But my puppy used to follow me around…
Puppy Training days are my favorite. Hands down some of the best hours of the week. But let’s be honest…that’s all I have with them. One hour, three times a week.
I know the stress of having a full time puppy is real. I see it on the guardians faces every week as they see their cute little fluff ball of SQUISHY-NESS becomes a real life house destroyer and devil terror.
One of the biggest frustrations I hear is when that once clingy, cute puppy “suddenly” doesn’t come when called anymore. On an initial consult, I often hear:
“Oh, my dog already comes when called and he’s only 10 weeks old.”
“She never leaves my side! I don’t think recall will be an issue.”
“I let my puppy off-leash all the time and he never leaves. He’s so good!”
Fast forward to about 5 months old, and the statements change to:
“Your are KIDDING ME! This dog doesn’t even know I exist!”
“My dog escapes every time I leave her in the yard! HELP!”
“My dog used to follow me everywhere. Now it’s like he can’t here me at all!”
On the lighter side, I always tell people: Take a LOT of pictures when your puppy is little! When adolescence hits, their sole purpose is to make you question your sanity and wonder why you ever got a dog. That’s when you’ll want those pictures to remind you that you DO love this little ball of fur that you’re raising. No body believes me but I say it anyway.
So what happened to your cute little puppy?
Hormones.
Confidence.
Experience.
Associations with what is good, bad, fearful and fun!
As puppies reach adolescence, their hormones kick in. They gain more confidence, which makes them feel safer exploring the world without you at their side. The confidence is healthy, but it comes in two flavors:
I’ve got this. The kind of confidence we want - problem-solving, resiliency, focus and grit, without getting overwhelmed.
Ohhh! What’s in here? The curious confidence that drives them to tear open boxes, dig into cushions or poke their snout into every bush (and you hope it’s not occupied by something dangerous).
At the same time, they’ve had more experiences in life and they start to form strong opinions about what’s fun, boring, scary, or worth their time. If the environment is more entertaining than you, they’ll choose it all the time!
We call this “Dog Law”.
Dog Law:
If I think it’s fun, I’ll do it again.
If I think it’s boring, I won’t bother.
Understanding Dog Law makes it easier to see the world from your puppy’s perspective.
Does this mean I have to CONSTANTLY entertain my dog?
Well, not CONSTANTLY! However, when you get a puppy, you are in for about 18-24 months of high-level interaction. You won’t always be available, so management is essential. Crates, play pens, dog runs, digging pools, frozen chew toys are all great management tools that help keep your pup safe and your belongings intact when you can’t supervise.
Training for Value
You also want to make training and learning for your puppy fun from the beginning. You want to show your puppy that being with you is the best deal in town. This can be done through purposeful games, like “Towards Me,” that reward good choices and behaviors and make you truly cooler than a cat, better than a ball and more satisfying than a squirrel!
If you keep building that value, your dog will keep listening, even as they move through adolescence.
It’s important to remember, you can’t skip the growing years. Raising a puppy is a process. If you need help, reach out for training—online, in person, or through a local trainer who is enjoyable to work with and teaches you about dogs, not just obedience training.
Casa Luna Canines is your partner in dog training, human learning. Join us to learn how to be your dog’s best friend using 100% pain and fear free methods. Imagine what it will feel like when your dog chooses to behave well around you, no matter where you are!
