c a n i n e
Creating Puppy Zen Anna Bradley explains how to ensure life with a new puppy remains stress-free, and details the steps guardians can take to set up a calm, positive environment
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e all know what puppies are like…enthusiastic, rambunctious, energetic…I could go on and on with the adjectives. Of course, this is how every puppy should be, but there comes a point where all that energy can start to sap the strength of even the most resilient guardian. It doesn’t matter how experienced we are or how many puppies we’ve brought up, all are individuals with their very own idiosyncrasies. Puppies will widely vary in personality and temperament and we may find that we mysteriously forget what we did the first time round and how we coped with puppyhood. In addition, during the lifetime of a dog, train ing techniques, products, philosophies and theories change dramatically and that means so should we. For the benefit of our dogs, we should move with the times and embrace positive change. A successful and stressfree puppy period means creating a calm, positive environ ment. If we’re constantly butting heads with our new acquisitions, the formative weeks and months can be distressing for all. Yet they needn’t be. This is a time we should be able to look back on with joy and maybe a tiny bit of regret for a precious time we can never get back. In deed, if we put in maximum effort now, we can make sure this most special time is a moment we will always be able to cherish. When I am working with new puppy guardians who are struggling, I begin by asking them to tell me a little about their puppy and then rework any negative terminology into something more positive. For example, one guardian said their puppy was “spiteful” due to his hard, persistent biting (the puppy was crated for around four hours per day prior to my visit), which I reworked into something like, “he is just a bit lonely and frus trated stuck in his crate and is seeking out some attention, so let’s work out what we can initially do to change this and also soothe his painful mouth.” These initial first steps and icebreaking are what I like to refer to as the start of a “Puppy Zen” process.
Calm Environment Puppy Zen is all about keeping and maintaining calm and promoting selfcontrol. If we can achieve this, life with a puppy is much easier.
Calm Areas: As soon as puppy comes home, allow him to have a designated place to sleep and rest away from everyone else and the busy household. Puppies will usually sleep 1820 hours per day (Reisen, 2019). That’s a lot of sleep! Sleep is “essential to healthy growth, contributing to the necessary development of his central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles. All of that sleep also helps him rest up during growth spurts.” (Reisen, 2019). Buzzing noises and lights from household appliances, external lights and peo ple walking past can all contribute to puppy simply not being able to rest. Personally, I like crates or home created den areas, especially when covered, simply because they are a great safe space where the pup can sleep uninterrupted.
Routine: New puppy guardians will be beginning a housetraining regime pretty much straight away, but think, too, about everything else that you’ll slot in here – feeding, walking (when your pup is able to go out), sleep schedule, play, training (e.g. if he will be allowed on furniture, upstairs etc.). Make sure you are consistent because a set routine instills calmness and confidence. Similarly, setting boundaries now and sticking to them means you’ll have fewer issues later on. If you allow your puppy on the furniture now but will not want him to leap up on the sofa when he’s fully grown, you will end up giving out mixed messages and your dog will be confused and unsure as to what you expect of him.
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BARKS from the Guild/September 2020
Puppies need a calm, quiet place where they can get a lot of sleep, which is essential for healthy growth and development
© Can Stock Photo/Hannamariah
Impulse Control: Puppies live very much in the moment. This is to be expected and there’s nothing wrong or unusual about that. But we also have to help them understand manners. Impulse control is all about waiting and being patient and polite so you’ll receive what you originally set out to achieve. We can start with lots of things here. Puppies are ab sorbing their world like a sponge, so we can capitalize on that. I like to work on “stay,” which simply means staying put and waiting patiently for a few moments or steps until I return. To make this fun, we can incorpo rate “stay” into ‘stay to get your food,’ ‘stay then go get your toy,’ etc. There are so many ways you can incorporate this kind of training in a fun way and making it into a game. I also like to work on “leave it.” Puppies experience much of their world via their mouths. It always amazes me what goes in and (thank fully) comes out of puppies! If we can teach a great “leave/drop it” cue, then we won’t have an issue when she starts picking up stones, tissues, deceased and decayed animal parts, etc. Possessive type behavior is sues can often stem from puppyhood if a pup has not been taught how great and positive it is to relinquish an item. Unfortunately, guardians
