Don't Pet My Puppy...confused? - Page 1

My puppy (now 10 weeks old) can't start formal training at the local SchH club until he's had his rabies shot. We went and observed from the sidelines once and besides working on focus and recall I was told to make sure the puppy is "socaiized". Most everyone at the club came and greeted the puppy, some brought theirs dogs, the Instructor even can up, petted the dog and played with him a bit. My pup was pretty cool and friendly with all the people and most of the dogs.

Then I read this....

http://leerburg.com/pdf/whocanpetmypuppy.pdf

So is this guy in the PDF just wrong or were the people at the club wrong?

What do you all think about the "Don't Pet My Puppy" rule?

Do I need a new club or is that PDF just wrong?

Thanks,
Zep--

Zep,
Listen to the people that you respect at the club and take things from that website with a grain of salt.  I read the first couple of pages of that link and had to stop.  There is nothing wrong with people petting your pup and playing with your pup.  I do not allow strangers to give my dogs treats and certainly never allow anyone but me to correct my dog.  A confident, well socialized dog makes a better pet, companion, sport dog and protective family dog.  I think socializing your dog and exposing him to as many different people and places is very beneficial.  I do not let strange dogs near a pup, especially larger dogs.

Jim

I choose dogs that are socially neutral, meaning they can be around all types of strange people, but, not seek their attention. I do NOT allow anyone other then family to touch the dog, never have. I expensively socialize it to everything it will have to come into contact with in its life, take it in many places and expose it to as much as I can, but, no touching from strangers, no accepting food from strangers and certainly not seeking their attention. 
I have read Mr Frawley's piece before and I do agree with it, for the most part.

Thanks, Jim.

I thought I was on the right track with the socializing, but then I heard what a good site leerburg was and was just poking around there and came across that article. It went against everything the instructor at the club told me to work on until I can begin classes (we were there last sunday).

My pup now just wants to run up to everyone, people wise. He's more leery/cautious if they have dogs with them tho (like at the club).

I will trust the club and take leerburg with a grain of salt as you said :)

Zep--

HiredDog,

What do you mean by "for the most part". What is it you don't agree with?

Are you in a SchH club and is that their methodology as well?

Thanks,
Zep--

I agree 100% with Slamdunc.  I want a happy , socialized puppy who thinks people are da bomb.  I do not allow competition puppies at any time to be dominated by other dogs as I want them to learn to be little "dinks". Cocky , self assured.  I have several breeders who send shy puppies to me for my "little monster" program.  I send back horrid , confident monsters.  Exactly what they wanted :)

There's something to exposing you pup, pre shots, to areas or people that may contain spreadable diseases - immune system is develpoing, etc..  I agree with Leerburg in the sense that you're training your pup for sch or protection and you want him to develop that way.  On the flip side you want a balanced dog that socialized and can turn on the switch when you wnat him\her to. 

brynjulf,   I have 4 dogs (including the puppy, Shadow, male) Ages years 5, 4 1, and shadow at 10 weeks.   5yr old is a pit bull mix (Nails, female) 4 year old is a black lab mix (Izzy, female) 1 year old is a GSD Pit Bull mix mix (Pepper, female) (yeah my fault! my last GSD passed away this past Nov.) 

The 4 year old lab mix (the biggest of the 4) will sometimes snap and put the pup down on the ground growling when the pup trys to play, gets to close to some food bowl the lab might think is hers, etc. I usually have to grab the lab by the back legs and pull her away. She hasn't really harmed the pup or bite her I dont think, just kind of scaring her at the moment. Should I keep those 2 seperated 

the pit will just do a quick snap and bark but never puts the pup on the ground

and the 1 year old, the pup and her are best friends, never any conflict.

In trying to make a confident "little monster" is it best to not let the lab and pup mix? I can never tell when it's about to happen, just all of a sudden WHAM, she has the pup on the ground growling and holding her there.

Thanks,
Zep--
 

Lots of different opinions here, who'd a thunk it :)

Appreciate all the responses though and I can see the cons/benefits of either approach.

My first GSD (shadow puppy is my 4th) was trained by a Miltary K9 guy back in the mid 70's..She did NOT. LIKE. ANYBODY. who was not family (sister, mom and myself). She could not be trusted around ANYONE but us. She was a hell of a guard dog, but when she escaped, we always wonderd if this the time she bites or mauls a person. She killed groundhogs, she killed deer, she'd jump through windows to chase/kill a rabbit. The dog was INSANE. She had a lump between her ears in the middle of the head we always called her "crazy bone"! :)

She NEVER once acted this way with us, only outsiders.

In the end, the deer chasing is what got her, she escaped and was shot by a hunter in PA during deer season.

Zep--

There are many schools of thought on this one.  The lab is doing what she should do putting the pup in his place.  HOWEVER you want this baby to be as confident as he can be, domination at a young age could be affected by this. ( some pups are such lil monsters this would not affect them in the slightest)  Sadly if the lab isnt disciplining the baby then the next dog down the pecking order will do so.  This is why alot of us isolate our schutzhund prospects from other dogs.  I go against the grain and hike with all of the dogs off leash so that they socialize together.  But they are busy keeping up with me so they are not really spending time dominating one another.   There is alot of differing opinions on this one i am afraid. You are going to get a zillion differing opinions on this one, I would respect your trainer at the club you will be working with and have them tell you what to do.  Then you won't have to listen to "I told ya so...: