A Guide to Socializing Your Adventure-Ready Puppy

A Guide to Socializing Your Adventure-Ready Puppy

By: Shay Cline & Amber Quann

Positive exposure to things your puppy will experience for the rest of their life during the early stages of development can help ensure you have a happy and confident adventure buddy!

What is Puppy Socialization?

There are many definitions of socialization - almost as many as the opinions you will find on how it should be done! 

Laura VanArendonk Baugh describes the need for socialization in puppies this way: "If we want our dogs to be acceptable, happy, welcome, and safe in human society, we need to socialize them to human norms." And not just any human norms, but your daily norms. Prioritize what your puppy will need to be comfortable with as a partner in your life. At its core, socializing is preparing your puppy to accept and navigate the situations they will likely encounter during their adventures with you.

Socialization isn't about simply exposing our puppies to something until they accept it. It is about teaching our puppies how to cope with the world around them and how to deal with future adventures.

Safety in Socialization

When planning to socialize your puppy, safety should be a top priority. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends starting safe socialization efforts before your puppy is fully vaccinated. (Read the full position statement here.)

• Choose your environments carefully - you can start your socialization in low-traffic areas frequented by known vaccinated dogs (i.e. neighbor’s backyard), and move to higher-traffic areas as your puppy completes their vaccinations. Areas that are familiar to you will also give you more confidence when handling various situations that you and your pup may encounter- this will help them view you as safe and reliable. 

• Think “Observe & Learns” - Taking your puppy on a ride in the car and letting them watch out the window at a shopping mall parking lot is a great socialization experience with minimal risks. Bring a chewy along to help them process all of the new information in a safe, appropriate way.

What Does a Good Socialization Experience Look Like?

Everything should be the puppy’s choice! We should never force a puppy to interact with anyone or anything that they are not choosing to interact with if it isn’t completely necessary. You can always make a mental note of the things that are scary for your puppy and try reintroducing them in a way that feels more comfortable for them later on.

• New things = puppy gets lots of things they enjoy. This could be yummy treats, a favorite toy, attention from you, the opportunity to sniff something new, etc.  This helps puppies maintain optimism about novel things later in life. 

• More than just meeting dogs & people - Realistically, we don’t interact with every person and dog we pass. Focusing on neutrality around most people can also help you reserve interactions for people who are safe, coachable, and open to helping you with your puppy’s training! A good socialization list also includes exposure to different sights, sounds, and smells, so keep these things in mind when setting up new experiences for your puppy. 

• Quality over Quantity - Keep socialization experiences short and sweet!  A good socialization experience leaves your puppy wanting more, rather than being overwhelmed. 5-10 minutes may be all your puppy can handle confidently in a new situation at first. 

• Recover with rest time in between - Nap time is important recovery time between new experiences. A well-rested puppy will be more ready to enjoy the next socialization experience!

Signs That Your Puppy is Comfortable

Body Language - Learning a bit about how dogs communicate using their body language is an essential part of supporting our puppies.  Once you understand the basics of how your puppy communicates, be on the lookout for these behaviors as you are watching your puppy during their socialization experiences.

• Eating Food - Can your puppy eat food during the socialization experience?  If they normally eat food willingly, and they become unable to eat food, this is a good indication that they might be overwhelmed or nearing their comfort threshold.

• Playing with Favorite Toys - Can your puppy play with their favorite toy?  

• Exploring and Engaging with the Environment - Can they sniff and explore the new environment with relaxed body language?  Or are they sticking close to you or looking for a place to hide? 

Let Us Help Socialize Your Adventure Buddy!

Our Adventure Camp for Puppies is designed with all these principles—and more—in mind to help your puppy become an adventure-ready, well-socialized companion.

Each day of our camp includes:

• Social Skills Development: We aim to create a safe learning environment for your puppy to develop social skills in a small group setting of appropriate people and dogs, and learn how to be calm and neutral around strangers.

• Exposure to New Experiences: We introduce new sights, surfaces, sounds, and experiences to puppies in age-appropriate ways, with an emphasis on building confidence, optimism, and trust.

• Naps & Downtime: Every day includes quiet time in individual pens where puppies can chew, rest, and decompress. We also use this time to focus on building settle, confinement, and separation skills.

• Life Skills Training: We start introducing your puppy to a wide range of concepts and skills they will need to be successful in Fort Collins and beyond. This includes leash walking skills, coming when called, relaxing on a mat, greeting politely, and more! You will get a daily progress report that comes with focus points unique to your puppy, as well as private sessions with a trainer to build your skills as a team. 

Are you ready to start your puppy’s socialization journey and create a confident, adventure-ready companion? Our Adventure Camp for Puppies is here to help! Schedule a Discovery Call with the Adventure Camp team today!

See what a day of Adventure Puppy Camp looks like!

Spooky Season Survival Tips: Keeping Your Dog Safe and Comfortable This Halloween

Spooky Season Survival Tips: Keeping Your Dog Safe and Comfortable This Halloween

By: Taylor Heid

As Halloween approaches, many of us are eager to get into the spooky spirit with decorations, costumes, and trick-or-treaters. While this holiday can be a lot of fun for families, it’s important to remember that it can also be overwhelming or even scary for our furry companions. With a little preparation and understanding, you can ensure that Halloween is enjoyable for your dog too. Here are some expert tips to help you and your dog navigate the season. 

