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You are here: Home / Archives for crate training

crate training

Stop bad behavior before it starts

German shepherd resting in crate

One of the first tools in every dog trainer’s toolbox is what we call “management,” or managing your dog’s environment, so he or she cannot practice the unwanted behavior. In fact, many behavior problems can be eliminated using management alone. So, what do we mean by “management”? And why is it such an important concept in dog training?

What we mean by “management”

Managing your dog’s environment simply means to observe and make choices about the setting to prevent unwanted behavior. For example, if your dog has a terrible cat-chasing habit, you would make sure he or she is on a leash every time the cat enters the room. You have removed the opportunity, using the leash, for your dog to chase the cat. This prevents the dog from practicing the unwanted cat-chasing behavior (and remember, practice makes perfect), while we teach the dog an alternate, acceptable behavior.

For example, what if your dog gets into the kitchen trash? This behavior is not ideal, because not only is the dog making a mess, he is endangering himself with anything inedible or poisonous he might eat. The easiest way to stop this behavior is to use management — put the trash can inside a cabinet, get a trash can with a lid the dog can’t open, or put a gate up in the doorway so the dog can’t get to the trash. “Management” is not a single solution, but looking what happens before the behavior, and altering the situation to make the behavior less likely.

Proactive vs. reactive

Management has two components: Observation and proactivity. This is opposed to what we sometimes do when our dog behaves in a way we don’t like — observation and reactivity. When we manage our dogs’ behavior, we want to be on the lookout for environmental triggers, or scenarios, in which the dog might perform the unwanted behavior before it occurs. We then make the choice to be proactive — to react to that potential situation before the dog does, and to change our behavior to help the dog.

Let me give you an example. If I am out walking my dog, and she sees another dog, I might tense up because I think she is going to bark at that other dog. I hold my breath and tug on the leash as the other dog gets closer. When the other dog is close, sure enough, my dog lunges and barks. I yell, “No!” and yank the leash.

That’s reactivity on my part. I am reacting to my dog’s behavior after it has happened, even though I saw the other dog before my dog did, and I predicted she would bark and lunge. Not only is this a useless way to train my dog, but she’s being rewarded for barking at the other dog. How is she being rewarded? Usually the other dog moves away, which makes her feel safer.

So, what would proactivity look like in this situation? One proactive action would be for me to turn and walk in the other direction as soon as I saw the other dog, before my dog had a chance to react. In this way, I both prevent the barking and lunging behavior, and prevent reinforcing (rewarding) the dog for that behavior. You can likely think of other ways to alter the picture to keep the lunging and barking behavior from happening.

Why is it so important to manage our German Shepherds’ environments?

The short version is this: Managing the environment can prevent the dog from practicing an unwanted activity. When your GSD practices a behavior you don’t like and is rewarded for it, the stronger that behavior will become! We use management to protect the dog’s training. Our goal is to teach our German shepherds a new behavior we do like. Without management, we are teaching dogs that unwanted behavior still pays.

And, most importantly, management is a requirement when the safety of the dog, other animals or people is at stake. German Shepherd owners know the importance of management for dogs who don’t yet come when called. Another example: If I think my German Shepherd is likely to jump up on a child, I can put pressure on the lead close to my dog’s collar, to keep her feet on the ground. While this action alone won’t train my dog not to jump, it prevents her from knocking the child down or jumping up or bumping the child’s face. Holding the leash changes the picture, so I can give my dog a massive reward for sitting, or turning her head away from the child.

Management gives us a chance to teach our German Shepherds calm behavior, while minimizing or eliminating those we don’t want.

 

Filed Under: Featured Posts Section 2, Training & Behavior Tagged With: crate training, dog training, leash, management

How to socialize your German shepherd puppy

Sable German shepherd puppy sitting in grass

When does socialization begin?

The socialization process for German Shepherd puppies begins the day they are born! An educated breeder will have plan for daily neonatal handling of the litter, and by eight weeks of age, Dr. Ian Dunbar recommends that puppies have been handled by at least 100 people!

You must continue to socialize your puppy after you bring him home. The window for a dog’s socialization to people continues until 16 weeks (four months) or so. During this time, it is essential that your puppy be carefully introduced to a variety of people, objects and experiences. It’s your job to make sure your German Shepherd grows into a reliable, friendly adult dog, instead of a growling, quivering mess.

How old should your puppy be when you bring her home?

German shepherd puppies should stay with the breeder until at least 7 or 8 weeks of age.

If your breeder is keeping the puppies longer, he or she must pick up where the owner would normally take over in terms of socialization and training. Keeping puppies beyond 7 or 8 weeks and not doing the critical work of early socialization and training may be more damaging than letting them go too soon.

The fear period

Puppies go through a fearful stage between 9-12 weeks (sometimes earlier or later, depending on the individual). During this time, it’s important that you give your puppy plenty of time and space to explore unfamiliar objects, people and places on his own. Don’t force him into anything!

It’s also important during this time not to expose your puppy to trauma. Avoid any restraint that could upset your pup, people who might scare or harm the puppy, and strange dogs whose behavior with young puppies is unknown.

How do I socialize my GSD puppy?

One of our favorite socialization programs is Operation Socialization. Operation Socialization offers a complete program for socializing your new puppy. The program includes a list of participating local businesses, where available.

Here is a short checklist of exercises to complete with your young German Shepherd:

  • Voluntary approach of children of all ages (at least 30 different kids offering treats)
  • Voluntary approach to men (at least 30 different men offering treats)
  • Voluntary approach to women (at least 30 different women offering treats)
  • Voluntary approach to people in wheelchairs, using canes or other walking equipment, in unusual dress, etc. (at least 10 different people offering treats)
  • Regular car rides (at least once per week to somewhere other than the vet’s office)
  • Resource guarding prevention training
  • Handling exercises (at least three times per week)
  • Exposure to a variety of surfaces (grass, concrete, wood floors, tile floors, carpet, etc.)
  • Exposure to livestock at a safe distance
  • Play (with frequent breaks) with other puppies and adult dogs known to be safe with puppies.
  • Crate training

When is socialization finished?

Experts agree that the socialization window for puppies is fairly short, and begins to close around 15 weeks. But sensitive breeds such as German Shepherds need careful introductions to new people and places, and plenty of positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior, until 2-3 years of age.

Many breeds experience what is sometimes called a “second” fear period, between 6 and 12 months. This resembles the first fear period at 9-12 weeks, in that a bad experience could have lifelong repercussions for your dog. For example, an 8-month-old male German Shepherd with no history of problems at the veterinarian’s office was muzzled and forcibly restrained during a routine blood draw. He became so frightened that he emptied his anal glands. From then on and into old age, he would bark, growl and lunge at the veterinarian, and needed behavioral intervention during office visits.

What if I’m having trouble socializing my German shepherd puppy?

If your puppy frequently hides, growls at people or avoids new things, get professional help now. Don’t wait until your German shepherd is big enough to scare or hurt someone. We can prevent many of the behavior problems we see in adult dogs with early training and behavior modification.

Visit iaabc.org or apdt.com to find a qualified dog behavior consultant near you.

Filed Under: Puppies, Training & Behavior Tagged With: crate training, puppy, resource guarding, socialization, socialize, Training & Behavior, treats, veterinarian

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