Nick Jones of Alpha Dog Behaviour talks about dog behaviour and leadership.

Continued from Pt.1.


Consistency.

This means that you are doing your best within the family at all times to ensure that you are all singing from the same sheet. Children will need constant supervision and gentle guidance to begin with (age depending) to ensure that they too are doing their bit to show calm behaviour with the dog. Consistency between the man and woman in the home can be harder to achieve at times, as both can have their own ideas on how something should be dealt with. Suffice to say, that it pays a great deal to sit down early on and agree the way things are going to be done around the areas I describe under good manners for example…this needs to be extended across the dog’s routine.

Best start.

If you find yourself with a rescue dog, much of this time may have passed already and you will be working with this in mind. However, should you obtain a puppy at 8 weeks of age, then you have a huge responsibility to go out of your way to socialise your dog. This single-minded approach can in itself take away most future problems, as you will be removing the element or risk of developing fear. Even though you dog may not receive the ‘all clear’ to mix with other dogs after it’s injections at about 12 weeks, it is essential that you are creative in introducing your dog to as many things as possible (dogs included!) to make them normal and acceptable right from day one in your care. This period closes down at approximately 16 weeks of age; so you can see that you only have a couple of months to go about this process. It doesn’t close completely, so look to maintain positive meetings with all sorts for the first two years at least.

Prior to the ‘all clear’ of the second injection, you can allow the dog to mix with other calm, healthy dogs in friends and neighbours gardens for example. Keep your pup on a lead or long line to allow intervention if needed. To avoid this is a mistake, as you will then only have approximately 4 weeks to socialise your new dog…this is simply not enough for some. Introduce as much variety as possible. Dogs and people of all ages, shapes and sizes etc.
Some keywords for you to consider: Dogs, People, Cars, Buses, Livestock, Pubs, Towns, Traffic, Your local vet…simply drop in for a pleasant hello and leave again!

I’m well aware that it’s easy to talk theory, and that no single article, or book will resolve the concerns you may be experiencing. It’s not unusual for me to visit a home and to see they have a number of popular books, they watch all the programmes (not always a good thing!) and they have done their level best to resolve things on their own. What can often make a difference is that a trained eye can see what parts in particular need addressing, and to work with what we have in front of us. Dogs have a super ability to change and adapt in a very short space of time, and this often leaves me both touched and impressed.

There is help available out there folks, you just need to make a number of phone calls, ask some direct questions to find out how the trainer works and handles dogs, and then to come to a well balanced decision that will benefit both you and the dog. I hope this article goes a way to prompting some thoughts in you regarding leadership in particular, as all dogs require this as a foundation to leading a balanced life.

I welcome contact via email or telephone, and can assure you of honest advice in any event.

Nick Jones MCFBA
Dog Behaviour Specialist and Trainer
01299 404356
nickjones@alphadogbehaviour.co.uk

Nick's blog

Nick Jones, a full time Dog Behaviour Specialist and Trainer wrote this article. You can visit his website at Dog Behaviour - Nick Jones Dog Behaviourist - Home Page for more articles and training information. You may freely distribute this article or save to any electronic media as long as it is left intact, including this copyright box. Please let Nick know out of courtesy where and when you publish. Email will suffice. Thank you

__________________
Nick Jones MCFBA.
Dog Behaviourist and trainer



Follow me on these social sites:

http://www.twitter.com/ukdogtrainer
http://www.alphadogbehaviour.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaDogBehaviour