Punishing
a Puppy
by David the Dogman
I
think the message I have is that we cannot ever expect a puppy
to think human...therefore it is quite reasonable for us to think
like a dog. A very good book on the market is called Think Dog...by
the late John Fisher, well worth getting.
When
puppies annoy the bitch she will use eye contact and facial expression
first. The youngster will carry on the unwanted behaviour then
the mother will give out a low growl which will increase in volume
with a show of teeth.
If this is not enough to produce the desired result the bitch
will to all intense and purposes fly in at the youngster. This
is not a full blown attack, far from it, it is dress rehearsal
for the pup, conditioning him for life later on. No contact is
made although from the resulting noise mainly from the puppy,
one could be excused for thinking that the litter had been reduced
to one pup.
It
is interesting to note that the bitch will immediately console
the puppy and start to lick it all over...and this behaviour is
observed every time the youngster steps out of line.
From
this we can learn that the puppy has been taught by the bitch
the correction and reward. Correction...Growl (our voice NO)...the
moment the behaviour stops the lick (we simply stroke the pups
head). Now what we are doing is copying the mother. This way the
puppy is never fearful of us.
In
my humble it is cruel to punish a dog for anything after the act.
In other words if you come home and find a mess, destruction etc.
then ignore this. The puppy or indeed the dog will never understand
he has done wrong. To come home and shout will make any dog put
his tail between his legs and cower or shy away. Many owners will
say "You see...he knows he has done wrong". He does
not know anything other than the human has arrived back at the
den and is aggressive.
Commitment,
Firmness, but kindness.
Do
you have any problems with your pet? Then why not send your problem
to DAVID THE DOGMAN. David is a Canine Behaviourist who works
and lives in Marbella, Spain.
Tel/Fax (00345) 2883388. His web site is located at: http://www.thedogman.net.
David has his own radio and TV shows, and writes for many newspapers
and magazines. David has been working with dogs for many years
and started his career in Israel, working on the Border Police.
He has been involved in all forms of training, including air sea
rescue, air scent work, and has trained dogs for finding drugs.
David has devoted the past 10 years to studying behaviour and
the very passive approach. He does not use choke chains, check
chains, or any form of aggression.
David
The Dogman is available for private consultations in your home,
for further details telephone; Tel; (95) 2883388