1. Handle Halloween Decorations with Care

It’s tempting to decorate your home with spooky figures and elaborate setups, but not all dogs will feel comfortable with these changes.

• Don’t ever force your dog to interact with scary decorations. Allow them to explore at their own pace, but respect their boundaries if they show signs of fear.

• Encourage curiosity, but never push. If your dog wants to sniff or investigate, that's great! Just avoid putting pressure on them if they seem frightened.

• Use positive body language and tone to reassure them that these decorations are no big deal. Dogs look to us for cues, so staying calm and upbeat can help them relax.

2. Plan Ahead for Halloween Night

Halloween night can be particularly stressful for dogs with the constant doorbell ringing, visitors in costumes, and outdoor noises.

• Take your dog for a long walk earlier in the day to meet their exercise needs before the evening excitement starts.

• Make sure your dog sees you put on your costume. This can help them understand it’s still you beneath the spooky outfit.

• Confine your dog in a crate or another room while trick-or-treaters are around. This will provide them with a sense of security and prevent any escape attempts if the door is frequently opened.

3. Create a Comfortable Environment

You can create a calm, comforting space for your dog as the evening unfolds.

• Play calming sounds using a sound machine or calming music to drown out external noises like the doorbell or kids shouting "trick or treat!"

• Provide your dog with a high-value chew or toy to keep them busy and distracted while festivities are in full swing.

With these tips in mind, Halloween can be a fun and stress-free experience for both you and your dog. Remember to be patient and understanding if your dog feels unsure about all the spooky changes. A little preparation goes a long way toward making the season enjoyable for everyone!

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👻 If you want to practice your dog’s confidence while in the presence of Halloween decorations, check out our Halloween-themed Beyond Play service this weekend! 

Beyond Play is a fun and safe socialization for small and medium-sized dogs! Beyond Play is a drop-in class perfect for pups who need some extra socialization & for pet parents who are searching for an opportunity to get their dog out of the house! PLEASE NOTE: This is not a training class, but rather a supplemental support option for dogs who are looking for safe and fun socialization opportunities with other dogs.

Beyond Play is offered in two groups:

🎃 October 19th @ 11:00am for small-sized dogs (25lbs and under)

🎃 October 26th @ 11:00am for medium-sized dogs (25-50lbs)

Prerequisites: Attended at least one week of another group class (including Puppy PlaySchool) with us! 

You can find more information and register on our website ➡️ www.summitdogtraining.com/play-groups

Puppy Raising & Welfare

By Benah Stiewing

Raising a puppy is very exciting and also a huge responsibility - it’s critical that we, as their guardians, do our best to prepare them for a secure, confident, and stable adulthood. Puppies are born not knowing any human rules or desires - we have to prepare them for the expectations we will eventually have for them and reinforce the behaviors we desire. Below you will find some basic tips and techniques to help you prepare your puppy for being a well-adjusted dog. To dig deeper into puppy training, check out our blog posts for puppy training basics and how to handle common puppy problems. If you’d like more support, consider our webinar Adventure Puppy Basics, which gives a well-rounded, detailed approach to raising your puppy. 

Rest

Make sure your puppy is getting lots of rest! Puppies do not have the same emotional and physiological control as older dogs who will generally nap when they need to. If our puppies are getting extra nippy or loud, they may be over-tired and need to be encouraged to take a nap. By putting them in their crate in a quiet space, we can help them get the rest they need. Below is a video of Amber helping Jamie settle in for a nap in his crate. 

Confinement

Confinement is a very important skill throughout your dog’s lifetime! Whether it’s being home while you’re out running errands or crated for an overnight at the veterinarian, confinement comfort is an invaluable skill for your puppy. Our webinar Separation Anxiety Prevention is an excellent resource for giving your puppy the absolute best start with confinement! 

• Place your puppy’s crate in a quiet area of the house away from the hub-bub.

• Turn on a white noise machine so your puppy doesn’t have to hear all the fun happening without them.

• Inside your puppy’s crate, have a soft towel/bed, a toy, and a couple different options for chewing.

• Build a positive association with the crate! Click here to watch a video of Amber teaching Jamie about his crate.

• Feed all your puppy’s meals in their crate to continue building that positive relationship!

• Before putting your puppy in their crate for a nap, make sure their needs have been met to the best of your ability. If your puppy needs to potty or is hungry or thirsty, they won’t be able to settle.

• Use technology! A baby monitor can be used to keep an eye on your puppy while they are resting.

Potty Training

Teaching our puppy where to eliminate (and where not to!) is usually one of our first training goals. It sounds daunting, but with a combination of management, training, and physical development your puppy can master this challenge! Your new puppy is eliminating in the house because it doesn't know any differently yet, and it has a really small and still-developing bladder. Management is necessary to help your puppy make the right choice every time by removing most of the opportunities to make the wrong choice. Giving your puppy the ability to free-roam in your home means that they may potty indoors or get into something they aren’t meant to.

• When your puppy is awake: set a timer to take your puppy outside every 20-30 minutes during the first few weeks of a new house training regimen, even if you think he doesn’t need to go that often.

• When your puppy wakes up from a nap: Take him outside immediately! Every time!

• Puppies often potty after eating, drinking, and playing, so be certain to take them outside after these activities.

• Join your puppy outside to ensure that they have eliminated AND so you can reward them for making the choice we desire.

