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Success With Puppy Play!
At the other location, I tried to start Puppy Play socialization classes. I
had a rule that if less than 3 dogs showed up, the session was free. I gave 6 months of free sessions. I just started it at the new location, and I had about 8 pups in each class (small and large). Since all the large pups are shy and/or gentle and the small pups are rambunctious, I've told everybody to come to whatever session they want - it's no longer by size unless I start getting some teacups or fragile dogs, like dachsunds. I couldn't have hoped for better classes. Every pup that started out hiding under chairs ended up playing. I have one pup, a min pin, who had attended a Come When Called workshop the night before. She was afraid of people. So I spent a lot of time giving her treats and not looking at her, and every person who came by to see her (we always get "oh, look!" people who want to pet the class dogs) were given treats. By the end of the class, she was on my lap giving me kisses and going eagerly to strangers. Her owners were so ecstatic, they decided to put her in the Puppy Play class, since she was also afraid of other dogs. They now have a completely different 5 month old puppy, and they're thrilled. It's amazing what a little proper socialization can do. She's a character - one of the cutest min pins I've ever seen (natural ears), and lots of personality. And now she's friendly! It made my day - this changed this pup's whole life. One woman brought in a large Shrug (I like that - can I borrow it? :}, and said she was transferring from another location. She didn't like the instructor, and Bosco had been attacked by another puppy. The first five minutes, Shadow (the min pin) snapped at him, so she was ready to take him out. I told her to give it some time - that the snap was because Shadow was also afraid of other dogs, and was just a warning to get out of her face, not an attack. Within 10 minutes, this dog was visiting with the other dogs - not quite playing yet - and by the end of class, he was playing. She was also thrilled. The mini schnauzer who hid under his mom's chair for the first half of class was also playing by the end. And the most beautiful bull mastiff puppy I've ever seen, 16 weeks old, also shy at first, was play-bowing to everybody. The larger and more rambunctious pups learned quickly to be non-threatening to the others. Biggest pup 6 month old Peaches, a golden, spent the beginning of the class skittering around on her belly, never standing up, until the others began initiating play with her. She kept us in stitches. It was 100% successful, with no incidents whatsoever, and really made my day. I can't believe I get paid to watch puppies play. :} PetsMart Pet Trainer My Kids, My Students, My Life: http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html Last updated June 27 at 10:00 a.m. |
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