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Last
updated 5/21/07
The
Fundamentals of Learning and Training
Puppies and Learning
The prenatal period -- It has been found that puppies react to touch and/or
pressure from the outside of the mother’s abdomen.
This fact has been confirmed with ultrasound.
Since puppies have such a
well-developed sense of touch at birth, the sense of
touch would also be well-developed before birth. Puppies
may be sensitive to touch received by the mother while
still unborn. Studies have found that “when a pregnant
animal is petted her litter is more docile (Denenberg
and Whimbey 1963, in Fox 1978).” According to Fox, this facilitates relaxation, emotional
attachment, and socialization as well. Other studies
have indicated that puppies that receive outside contact
(petting of the mother) while in utero have a higher
tolerance for touching than puppies who receive no
contact at all. One could deduce that gentle petting of
the mother’s abdomen could help to facilitate positive,
beneficial puppy socialization with people.
Neonatal Period -- During the first two weeks of a puppy's life, also
known as the neonate period, puppies can learn simple
associations. However, early experience
events are unlikely to carry over into later periods.
 Studies
indicate that puppies in the neonate period do not seem to learn by
experience. It is theorized that this is due to the fact that
the puppy’s brain, sense, and motor organs are still
undeveloped. Based on its limited capacity to sense and
learn it would be difficult to affect the puppy
psychologically, either in a positive or negative sense.
Socialization Period -- This is the most
important developmental period, beginning around 3 weeks
(21 days) old, and ending around 12 weeks old. The biggest aspect of this period is social play.
Social investigation (curiosity), playful fighting and
playful sexual behavior (body contact) is very important to
developing social relationships during its life. This is a time for developing social relationships,
both among other puppies as well as with people. These
behaviors are relatively easy for any individual who
stays with the puppies during this period. However,
there is a point where the puppies can develop a fear of
strangers. At 3-5 weeks of age, puppies will actively
approach strangers. Shortly thereafter stranger
avoidance begins and slowly escalates until it peaks
around 12-14 weeks of age. While this
natural fear of strangers could serve as a way to keep a
curious puppy away from predators, it can also hinder
normal relationships with people.
During this period, startle reactions to
sudden movement and sounds is now present. This serves to help the
puppy learn to differentiate between which events are dangerous, and
which events are safe or insignificant. (Scott and Fuller, 1965) During
the socialization period, the development of attachment to certain
locations occurs. This is displayed by an extreme disturbance in
the puppy whenever a change in location occurs. This is known as
“localization”. “Localization” often peaks in puppies between 6-7
weeks old and then tapers off
after that time to the point where a change in location
is no longer distressing to the puppy.
Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly
during the first eight weeks of life are generally much
more amenable to being
 trained and living in human
households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their
permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. Puppies are
innately more fearful of new things during the period
from 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it harder for them to
adapt to a new home.
Puppies can begin learning tricks and commands as
early as 7-8 weeks of age; the only limitations are the
pup's stamina, concentration, and physical coordination.
It is much easier to live with young dogs that have
already learned basic commands such as sit.
Waiting until the puppy is older and has already learned
undesirable habits makes the training much more
challenging.
Bringing your puppy home....
For thousands of years dogs have lived in social
groups called packs and each pack member has his own
position or rank in the pack. Once puppies are able to
walk and interact, they try to determine their position
in the litter. A puppy soon learns if he is submissive,
the other puppies will push him away from the food. If
he is larger and stronger than the other puppies he will
most likely be the one doing the pushing. As puppies get
older they will have to figure out their position in the
pack.
After a puppy is adopted into his new human pack, he
has to re-establish his position. If he was the bully of
the litter, he may try to bully his new pack members. If
he was submissive with his littermates, he will probably
start out being submissive. As he grows older and larger
he will try to determine where he fits into this new
human pack. His ultimate rank will depend on how his
human pack members respond to his actions in various
situations.
When first introduced to his new family, a puppy will
usually act somewhat submissive. When greeted, your new
puppy may roll over on his back and urinate or he may
squat and urinate. He is sending you a message in dog
language which says, “don’t hurt me, I am not a threat
to you.” If he submits in this manner, do not scold him
or you will make the problem worse.