• If you are certain your puppy needs to potty (they just woke up from a nap, for example) but it’s just not happening, bring them back inside and put them back in their crate for 5 minutes (set a timer!) and then bring them back outside to try again. Repeat until you get the desired behavior. 

• Once you have been accident-free for a few days on the 30 minute increments, you can expand to 40-50 minutes between potty breaks.

• Never punish your puppy for pottying inside - they are not dirtying your floors on purpose, they are doing the best they can.

Biting/Chewing

Chewing is a normal behavior for dogs, especially from 8 weeks to 6 months. During this period, puppies lose a whopping 42 baby teeth and replace them with adult teeth!  Additionally, while humans explore the world through our hands, dogs explore through their mouths. Together, these two factors turn puppies into chewing machines! While this behavior is very normal, that doesn’t make it pleasant or fun and there are concrete steps we can take to help our puppies chew appropriately.

• Have lots and lots (and lots!) of safe toys and chews around your puppy at all times. Your puppy should always have access to something appropriate to chew, like Benebones, antlers, hoofs, and toys. 

• Use every meal as an opportunity to let your puppy chew! By using puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, Kongs, and Toppls, you can meet your puppy’s innate need and burn some extra energy. 

• You can use sweet potato, pumpkin, canned food, raw (if you feed a raw diet), or kibble soaked in water to stuff in the Kongs and Toppls.

• Rotate your toys/chews/feeders so that your puppy doesn’t become bored with the same items.

• Plenty of regular rest for your puppy throughout the day - puppies that are overtired are often the most bitey puppies!

• If your puppy begins to chew on something inappropriate (like your hand or the couch), simply grab an appropriate chew item and give it to your puppy.

• Teach your puppy appropriate ways to interact with your hand instead. Our favorites are teaching a Hand Target or teaching “Lick not Bite”

• Lick Not Bite: Put a small amount of a delicious lickable treat, like yogurt or sweet potato puree, on the back of your hand. Present it to your puppy to lick off your hand.  Praise them while they do this!  If your puppy changes from licking to nibbling, calmly remove your hand for a few seconds, then represent your hand for them to lick again. 

Grooming/Handling

Whether you have a poodle or a labrador, all dogs will require a certain level of grooming throughout their lives. For a poodle, that could be a full groom every 6 weeks, while a labrador may only need their nails trimmed bi-weekly. Grooming is an important part of our dog’s welfare, so we want the experience to be positive and stress-free. Building a positive relationship with grooming is something we can start from day one with our puppies. If you want to learn more about preparing your puppy for grooming and handling, check out our webinar Cooperative Care for Better Veterinary and Grooming Visits!

• Prepare for your puppy’s first nail trim by slathering a Licki-mat with some peanut butter or wet dog food.

• Make sure your puppy has recently eliminated so they aren’t uncomfortable throughout the process.

• Offer your puppy the licki-mat on a towel or blanket - once they begin licking, reinforce with extra cookies tossed onto the licki-mat.

• Start very gently touching your puppy’s back, neck, ears, legs, toes, etc.

• If at any point your puppy leaves the mat/towel, stop touching them and do not force them to get back on the mat. This is your puppy’s way of declining the touching - though we want our dog’s to be comfortable with touching, we never want to force it on them and from a young age we want the puppy to understand that they can decline by simply moving away. If your puppy comes back on the mat/towel, give them a few seconds to just lick before you begin touching again. 

• If your puppy is doing really well with just touching while licking, in your next session bring a metal spoon and gently touch it to your puppy’s nails while they are licking. This metal sensation starts to prepare them for the actual nail trim.

• Once they can tolerate the spoon well, begin actually trimming one foot. Don’t try to trim all 4 feet in one session - aim for quality over quantity. Stay very far away from their quick (the pink part of the nail closer to their actual toes) so you don’t risk hurting them while you’re building a positive association.

• Once your puppy is doing well with their nail trims, practice at least once a week until they are around 6 months old - then move to bi-weekly. This is a sensation we want your puppy to be very comfortable with and look forward to because it means lots of yummy snacks for doing basically nothing!

• To help your puppy become acclimated to bath time, start building positive associations with the bathtub way before a bath is required. 

• Put down a non-slip surface in your bathtub to keep your puppy safe and help them feel more comfortable, then practice placing them in the bathtub and immediately giving them their prepared licki-mat.

• Stay with them as they enjoy their licki-mat and periodically scatter a few extra treats as they are enjoying the licki-mat. 

• As your puppy is successful with this exercise, start to gently turn on the water and allow it to flow into the drain as your puppy eats. If they seem uncomfortable, slow down the water flow or move it farther away from your puppy. 

Socialization

Socialization is about teaching our puppy how to cope with the world around him and how to handle future adventures. Our puppies are constantly absorbing information about the world around them so it’s vital that we ensure their first few months of life are as positive as possible. While it’s important for your puppy to be exposed to different dogs and people, think about quality over quantity and what skills you want your future dog to have. If you walk your puppy down the street and allow them to pull you towards every person and dog for a greeting, you’re going to have a much more difficult time teaching focus, attention, and loose leash walking. 

• When you’re out in the world with your puppy, think about neutrality and the reaction you eventually want them to have towards a change in environment. 

• Grab a coffee at your favorite shop, get your puppy out of the car, and sit outside the coffee shop with treats and your puppy on-leash. 

• Bring a comfortable mat for your puppy to settle on and some low-value chews like an antler or a Benebone. 

