socializing - Page 3

It is unfair to let yolur dog mix with other Dogs before it has been vaccinated, Full Stop

It is wrong and you are doing the Pup and the other dogs a dis favour by doing so,

Plus i can bet you folk over there in the USA that  no reponsible handler will allow a grown dog to mix with an 8 week old Pup, but you think different thats your way,

Not over in Europe it is not , but then your ways differ a great deal to over here in the keeping and housing of Dogs, and in  Dog sport in General

Steve

What exactly do you mean when you say "mix" with other dogs Steve?  Do you still believe this if the puppy has had his vaccinations?

May I ask what you mean when you said earlier that you - "don't expect him to be around your family"?

Also, how did you 'socialise your Huskies"?

With Regards, Vixen.

Vixen, he won't be around my family as in...he won't be playing with them....he will "be around them" as in he will know them, and be socialized with them at the start, but I will be the only one doing training with him, feeding him, playing with him, taking him everywhere. They won't really have interaction with him that much.   With my Huskies they met people in public on walks, were given treats, people came here and helped socialize them....but I'm okay with other people playing with them.  However the German Shepherd will be "my dog" for say, and I would prefer him to work with me and only me for the most part. Like I said he will be socialized with my family first....but after that he will just be around them, and not doing things with them.  Keep in mind I'm just over 20 years old and still living with my parents so it's not a big family.  My dad especially is a dog nut, so hes looking forward to the pup being here...but he also knows the training I plan to do, and that I also don't intend to let others play with it or do things with it.  I have good reasons for not allowing that either.....you would have to know my dad and especially my mom as to why I say that....but anyways. My dad loves dogs, but encourages a lot of bad behavior out of them, and rough play.  My mom likes dogs, but she has a thing about being licked or sniffed and she typically screams....literally......if a dog sniffs or licks her....strange I know. I just wish March would hurry up and get here haha. I don't want to wait much longer for the Mambo pup.

Some GSD pups are little alligators, no, make that most pups. Every pup I've had has tried to bite anything and everything it could get its mouth on including hands and feet. Your mom's reaction of screaming on being licked or sniffed, never mind being bitten, is likely to scare your pup and you will have to be very careful about not letting this happen. Especially since you want a Schutzhund puppy. Either keep the pup away from your mom if she can't control herself, or be very quick to distract the pup's attention with a toy to play with. Don't let him think he did anything wrong or is being punished.

Get your pup his shots and you'll probably have to have him wormed too. Don't let him be around other dogs at least until he's had his second round of shots. Some people wait until after the rabies shot at 4 months, but consult your vet because the vet will know what's going around in your area.

Do handfeed your puppy. And you can mix raw and kibble. Keep your pup with you as much as you can. Keep his crate in your bedroom at night. When he has to go outside, go with him. Yes, even at 4 a.m.

If your dad wants to "rough house" with the pup, get him to use a cotton rag or a piece of leather on a string for the pup to chase around on the floor instead. That's a lot of fun and pups love it. Always let the puppy win - that is, the pup always gets the leather or rag to shake and toss around. Play tug with the pup, and always let him win. Have a camera handy because pups are very cute when they win.

My pups always have interacted with my older GSD females after the first week or so. But you have huskies so I wouldn't let them be around your puppy. The northern breeds can be untrustworthy with smaller animals and you wouldn't want anything to happen to your pup. Obviously I don't know your dogs, but I do know that some huskies and malamutes will try to kill a cat or smaller dog or puppy. Maybe yours are the exception but do be careful.

As for socializing to other people and dogs, let your pup visit with your friends if they are used to puppies. After your pup is vaccinated fully, you could take him to the club you have picked out if the trainer says it's okay.

Do teach the basic commands, like sit and down. It's so easy to teach a puppy these commands that you'll be glad you did later. Give your pup lots of praise and positive experiences and he should grow up to be a confident dog.