As a puppy grows older he will take his cues on how
he should respond to his new owners by the way they
react to his actions. For example, a puppy is chewing on
his favorite chew toy or rawhide and a child approaches
the puppy. The puppy uses the body language he learned
from his littermates to warn the child not to come any
closer. These warning signs may be a low, soft growl, a
curled lip, raised hackles or a nip directed at the
child. If the child heeds the warning and backs away,
this puppy has just learned that a threatening growl is
a good way to keep his prized possessions away from this
particular child. The puppy also learns that his rank or
position in his new family is higher than this child’s.
If a puppy gets away with threatening a child or
younger member of the family, he will usually try the
same thing when other family members come near one of
his favorite possessions. If the family member gives the
puppy a stern correction and lets him know he should
never growl at humans, the puppy has just learned that
his position in the new family is lower than the family
member who corrected him but still higher than the child
he threatened. Over time, similar incidents will likely
occur with every member of his new human pack. The
response of each family member to the puppy’s actions
will help determine his ultimate ranking.
Obedience training is the easiest
way to establish the social hierarchy. When your dog obeys a simple request of
'come here, sit,' she is showing compliance and respect
for you. It is NOT necessary to establish yourself as
top dog or leader of the pack by using extreme measures
such as the so-called alpha roll-over. You CAN teach
your dog her subordinate role by teaching her to show
submission to you in a paw raise (shake hands), roll
over or hand lick (give a kiss). Most dogs love
performing these tricks (obedience commands) for you (or
for kids)
which also pleasantly acknowledge that you are in
charge.
Social maturity
 Once he determines his family ranking and he submits
to higher-ranking family members, there may not be any
more problems until he reaches his social maturity.
At social maturity (when your puppy
becomes a teenager) usually occurs
between 12-24 months for a female and 24-36 months of a
male, with 18-24 months of age
being the norm. He is now older, stronger, more
confident and may seem to "all of a sudden" forget
everything he has been taught. He will sometimes seem
to say "I heard you but I will be there in a minute". The best to way assure your puppy knows his proper
position in his human pack is to begin making him earn
everything he receives, as soon as he joins your family.
Prior to receiving anything such as food, petting, or
play, you must make him sit to earn these privileges or
rewards. By making your puppy sit, you will teach him
that he must submit to you before you will give him
anything. Nothing in life is free. Everything must be
earned. If you keep enforcing this principle, the
teenage years are much easier.
Basic training classes
Formal obedience training - puppy training in a class situation - can
start anywhere from 9 to 12 weeks of age. It is usually a good idea to
may sure that your puppy receives a series of 2 vaccinations given
before starting in a class - for the pup's protection, as well as the
protection of all other pups in the class. A Bordetella (a type of
kennel cough) vaccination and negative stool sample are also recommended.
Professional "dog trainers" usually do not train the
dogs, but actually train the owners on how to
train their own dogs. Although it is also possible to
send a dog away to a training school, the owner still
must at some point learn what the dog has learned and
how to use and reinforce the techniques. Some call this
a shortcut, but plenty of work is still required and
training must continue over the course of the dog's
life. Owners and dogs who attend class together have an
opportunity to learn more about each other and how to
work together under a trainer's guidance. Training is
most effective if everyone who handles the dog takes
part in the training to ensure consistent commands,
methods, and enforcement. Classes also help socialize
your dog to other people and dogs. Ask your vet or the
owner of a well behaved dog for recommendations in your
area. Obedience
Training is one of the best things you can do for your dog or puppy...
and yourself. Obedience training doesn't solve all behavior problems,
but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training
opens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective
communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want her
to do.
Dogs are social animals and without
proper training, they will behave like animals. They
will soil your house, destroy your belongings,
bark excessively, dig holes in your yard,
fight other dogs, and even
chew on you.
Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal canine
activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are
directed at the wrong thing. For example, the dog will
eliminate on the carpet instead of outside; the dog will
bark all night long instead of just when a stranger is
prowling around outside; or the dog will
chew
furniture instead of his own toys. The key to preventing
or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the
dog to redirect his natural behavior to outlets that are
acceptable in the domestic setting.
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