Pupdate
By Kim Campbell Thornton
February 26, 2008
Taking a quick break from writing an article on puppy socialization (apt indeed) to note how fascinating it is to watch behaviors emerge. Harper has learned to jump on the sofa today and just in the past hour or so she’s begun to play with her toys with a vengeance. A few hours ago, she ignored them when I squeaked or threw them; now she’s attacking them on her own. And it’s entertaining to see her look at that other puppy in the mirror. She’s getting clicked for coming when called, sitting, standing on her hind legs and using the litter box. I’m really impressed by how well trained she is when it comes to using it. She’s becoming more assertive about inviting play from Bella and Twyla, although she’s still not getting much response.
Being limited to a hotel suite has its advantages. It’s easy to block off certain areas and I have full view of the room so I can keep an eye on her as I work. Daily housekeeping doesn’t hurt. The kind lady who came to clean today spoke to the girls in Spanish while she cleaned. Maybe they’ll become trilingual.
I’m making an A to Z list of socialization experiences. All suggestions welcome for the letters I, Q, X and Z. X-Box game sounds? We’re planning dinner with friends while we’re here so Harper can have one of the C experiences: children.
A couple of ideas-
Q is for Quiet, as in learning to stop barking and just chill. We call it “no barkies”.
I is for Inside, which is where all dogs should live and learn how to be family members.
Or alternately, in our case, our collie has learned “In or out”, which means either come in or go out Now, ‘cause I ain’t gonna stand here holdin’ the door while you dork around.
Comment by Susan Fox — February 26, 2008 @ 8:09 pm
Excellent. Thanks! I eventually came up with I for Internal-combustion engines (traffic noise).
Comment by Kim Campbell Thornton — February 26, 2008 @ 8:46 pm
(I use In or Out with one of my dogs, too.)
Another I is Ice. Ice cubes, icy floors, icy stethoscopes on bare puppy bellies. Ice cream, too.
Q: Quick, as in quick movements toward a little dog aren’t necessarily threatening. Hope you can avoid the other quick as in trimming a nail too close!
Quizzes where the puppy is asked for learned behaviors in new locations or circumstances to see how generalizing is going.
Comment by kabbage — February 26, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
S is for shopping center, a great place to go for people socialization. C is for a good puppy class for more people and doggy socialization. P is for playground; I took my guys and trooped them all over the playground equipment (when the playground was kid/people free), including the suspended bridges and going down the slides with them in my lap. N is for noisy; tv’s, radios, tapes of show ground noises. MM is for mom mauling. This is an inside joke around my place. A mom mauling is ‘Oh no, here comes mom needing more snuggles, AGAIN! I’m going to get a mom mauling!’ Obviously MM’s continue way past puppyhood!
Comment by Cardimom — February 27, 2008 @ 10:11 am
Xeno- (foreign or strange) is a good start for an X word, as in xenophobia or xenophilia. Unfortunately, I don’t know what the end would be for “exposure to”. Xenotic is interchangeable with zoonotic, not quite where you want to go.
Comment by CarolPW — February 27, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
Lots of great suggestions. I tried to do something with xeno too but didn’t really come up with anything.
Harper is doing great. She’s eating out of dishes now, met the hotel janitor with no hesitation and, perhaps, is starting to win over Twyla. Twinkie didn’t even mutter tonight when Harper sniffed her all over while she was getting a belly rub.
Comment by Kim Campbell Thornton — February 28, 2008 @ 12:40 am