• As the world passes by, reinforce your puppy for the behaviors you want (lying/sitting down, attention on you, chewing on their antler, and watching stimuli pass by) and use the leash to prevent them from approaching people passing. 

• If someone wants to greet your puppy, ask them to wait until you have your puppy’s attention, reinforce with a treat, then release them with a “Go say hi!” cue. 

• If your puppy offers attention on you during the greeting or after it’s finished, reinforce your puppy with a treat.

From 7-16 weeks of age, puppies are in a critical socialization period that offers us a fantastic opportunity to help them acclimate to our world. Remember that learning is always happening, so what goes on in our homes, backyards, and friend’s homes is just as important as the trip into town. If you are central to Fort Collins, CO, our Adventure Puppy Camp is an excellent learning opportunity for your puppy and a chance for you to take a break!

Raising a puppy is so much fun! You get to learn about this entirely new life and build a relationship together from the very start. At times it can feel overwhelming and challenging, so take lots of breaks and ask for help when you need it. If you need extra support, don’t hesitate to contact us today and get started with in-person or online training to help you feel better prepared to raise your puppy. 

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Summit Dog Training offers group dog training classes & private lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as online self-study courses & online private lessons for education on how to live the best life with your dog!   If you are looking for more training support, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to help you and your dog get ready for any adventure.

Management & Training for Common Puppy Behavior Problems

By Benah Stiewing

Welcoming a new puppy into your family is loads of fun, and brings laughter and joy into any household! However, puppies are also a lot of work and can often feel quite overwhelming and exhausting.

Remember throughout your puppy raising to give yourself and your puppy lots of breaks - rest is critical to everyone’s success. Check out our blog from a few weeks ago for training basics, including a discussion of why management like a crate or pen is so important to setting our puppies up for learning the behaviors we want them to learn!

Below you will find our recommendations for common puppy problems that can arise while raising your puppy.  Many of these are normal, and different puppies may face different challenges based on their unique combination of genetics, early learning history, and individuality.  Sometimes, puppy behavioral problems can be unique and require special attention, and we are always here to help if you find yourself experiencing any of these - or other - issues with your puppy. (Check out our Puppy Raising Private Program package for one-on-one puppy raising support - available both online and in-person in Fort Collins, CO!)

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Biting/Chewing

Chewing is a normal behavior for dogs, especially from 8 weeks - 6 months. During this period, puppies lose a whopping 42 baby teeth and replace them with adult teeth!  Additionally, while humans explore the world through our hands, dogs explore through their mouths. Together, these two factors turn puppies into chewing machines! While this behavior is very normal, that doesn’t make it pleasant or fun and there are concrete steps we can take to help our puppies chew appropriately.

Management: 

• Have lots and lots (and lots!) of safe toys and chews around your puppy at all times. Your puppy should always have access to something appropriate to chew, like Benebones, antlers, hoofs, and toys. 

• Use every meal as an opportunity to let your puppy chew! By using puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, Kongs, and Topls, you can meet your puppy’s innate need and burn some extra energy. 

• You can use sweet potato, pumpkin, canned food, raw (if you feed a raw diet), or kibble soaked in water to stuff in the kongs and topls.

• Rotate your toys/chews/feeders so that your puppy doesn’t become bored with the same items.

• Plenty of regular rest for your puppy throughout the day - puppies that are overtired are often the most bitey puppies!

Training:

• If your puppy begins to chew on something inappropriate (like your hand or the couch), simply grab an appropriate chew item and give it to your puppy.

• Try not to pull your hand away quickly or sharply as that will only encourage your puppy to chase as you’ve made it more exciting. 

• If your puppy is unable to transfer from an inappropriate item to an appropriate item, ask yourself if your puppy has an underlying need that isn’t being met. Are they tired? Hungry? Do they need to potty? Excessive teething can often notify us that our puppy may have an unmet need.

• Teach your puppy appropriate ways to interact with your hand instead. Our favorites are teaching a Hand Target, or teaching “Lick not Bite”

Lick Not Bite: Put a small amount of a delicious lickable treat, like yogurt or sweet potato puree, on the back of your hand. Present it to your puppy to lick off your hand.  Praise them while they do this!  If your puppy changes from licking to nibbling, calmly remove your hand for a few seconds, then represent your hand for them to lick again. 

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Introducing Your Puppy in a Multiple Dog Household

It’s important to remember that we made the decision to add a new puppy to our household, not our current dogs. It’s our responsibility to make sure everyone’s needs are met, and it’s not our older dog’s responsibility to babysit or parent the puppy. It’s normal for your older dog to go through an adjustment period when you bring home a new puppy, and they may not behave towards your puppy the same way they behave towards strange dogs out in the world. Below are some steps we can take to alleviate stress and meet everyone’s needs. 

Management:

• Do not leave your puppy and older dog unattended together. Puppies can be very pushy and relentless, and you might only hear the sixth correction that the older dog has given the puppy, not realizing that the puppy ignored the first five. 

• Make sure both dogs get to enjoy solo activities with you, solo naps, solo meals, and solo time in general. They should not be together 24/7. 

• Use puppy pens, crates, and baby gates to manage the space.

• Remove resources (toys, bones, etc.)  if both dogs are present in a space.

• Have a leash dragging from your puppy so you can prevent them from pestering the older dog if that’s a possibility.

• Always have treats on you to reinforce the behavior you want!

