PLAYTIME CURES THE BLUES: NO BORED PUPPIES

Playtime is essential for puppies.  University of Bristol’s School of  Veterinary Sciences (UK)  involved about 4,000 dogs owners in a study (2014). Rachel Casey, a researcher, sent out 15,000 questionnaires and about 4000 responded. 

The study revealed several issues regarding training. One of the findings showed that dogs suffered from anxiety and other behavioral problems like jumping up, whining or ignoring the owner when they did not have enough playtime.  

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ORIGINALLY WRITTEN 05.25.21​

BRODY, BREE, & BONNIE 2 CUTE HAVANESE PUPPIES

​Constructive playtime promotes a healthy mind and body for puppies. Of course, it cannot be an all-day event, but it has to be a part of their life. It battles boredom helps to minimize bad behavior or destructive behaviors. It promotes thinking, problem solving, and in your puppy. So which in turn makes training easier! Your puppy is looking for fun activities to appeal to his sense of smell, cognitive functions and to physically challenge him. 

Puppies are driven to explore, chew or some other mouth activity and play. Consequently, something will fulfill these needs and trust me, you want to direct or control those parameters. 

​Minimize destructive behavior:
Whining, barking, digging, inappropriate chewing, depression, frustration, obesity, anxiety, biting, by exercising 30-60 minutes a day. Try to incorporate mental stimulation challenges.  Repeating challenging physical exercises can lead to damaging growth plates and soft tissue injuries in puppies younger than 18 months. Be careful to limit full on exercise incorporating jumping, climbing, and intense physical activity to an older dog. At one time luxating patella was considered solely hereditary but now it is considered more of a result when puppies under a year old jump off/on furniture too much as it can also be a result of traumatic injury.

We do not let our Havanese on the couch unless they are in our laps, at which we put them down on the ground when they are ready. Until they can get on the couch themselves because on average, they are unable to do so themselves until 6-8 months of age. At that point we generally recommend the stairs, Pet Gear Easy Step, particularly with toy breeds.   

Training:
Positive training is all about rewarding the ‘Dos’ vs. Aversion Training starting at 8 weeks.  Havanese generally want to please so by encourage that through positive experiences when you are training. The best training advise is “Start as you mean to continue: consistency, reward, praise, repeat.” There are many cute puppy behaviors that become unacceptable behaviors in a few short months. If it is not allowed from the beginning then retraining is a non-issue.  Retraining is to be avoided.
      
Build It Up:
The point is to build up your puppy's experience and confidence up through repetition, consistency, and positive experiences. Successful training is starts slow. When training repeat command 3-5 times.  Ten seconds in a puppy’s life is an eternity, especially with when they under 12 weeks old.  So, sitting or staying for even a count of 3 is worth rewarding and praising like the accomplishment it is. 

Example: 
Command, sit, praise & treat- wait until consistent 
Command, sit, praise & treat- Consistently 3 days in a row
Command, sit, Command Wait (wait 10 seconds), praise & treat
Command, sit, Command Wait (wait 10 seconds), praise & treat- Consistently 3 days in a row
Command sit, Command Wait 20 seconds etc. 

A fatal mistake is to push too hard too early to accomplish too much. Groundwork. You are laying the groundwork for a lifetime. Keep it short, upbeat, and fun. The reward here is that instead of dealing with a stubborn puppy, they are proactive in their training. You puppy wants to train, they want the treats, and are willing to work for it. 
 
Another thought to consider is that you are teaching a foreign language. A puppy’s first language is ‘dog’. From you they are actually learning tone, words and the connectivity involved with certain actions such as with potty training. Always use the puppy’s name, make eye contact, and then say the command. Keep it short. If you need to tell your puppy, “No”, do not  limit it to the word only. If your puppy gets in the trash, identify the ‘no’ – trash. Connect an action to the subject that connects to “No”. Example:  “Fido, no, get out of the trash.”              

​Walks:
Wait a week after your puppy has received their 16 week shots before taking them out in public, i.e. your front yard or park. Defer with your vet. Puppies are not made yet for long walks.  Early walks with puppies are about their pace, exploration, and socialization. 
​When training our Havanese to walk we use:

1. Martingale Collar 
2. 4ft. - 6ft. Leash- No a retractable leash! For the extra length we wrap it around our hand. No shorter than 4ft. 
3. Training treats
   1. Check ingredients. Can you read it or is it a bunch of jibberish?
   2. Make sure it's made in the USA
   3. We recommended beef lung because the pieces are small and there's only one ingredient. Simple. 
4. Pouch
5. Doggie poo bags. We like the ones that have a carbine that can clip onto the leash
6. If you are working with a harness pay attention to the chest. A nice wide strap is good as it distributes the weight more easily.
7. 'Loose Leash Method.' 

​The reason we prefer this combination is because we don't pull on the leash and ultimately the collar, when the puppy starts tugging or misbehaving. We simply stop and let the Martingale do it's job and the puppy is in charge of that. ​

Why do we do it this way? 

