A Dog's Age And Training
A Dog's Age And Training
Puppy Parenting
8-20 weeks of age
Puppy Parenting
8-20 weeks of age
Significant development occurs during this period. A dog can learn the mechanics of Sits, Downs and Come-When-Called any time. Important as those things are there is also a once-only, short widow of time that closes in the fifth/sixth month. Up through that time a puppy’s mind is the most malleable, impressionable and open to imprinting social skills and behavior shaping as it will ever be. Behavior and habits imprinted during this time will generally last a dog's lifetime. Things neglected now can be difficult to fix later. We do want our dogs to be able to sit, lie down and come on cue but we also want to be able to safely bring them near people and other animals and for them to have fun in so doing.
With very young puppies it's important that primary emphasis be placed on socialization, house and play manners, elimination behavior, acquiring bite pressure inhibition and building confidence through accomplishment and praise, exposure to varied environments, different noise and activity levels, different walking surfaces and interactions with other people and animals. As your puppy grows, handling skills such as loose leash walking and public manners are integrated into the training.
Progressive Dog Training ™
20 weeks +
Progressive Dog Training ™
20 weeks +
Progressively educating your dog will open doors beyond which lie all sorts of fun and fulfilling recreational activities! There's a wide array of canine sports and games to participate in, clubs to join, competitions, titles and ribbons to win, friends to be made and fun to be had! On a personal level your dog offers a unique companionship based upon unconditional love and mutual respect.
Most of us have heard the term “Alpha.” People frequently comment that they "want to be the Alpha" or express a desire that their dog view them as “Leader of the pack.” People who say this generally have a good heart but at best a hazy understanding of those terms.
We, and dogs, are not wolves. We neither organize our family according to the strictly ordered hierarchy of a wolf pack nor run our homes using their social behaviors. That said there are certain behavior traits (such as ritualized greeting) instinctive to a dog’s DNA that are helpful to know about in order to better address difficult to manage behavior. For instance your family (hopefully) doesn’t follow you around the perimeter of your neighborhood as you mark landmark trees, boulders and fence posts to leave a scent that a neighboring pack would recognize as defining a territorial boundary. Yet if you catch your dog marking territory (spraying small amounts of urine at chosen places throughout your home) it’s quite helpful to understand the underlying instinct in order to determine an effective solution (and be able to differentiate the elimination from, say, a veterinary reason such as incontinence). We will strive to informatively present all assignments in ways that will make sense and expand your understanding. It's best when one believes and has confidence in the science, methodology and philosophy underpinning the training. An informed You is a successful You! We will do our very best to help you set and achieve clear goals, to explain everything step by step along the way to your satisfaction and you will always have access to ongoing support!
Puppies grow into dogs before our very eyes! With this our focus shifts from an emphasis on socialization, confidence building and play skill development to setting and achieving formal training goals. We can help you refine your handling skills! Whether you are a Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Student or Professional, we can design a training plan that will help you to accomplish your goals!
As with humans every dog is different. We humans have different personalities, different abilities and we don’t usually do as well when all are forced to learn in exactly the same way. Just as humans do better with an individually tailored learning approach so it is with dogs. If you train with a corporate “cookie cutter” approach you are taking chances; it’s hit or miss. Instead partner with us and learn how to build a closely bonded relationship that you and your dog will cherish throughout your years!
Private dog training. Individualized dog training programs for Elmhurst, Addison, Bensenville, Wood Dale, Woodridge, Bloomingdale, Villa Park, Lombard, Glendale Heights, Itasca, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Winfield, West Chicago, Lisle, Warrenville, Naperville, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Westmont, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Northlake, Schaumburg, Hillside, Berkeley, Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Oak Park, Forest Park, Berwyn, Des Plaines, La Grange, Brookfield, Western Springs, Westchester.
Private dog training. Individualized dog training programs for Elmhurst, Addison, Bensenville, Wood Dale, Woodridge, Bloomingdale, Villa Park, Lombard, Glendale Heights, Itasca, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Winfield, West Chicago, Lisle, Warrenville, Naperville, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Westmont, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Northlake, Schaumburg, Hillside, Berkeley, Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Oak Park, Forest Park, Berwyn, Des Plaines, La Grange, Brookfield, Western Springs, Westchester.