Training:

• When your dogs are together, have them simultaneously practice calming behaviors, such as sniffing. If they are struggling to relax enough to sniff, tossing cookies for each of them in separate directions (foraging) can help. 

• Simply delivering treats to your dogs simultaneously can be helpful! Have your puppy and your older dog sit in front of you and deliver cookies to them as they continue to perform the behavior. 

• Make yourself more interesting! By building value for engaging with us, we can make the older dog less exciting and have a puppy more interested in us. 

• Focus on Quality of interactions over Quantity. Give both your puppy and older dog break time away from each other, so that they are feeling positively about the time spent together. 

Resource Highlight: Our colleague Katie at Wise Mind Canine has a lot of wonderful content on creating positive introductions between a new puppy and existing dogs.

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Resource Guarding

Resource guarding can occur on a spectrum with a variety of objects, including yourself or others. To a certain extent, all beings are protective of their resources, so it’s normal for your puppy to have some level of resource guarding tendencies. The advice offered below just skims the surface - to dive deeper into this topic, check out our online webinar Puppy Resource Guarding. 

Management:

• Remove all food and toys from a space if multiple dogs are present (this may include empty food containers).

• Use barriers and confinement to separate your dogs while they are eating or enjoying bones. This helps your puppy learn that meal times are a time for them to focus on their own meal, rather than investigating what the other dogs have.

• Don’t take bones or toys away from your puppy without their consent unless it is an emergency situation. If it’s not an emergency, think about trading your puppy for something else (high value treat, another toy) when you have to remove something from their possession. 

Training:

• Teach a Supercharged Name Cue, which will be your first response when your puppy grabs something off limits. Call your puppy and reward with a handful of treats tossed on the ground. Continue reinforcing until you are able to put your puppy behind a barrier to quickly remove the object, then let your puppy back into the space. 

• Practice walking towards your puppy, tossing cookies towards them and then simply walking away. We want your puppy to anticipate good things happening when you approach.

• Allow your puppy to enjoy a low-value chew (like Benebones), approach with a handful of cookies, toss the cookies at your puppy, and then walk away. 

If your puppy is demonstrating significant resource guarding behavior, such as growling and snapping, towards you or your family members, we recommend getting connected with a trainer for a Private Program as soon as possible so that you can start working on a quality behavior modification plan for this behavior.  Much of the common advice you may hear about how to respond to this behavior has the potential to make the behavior worse instead of better; we recommend connecting with a professional trainer for the best support on resolving this challenge!

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Fear Reactions

As puppies physically mature, they begin to notice more in the world and be surprised by novel objects or people. A fear reaction generally presents as barking, hackles raised, front approach, and running away. During these moments, it’s critical that we support our dogs and be their advocate - do not laugh at your puppy or force them to move closer/interact with the object or person that is scaring them. We always want our puppies to know that they can trust us to keep them safe. 

Here is Jamie the Papillion working through being startled by a statue:

Management:

• Go slowly! Do not overwhelm your puppy by exposing them to too much, too fast. If you are exposing your puppy to something new, start at a distance and gradually move closer if your puppy is calm - always staying far enough away that your puppy can feel safe and calm. 

• Reinforce calming behaviors, like sniffing, rolling, and shaking.

• Keep your puppy on-leash! Do not allow your puppy to get too far away from you and run into something scary.

Training:

• Click here to watch a brief clip about training your puppy to interact with unfamiliar objects.

• Train your friends and family to ignore your puppy and sit quietly while your puppy adjusts to their presence.

• Click here to watch a brief clip about teaching your puppy the Look At That game. 

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Confinement Stress

Throughout our dog’s life, it’s critical that we are able to safely leave them confined or behind a barrier. Whether we are out running errands or the dog has to spend an overnight at the veterinarian, confinement comfort is a critical skill. To give your puppy an excellent foundation in confinement comfort, consider our webinar Separation Anxiety Prevention Starts Now! 

Management:

• Before confining your puppy, do your best to ensure they are tired and ready for a nap, so this could be after some playtime or a walk. 

• Make sure that your puppy doesn’t have any underlying needs, like being hungry or needing to potty.

• Have your puppy’s crate or pen in a quieter area of the house with some white noise playing and a few chews available. 

Training:

• Train entering the crate to make it fun and familiar! Click here to watch a brief clip about shaping Get in The Crate. 

• Support your puppy! Stay present as they’re settling in and wait until they’ve relaxed before you start moving away.  Here’s a video of Jamie learning how to settle in his crate for nap time, with his human’s support.

• Here’s a great video from one of our colleagues on teaching puppies to love their confinement management.

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As your puppy grows and develops, it’s normal for their behavior to fluctuate as hormones impact their body and brain. During this period of rapid growth, it’s critical that we act as their advocates and meet them where they are at with their needs and difficulties. Understand that your puppy is an animal in a world that may seem very normal to us, but is all new and foreign to them - your puppy will need your compassion and understanding as they use their behavior to have their needs met. Adequate rest is enormously important, for both you and your puppy. If you are located in the Fort Collins, CO, area, our Adventure Puppy Camp is a great opportunity for your puppy to experience positive, gentle socialization and training while you take a puppy break!   If you are feeling overwhelmed by your puppy’s behavior, don’t hesitate to contact us today and get started with in-person or online training to help you feel better prepared to support your puppy.

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Summit Dog Training offers group dog training classes & private lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as online self-study courses & online private lessons for education on how to live the best life with your dog!   If you are looking for more training support, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to help you and your dog get ready for any adventure.

Puppy Training Basics

By Benah Stiewing

When we bring home a new puppy, we usually have an extensive list of behaviors we eventually want our puppy able to perform. However, before we begin teaching specific behaviors, such as a recall, sit, or heel, there is a certain way we can build the relationship between you and your puppy to set you both up for success for a lifetime of fun and understanding. First and foremost, we want a relationship with our dogs that is founded in trust, positivity, and effective communication. From day one, we have the ability to begin building this bond! 

Putting genetics aside, puppies usually come to us as a blank-slate and we are able to shape their world to help them make the choices we value. We want our dogs to consider us the very best thing in the world! To do this, we want our interactions to be positive and rewarding, and use management to set our puppies up for success whenever possible . What does that look like? In general, with puppies under 6 months, we want them either:

1. In their crate or puppy pen

2. Directly supervised by you/someone you trust

3. In a restricted area with leash dragging

Here are some example puppy playpen set-ups for good management when you can’t be supervising your puppy directly!

If we give our puppy complete freedom, they are guaranteed to begin making mistakes, whether that be pottying in the house, chewing up your favorite shoes, or stealing snacks from the counter. Instead, we set our puppy up for success by preventing the mistake in the first place, so that we don’t have to be the bad guy and end the fun activity that your puppy has found for themselves. Instead, reinforce the behaviors you do want! 

How do I reinforce good behaviors? 

The very first exercise you start with your puppy should be the introduction of a marker cue. Your marker tells the dog that they have done the correct behavior and will be reinforced. We love using clickers as our marker cue, but you can also use a word, such as “yes” (if you opt for a word, be careful to keep your tone and intonation consistent).

We teach our marker cue by clicking (or saying the word) and then delivering a treat to our puppy. The delay between marker cue and treat delivery should not be any longer than 1-3 seconds. The marker cue should always be followed by reinforcement, or else the cue will lose its significance. Repeat the steps outlined above for a couple minutes a few times a day to load your marker cue. If you see your puppy begin licking their lips or widening their eyes when they hear the cue, it’s working!

Once we have established a marker cue, we can begin using it throughout the day to let your puppy know they have done something good and will be paid for it. If your puppy is jumping on you for attention, wait for them to naturally lean back into a sitting position - mark and reward. (Here’s a video of this!) If your puppy runs to you excitedly, mark and reward. If your puppy offers attention while people are walking near your house, mark and reward. If your puppy hears a dog barking next door and looks to you for information, mark and reward. If your puppy comes back inside when you open the door from the yard, mark and reward. Quickly, your puppy will begin repeating behaviors that are paid, and we can then begin pairing the behavior with a verbal cue. 

Excluding genetics, puppies offer us the opportunity to shape the adult dog we want. We want our dogs to orient to us, their handler, regardless of circumstances, location, or distraction. Upon noticing a change in environment, such as a stranger approaching you during a hike, we want our dogs to check-in with us and wait for more information. We have the opportunity to shape this orientation from the very beginning! Set your puppy up to make the decision you desire, and mark and reward when it occurs. If we want our dogs to pay attention to us around other dogs, we can take our puppy to a local park, on-leash, and mark and reward every time a dog passes us. Our puppy will begin anticipating the reward and looking at us when they see a dog passing. Armed with your high-value cookies or toys, you will be the most reinforcing item in the environment. 

We have endless opportunities throughout every day to reinforce desirable behaviors! Make yourself the most fun, rewarding person to be around, and teaching specific skills as your puppy grows will be much easier and more rewarding. To learn more about training your puppy using this philosophy, check out our Adventure Puppy Basics online class! It dives deeper into marker training and shaping our puppy’s behavior, and is an excellent resource as your puppy develops. 

And if you are looking for in-person puppy training in Fort Collins, Colorado, check out our Puppy Basics 6-Week Class at our Training Room!

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Summit Dog Training offers group dog training classes & private lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as online self-study courses & online private lessons for education on how to live the best life with your dog!   If you are looking for more training support, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to help you and your dog get ready for any adventure.

Building Blocks for an Off-Leash Recall!

By Benah Stiewing

Rock-solid, reliable recalls are an incredibly important skill for you and your dog! Recall, or coming when called, is critical to you and your dog being able to enjoy the world together, off-leash. Building an off-leash recall is about managing our dog’s freedom as we cultivate a strong history of reinforcement between you and your dog. 

So often without realizing, we only call our dogs when we are calling them away from something, perhaps that delicious chicken leg that fell from a trash can, the dog who lives next door, or a very speedy squirrel. Our dog’s recall word very quickly comes to represent loss and our dogs are well aware of this. The dog hears their name or recall word and quickly creates more distance between them and their handler because they don’t want to experience a loss. 

To begin changing this narrative, we start by building value for a new recall word. Practice calling your dog using this word a few throughout the day, but only use this word if you are in an environment with minimal distractions (i.e. your living room, without any toys or other pets present) and have high-value reinforcement to reward your dog with when they have successfully come to you. Use motion and verbal encouragement to add value to the behavior. I toss a treat to get my dog away from me. Once my dog has eaten the treat, I say “Fido, come!” in a fun, light voice, turn away from Fido, and run away (short, small steps), saying “Yay! Wow!” as the dog continues moving towards me. When my dog reaches me, I click and reward with high-value treats. I repeat this game multiple times every day for a few days, and gradually begin adding more distance and choice. We begin to generalize the behavior by moving into different rooms of the house, and eventually into the yard. If my dog is unsuccessful, I need to take a step back and decrease difficulty temporarily before making it harder again. 