Chicki

I said no contact with other Dogs untli the Pup has been Vaccinated, In the meantime a responsible owner will have wormed the Pup, as i said with a liquid wormer over here, and it will need to be wormed several times

This is one reason why it has no contact with other Dogs, It can see them but not mix with them

I have done this for around 57 years of keeping Dogs and the youngest one to pass away was 12 years old,and the oldest going on to over 16 years old

They all lived outside 24/7, No vets bills except when they really got old then not a lot

I may sound like an uncaring owner but not so,

I thought the world of every one of those Dogs and would  gladly give my right arm  to have everyone  of them back with me, There Photos hang above my computer on the bedroom wall and i look at  each and every one of them many times a day

Sam1427 has the right idea, he knows what i am talking about

I know that by the time Heidi is 14 weeks old, she will be walking by my side paying attention to me, and none of it will be forcing her to do so she will be sitting at command as well

And everything will be made as if it is Fun to her, no stress just a bond, and without that early Bonding you cannot go no where, and that applies to all animals and birds

I have been known to let out a racing pigeon 30kms from its loft,

let it go and call it  back out of the air for it to land at my feet pick it up and put it back in the basket, that is a bond,

Ten minutes later take it out of the basket again, say home girl and for the pigeon to dissapear without even turning to get its bearings, and in front of several people, some thing not usually done but it can be on occasions

Steve

The UK is part of Europe and over here many of us who compete in many disciplines actively encourage our small puppies to socialise with safe adult dogs, this is one of the ways they learn.

It is not very constructive to label the actions of others as irresponsible or uncaring just because they differ from your own personal views.

If it works for you it works for you, and what works for me, works for me and my dogs.

There is not only one way to do things or only one right way..........

Langhaar

I guess your last post refers to myself, I kept Dogs in England for 53 years before i moved to Belgium

One  thing does puzzle me in your post. Please tell me where i have said

and i quote yourself

(It is not very constructive to label the actions of others as irresponsible or uncaring just because they differ from your own personal views)

I do not see any phase like that  used in any of my posts

You can of course let your 8 week old Pup mix with older Dogs, when it has not been vaccinised against the usual things a Pup can die of it it contacts them or become ill,

You can also let it lick and play with Older Dogs  and then it will lick those Dogs etc and possibly pass on a worm infection to them because no matter what anyone says the 8 week old Pup will still be carrying worms ,

And possibly one of those Older dogs may attack your 8 week old Pup, but i guess you think the risk worth taking 

I have seen that happen plenty of times over the years, But then you are a responsible owner so who am i to say what is right and what is wrong

You would not be allowed to do it at our Clubs ,

Saying that it means of course people very  high up in the ScHh sport regards experience and thought highly of  throughout the ScHh world over here in Europe and most of the world would be wrong in what they  believe and do

Let me put it this way

No one member of my clubs will expect me to bring 8 week old Heidi to the ScHh clubs until she has had all her shots and then a week or so after as they do not take immediate effect, Plus by then i will have wormed her a couple ot times

Even then she will not mix with Old Dogs, they the Dogs will not allow it anyway,

She will play then with Pups near or a little older in a area set out special for them , then they also meet the people of the club who will naturally make a big fuss of her

When she gets a little stronger and older she goes onto the main work field on a line

NO' Dogs of any age socalise with each other once they and the handler steps on the work field, THe Field is for working and nothing else, that is taboo for anything else to happen except work

WE work it like this Two Dogs on the field

One is put in the down postition, the other Dog does his Obedinance work, when finished he is put in the long Down postition and the second Dog does his work and so forth, Then another two Dogs and Handlers do the same afterwards

When all the older Dogs are completed, the Young Dogs come on to the field but i do not mean 8 week old Pups

Finally when she has bonded to me and looks to me for her every need, i will take her into the city to walk among the people of that place, if they then wish to pat or stroke her then that is okay,

But none of this happens before she has been vaxccinated

I will not change a way which has worked for over 50 years, without any problems, no more than you will change your way because i differ from you

All i know is that i  will finish up with  a kind natured stable Pup, who will give me many years of pleasure,

Steve

I

A pup will not contract a disease from an older dog per se unless of course that dog is not vaccinated.  Also, as has already been pointed out, unless people take off their shoes when they come indoors the risks are still there if they do not take the dog outside, if you have an older dog or dogs, I am not going to create some sort of apartheid between them so they do not come into contact with each other either because of disease or any other reason and would not be practical as my dogs travel with me from 7 weeks old all over the UK.

All dogs potentially have worms, as worming only removes the worms inside the dog at the time of worming, it is not a preventative; a small worm burden is not necessarily detrimental as has been proven in asthmatic humans!

Nothing in life is risk free, and anything is possible, but I use my skills, knowledge, ability, training and experience to decide what risks are worth taking and which are not.

Socialising is surely not restricted to clubs therefore whether or not it is allowed on a club field is irrelevant.. 

Just because some "top people" have done x for so many years does not make it a) correct or b) the sole way of doing things, it is what suits them.

Fortunately for both us and dogs, things move on..........

As I said before, there is no ONE way, you do what works for you and I will do what works for me, both have the same result, so no problem.