11/14/2024
I’ve raised so many puppies in the last 23 years, and Custard definitely goes up to the top of the list as one of the easiest I’ve ever raised, BUT is that because he’s just a great sweet goof, or is it because I know this process so well now that it’s a lot less of a bumpy road for me than it is for some? Maybe it’s both. Even so, here’s some things I do with my puppies - Custard included - that I wish more people knew.
- I overfeed. No, no don’t panic, I don’t let them eat themselves sick. BUT I do find that puppies that have a full tummy are more relaxed, calmer, less likely to inhale things and less mouthy in general. I give usually a 1/4 cup per meal MORE than what would be recommended on the bag, and feed snacks and kibble throughout the day in training. Basically, my puppies are never HUNGRY.
- I manage them when I can’t watch them. Making a sandwich? On the phone? Taking a shower? Puppy goes in the crate. Even if my husband or kids are “there” I don’t rely on them to know when or how to step in to puppy antics. It’s much easier to manage and prevent unwanted behaviors than it is to modify them after they’ve become a habit. I also rotate chews and toys almost hourly instead of leaving things down all the time. My puppies don't have a chance to get bored because I am always switching their enrichment up. Texture, size, and sounds are always rotating to keep them engaged with what's around versus looking for trouble.
- I let them explore with their mouth. Puppies need to taste and bite and chew on all kinds of things to learn about the world, including one another. It can become a major battle if you try to subdue or even suppress natural behavior. So many puppies will become more mouthy out of frustration, start to inhale items they find quickly (to avoid having it immediately taken from them), feel the need increase the behavior of resource guarding, or even seem frantic in their mouthiness simply because it’s not being understood and channeled well. This doesn’t mean I let my puppy chew on broken glass, or that I’m not monitoring him, but I do pick my battles and more often than not I let them chew and explore. Want to chew on a leaf? Go ahead. Here’s a cardboard box to shred. Drag this towel around the house if you must. I explore with my hands and eyes because I’m a primate, you’re a dog, so it’s all about the mouth and nose. That’s okay, I'll provide what you need and avoid interfering as much as possible.
- I don’t adhere to “a tired puppy is a good puppy” Yes, puppies need to play, chase, chew, wrestle etc, but I don’t make it a daily goal to get them as physically tired as possible. Not only can that just increase stamina and expectation - meaning rainy days are TERRIBLE - but it also doesn’t focus on learning how to do nothing, self soothe, and regulate arousal. I keep my activities with my puppy very varied and NOT on a predictable schedule. Some days there’s lots of activities, some days there’s very little. Some days we train a lot, some days we don’t at all. Flexibility is great to encourage and so is rest. Puppies who don’t get enough rest are often just like children who don’t get enough rest. Frantic, frenetic and labeled as “out of control” - when what they actually need, is a nap. I make sure my puppies get at least 2-3 rest periods each day.
- Socializing. Yes I have a house full of dogs, cats, a tortoise, a farm, but my puppies still get lots of individual time out in the world to learn all about how it works and what to expect from it. Socialization does NOT mean meeting every person and dog possible. It’s so much more than that. It’s about exposure to sounds and surfaces and novelties at their own pace with me to help them build resilience and confidence in the world. My puppies explore something new EVERY DAY until they are around 16 weeks old. This can be as simple as walking over a tarp, or as complex as going out to a dog friendly store to walk around.
- I don’t focus on “obedience” I want my puppy to come to me when they are unsure. I want them to learn to ask me about things, to trust me to guide them, to feel comfortable learning beside me. That’s not taught through “sit” and “down” work. It’s taught through consistent and predictable and positive interactions with me. If obedience is sprinkled in to some of that work, simply as a fun game between us, great, but it’s not a priority and certainly not expected to be perfect. My dogs have to learn how to learn first, and learn to LOVE to learn, and then I’ll worry about what to teach them. I focus on orienting to me, learning their name, walking beside me (not "heel" just reinforcing their orientation) and those kinds of skills that don't have "cues" attached to them.
- I savor all the stuff that most people call me panicking about. Puppies are only puppies once. Custard will hopefully live to be a very old man, and I know when he gets there I will think back to the days he stole my slipper and ran off with it. Or the first sleepless night home. It will be over before I know it, and I treasure this phase with all my dogs. I also know Custard doesn’t know who came before him, or the cracks I’ve got in my heart from those who I’ve loved and lost. He only gets me, but I’ve been lucky to have many dogs, so I focus on not comparing him, but truly enjoying him for who he is.
- Written by Helen St. Pierre - if you share please give credit to author.