Here’s a video of the foundation pieces of this game!

We do not start letting our dogs off-leash out in the world if we aren’t absolutely confident of a few key things: 

1. If our dog doesn’t come back to us, they are not in danger. 

2. We have the highest-value item in the environment. 

3. Our dog is not going to have to make a difficult choice between us and something else. 

If we want to give our dog more freedom in a high-distraction environment before we feel they are ready for off-leash, we are going to use our recall transition tool, the long-line! This is just a really long leash (30-50 feet) that we would want on a back-clip harness. (Our favorite long-line is this one from Trust-Your-Dog!)  We reward our dogs everytime they offer engagement while we are out in the world, no matter the type of leash or exercise. We want it to be a reliably reinforcing behavior for our dogs to check in with us. This is especially important to practice on the long-line as we begin to increase freedom. 

Go slowly with your recall training! It takes time to build value for coming back when called, and know that it’s impossible to spend too much time on each expansion of freedom. We want coming back to us to represent the absolute best time with food, praise, or toys. Use your environment to reinforce! Recalling your dog away from their best canine friend? Reward with food, then release them back to playing. Remember the fundamental principle of what recall should represent, and don’t use your recall when your dog has to do something they may not fully enjoy, like being leashed and directed to leave the fun activity. 

The skills I describe here are just the beginning! If you and your dog want more guidance as you build this behavior, we have a webinar just for you! Check out the Off-Leash Hiking Prep webinar here!

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Summit Dog Training offers group dog training classes & private lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as online self-study courses and online private lessons for education on how to live the best life with your dog! If you are looking for more training support, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to help you and your dog get ready for any adventure.

Small Dogs Need Training Too!

Blog post by Jess Cytron, Summit Client Communications Expert

If you are the proud pet parent of a petite pooch (how fun is that to say?!), then you have likely heard various disparaging comments claiming that they are not “real” dogs. Maybe you’ve been told that your pocket sized pal does “less” than their larger counterparts. How about the term “foo foo” dog? These comments are made jokingly by friends and family, however they carry a message that I for one am getting tired of hearing: you don’t need to do as much with your small dog. Additionally, the expectations around their behavior in society, unfortunately, seem lower. 

This has always irked me as an animal advocate (and animal welfare professional) because I think it greatly neglects the individuality that our dogs possess! Little dogs are not all one personality-type with the same behaviors, desires or drives. Too often in the shelter/rescue and pet care world we see behavior issues dismissed or not taken seriously enough because “well, he’s little.” We see this from coworkers, adopters, clients, and community members. It is understandable that some folks may hold this opinion. I won’t pretend that it isn’t important to consider body size when assessing a dog’s behavior in society, especially in regards to community safety. However, this does not mean that little dogs shouldn’t receive training and behavior modification when appropriate! And yes, everyone should train their dog (of any size!). Let’s talk about why!

Jess’s adventure crew! Photo credit: Silver Paw Studio.

Our compact canine companions can make fantastic adventure buddies. I think it is incredibly important to commit to giving your little dog a “bigger life” by setting them up for success through training. When I am out with my 30 lb poodle mix, or my 20 lb terrier mix, or my 9 lb chihuahua mix - my goal is that all of us enjoy ourselves. In the past, this has been difficult to manage because my terrier mix is on-leash reactive to people and other dogs. We’ve had instances where he’s redirected on my other two, though he’s never redirected onto me or my partner. I care deeply about both of us enjoying our outdoor time together, so I knew I needed to work on this with him!

While training my terrier mix, I’ve learned that every time we leave the house there are always chances to reinforce his behavior - yep, this is training! When he sees someone two blocks away and doesn’t react, or better yet, chooses to look for me (he’s ready for his treat and some reassurance!), I have the chance to reward him in the hopes that he’ll offer that same behavior next time we’re on a walk. This opportunity can present itself even if we are just loading up into the car. I know to keep his treats on me and reward whenever possible because that way, the next time I really need him to not react when we are hiking or walking, ideally he’ll offer me his attention instead, and both of us can enjoy the experience a little more.

I believe that one of the key elements of success in training your small dog is choosing to respect their choices and preferences. It is important that we do not interpret their size as permission to coerce them into behaviors because they are easier to manipulate physically. Here are some more great small dog training tips from the Whole Dog Journal.

It seems like a simple concept - train your dog! Well... sure! Yet you may be surprised how often folks have seen me training my small dog and comment saying “he’s so little, does he really need to be trained?”, or, “why bother clicker training him?” or, “it’s not like he could do serious damage to someone” - all because of his size. This is extremely problematic and discounts the importance of behavioral and mental health for our companions and ourselves! Anyone with a reactive dog can tell you that it can definitely take a mental toll on the human and the bond we all strive to form with our dogs. 

Little dogs are more than welcome in all of our classes. Our Summit Trainers all have huge hearts for dogs of all sizes and will always cheer you on for training your little dog. It is never too late to work on your training goals with your dog and we are always here to help! Stay tuned for further training tips from our resident “little guy” Jamie and our Owner/Head Trainer, Amber! 

