a too-rigid routine can create its own problems in the short and long-term. They do not cater to the individualās needs that day and in that very moment.
Especially puppies, who are experiencing huge development changes physically and emotionally every day.
Part of your routine should consider the passive teaching of 'my attention isn't always available', which can be done by giving your puppy/dog plenty to do without your direct involvement (under your discreet supervision). Allowing your dog the option to wake themselves up and pick up something to entertain themselves with, such as a long-lasting chew, or amble about the house is a crucial part of this lesson.
I see a lot of problems associated with dogs who are too tightly controlled, including the over-use of confinement.
We need to be flexible and adaptable.....
ā° If a dog wakes up and needs an interaction from you, give it to them.
š If your dog is hungry earlier than normal, feed them!
š“ If your dog is tired and needs to sleep, let them!
If you do not respond to your puppy or dogās needs in that moment, you run the risk of them escalating the way they communicate that need and now you're dealing with a potentially longer-lasting problem than cleaning up small puddles of puppy wee.
However, a dog should never, ever have to ask to drink water!