To learn more about training with small dogs, check out our Little Rockstars: Training With Small Dogs - Webinar Replay here!

Puzzle Me, Please - Part 2

Last December we blogged about food puzzles: why they are so great and our list of favorites!  But because this sector of the toy store is SO important and so useful to our dogs, it's worth a second mention.  We've recently created a more exhaustive list of food puzzles, as well as some tips on how to utilize them in the best way for your dog!  All in a convenient downloadable handout for you to save for future reference.  Puzzle away!

You can download this handout (with links) here!

This lovely handout assembled by Charissa!

Homeopathic Remedies for Anxiety in Dogs

Homeopathic remedies can be a great help to your dog in situations where they are anxious or upset. While not a substitute for training or more advanced behavioral help (when warranted), the right remedy can help your dog get through otherwise overwhelming situations.

But which remedy should you choose?  That really depends on your dog, the type and severity of the anxiety they are experiencing, and what works best for your routine and budget.  The list of homeopathic products on the market is never-ending, and can be understandably overwhelming. To help get you started, here is a list of our go-to recommendations:

• Lavender Essential Oil (or custom calming oil blend)
• Comfort Zone Adaptil (Diffuser, Collar or Spray)
• Composure (Chews or Liquid)
• Licks Dog Zen
• Bach Rescue Remedy
• Calming music & radio
• ThunderShirts (Or makeshift your own snug outfit for your dog)

How to Use Homeopathic Remedies

• Test out your chosen remedy with your dog when he is NOT especially anxious to see how they respond to it.  If your remedy makes your dog more nervous or uncomfortable, it's not the best remedy to use!
• Different remedies work best for different dogs. And sometimes using a "cocktail" of remedies could be the best option for your dog.   So if you try one without success, a different or additional remedy would still be worth a try.
• Once you have found what works best for your dog, try to administer your remedy 30-60 minutes before the anxiety-causing event (vet visit, car ride, guests arriving, etc.).  
• For chronically anxious dogs, a visit with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist might be warranted for more complete anxiety relief. 

You can download this blog in a handout form here.

April is Canine Fitness Month!

Guest post by Jennifer Holmes, a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP), and a Fit Paws - Master Trainer (FP-MT).  Her company, K9FitnessWorks, offers group classes & private lessons specializing in canine fitness.

April is National Canine Fitness Month!  What is Canine fitness?

You may have seen articles, Facebook posts, or seminars on canine fitness.  What is it?  Why would my dog want to take a fitness class or even go to a Certified Canine Fitness Trainer?

Fitness by definition is the quality of being conditioned physically to perform a role or task in life.  When we think of our fitness it brings up images of the gym, outdoor activities, or working with a trainer for a specific sport purpose.  Fitness can also be a way to improve muscle, tendon, and nerve health so you and your dog can function at the highest health capacity in your favorite activities. 

Ryder loves Canine Fitness!

It fills my heart with passion to talk about the benefits of a creative, fun exercise plan for your pup and you to bond.  In the 70s and 80s I taught my dogs to sit, down, and shake because it was fun time with my dog.  I did not realize I was also teaching them body awareness.   Body awareness is the dog knowing where it’s body is in a certain space. Why is this important?  When your dog runs for a ball or catch a Frisbee in the air their body spins and twist in different directions.  If their muscles are trained to handle the speed and spins they will safely grab the ball or catch the Frisbee.  When their muscles are not conditioned because they have been in the house and yard all week then you play on the weekend, your dog can have muscle, tendon, or disk injuries during spins to catch their favorite toy.  As a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner since 2012, I have seen the various injuries that can occur during innocent ball throwing. The biggest impact owners can do for their dogs is a creative exercise plan to strengthen up their muscles, tendons, and nerves.

3 tips you can do RIGHT. NOW. to improve your dog body awareness:

1.     A quick couple minute warmup before ball or Frisbee play by a quick brisk walk to wake the body up, stimulate the nerves, and improve muscle reaction time.

2.     A few repeated sit-to-stand exercises to warm up key muscles they will use to play ball or catch the Frisbee.  (Cue your dog to sit, then cue them to stand, then back to sit, etc.)

3.     Throwing the ball or Frisbee straight to limit the amount of twisting they have to do while in action to catch the toy.

Echo & Ryder balance like pros - working on those core muscles that will help them avoid injury in agility!

At Summit Dog Training, we offer fitness classes to help you help your dog have the fittest life they can!  Our Intro to Fitness class covers warmups, cool downs, and more creative ways to strengthen your dog for play.  I also offer 1-on-1 fitness sessions to create a specific plan for you and your pup to live a long happy life.

The next Intro to Fitness classes will be starting Saturday, May 13th at 9:00am & Saturday, June 17th at 10:00am.  Check out the Summit Dog Training website for more info!  In honor of Canine Fitness Month, we are offering 10% off fitness class tuition through April 30th.  Use promo code APRILFIT.

A couple of students from our last Intro to Fitness class had this to say:

“Thanks Jennifer! It was a super fun class.” - Shelley

“Echo and I just finished a series of 6 weeks in Jennifer's Canine Sport Dog Fitness Class. By the end of the classes I gained so much knowledge on how to strengthen and assess Echo's body condition. It was so much fun working with Jennifer and I would highly recommend her talents to all dog owners whether in a canine sporting event or just with a family pet.” - Barb