• Encourages sensitivity to changes in the leash and you.
• They are confident and comfortable because they have some control while you remain in charge overall.
• It's takes out the drama. Bring a little bag of treats. When you have to stop to encourage re-focusing their attention, it makes it easier to create a build it into a positive experience
• It makes future training sessions easier because of its positivity. 

​Our Havanese catch on quickly. When they turn around as if to say, "What's up Mom/Dad?" and come back. We treat, praise, and and start walking. Simple as that. 
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Start slow:
The first time you take take your puppy out, expect it to be ten to twenty minutes. The goal is to have your puppy within one foot of your right ankle.  A little faster walking pace will help keep the pup’s attention focused more on you once they have the idea of being on a leash.  Otherwise you may end up carrying your puppy if your walk exceeds what they are physically cable of at the time. 

Avoid the retractable leash:
Why? Allowing a pup to reel out to 16 feet or more negates the possibility of rescuing him from an attack.  You cannot get to him or him to you quickly enough. It allows him to wander into a dangerous situation. The ‘return’ can injure a small dog’s trachea, or yourself. There are other hazards, but it teaches the puppy nothing about walking correctly with you.  Pulling, running about, being behind you and more are not behaviors associated with walking by your side. Spend the time you have fruitfully. 

Beware:  
Remember to bring a cup and water for hot weather and always consider the temperature of the pavement. Asphalt holds the heat greater than concrete or sand. Asphalt can run more than 40 degrees hotter than the given temperature. Concrete usually runs about 10 degrees warmer than a given temperature except in the middle of the day when the temp is still climbing on hot days.  120 degrees on the concrete is uncomfortably warm for a dog. At 140 degrees burns and blistering on his pads can begin.  It is easy to forget a dog's temperature is higher than our own and this can complicate things in hot temperatures. 
     
Closing:
Will playtime with your pup solve or derail all bad behavior? No, not totally. It is an age appropriate, very valuable tool to secure your puppy’s best temperament and behavior compared to not recognizing its value. As your puppy grows, they will find good and bad behaviors to explore. It's normal. The Bristol study went so far as to suggest that the owner is the “far better predictor of how aggressive a dog will be” which highlights the monumental impact an owner has on a puppy. There are other factors that contribute to good and bad behavior but playtime with your puppy has tremendous benefits and does not require a trainer, a special spot or expensive books or programs to accomplish. 

Suggestions:
Games:

• Fetch
• Tug of War
• Hide and Seek (find treats or you!)
• Obstacle Course
• Swimming

 
Toys:
Make sure to rotate on a bi weekly basis

• Knotted Rope
• ‘Snuffle Mat’(treats are hidden)
• Plush Crinkle toys
• Cat teaser toys like ribbon on a wand
• Squeakers
• Balls
• Food Puzzles such as Orbee Tuff Mazee (treat dispenser)
• General Dog Puzzles

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Commands:

• Heel
• Sit or Down
• Come
• Stay
• Drop It
• Polite Play
• Watch Me

Programs 
Enroll after ALL vaccinations received (4- 6 months of age.)
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program
Followed by AKC Canine Good Citizen
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Recommendations:
Dogs: Their Secret Lives, (Oct. 14, 2013): This documentary illustrates why it's critical to offer bored dogs and puppies alternative choices to stimulate and to comfort them while apart.
'Puppy Socialization,' Free AKC ebook 
'Puppy Culture Exercise Booklet: Puppy Fitness That Fits The Puppy Second Edition', By: Jane Killion
Chart for Exercise Guidelines for Puppies - PuppyCulture Exercise Poster by Madcap Productions
Remote Camera
  
References:
“50 Puppy Training Tips to Help You Stay Sane.” The Dog People by Rover.com, 14 Mar. 2019, https://www.rover.com/blog/50-puppy-tips-for-easier-training/.

“Appropriate Exercise.” PUPPY CULTURE, https://shoppuppyculture.com/pages/age-appropriate-exercise-1.

Arellano, Anastasia. “Hidden Cameras Show Owners What Their Dogs Do When They're Home Alone.” The Animal Rescue Site News, 20 Aug. 2020, https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dogs-their-secret-lives-documentary/.

Bender, Amy. “What to Do If Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety.” The Spruce Pets, The Spruce Pets, 14 Mar. 2022, https://www.thesprucepets.com/treating-separation-anxiety-in-dogs-1117889.

Greenwood, Arin. “New Study on Canine Aggression Says Don't Blame the Breed.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Mar. 2014, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dog-aggression-study-applied-animal-behaviour-science_n_4911861.

How Hot Is That Sidewalk? A Temperature Study ... - Lhaps.com. https://www.lhaps.com/images/DogTemperatureArticle_09jun2010.pdf.

Hunter, DVM, Tammy, and Earnest Ward, DVM. “Luxating Patella in Dogs.” Luxating Patella In Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/luxating-patella-in-dogs.

Magazine, Smithsonian. “Owners, Not Breeds, Predict Whether Dogs Will Be Aggressive.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 4 Mar. 2014, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/owners-not-breeds-predict-whether-dog-will-be-aggressive-180949962/.

“Puppy Training: How to Train a Puppy - Tips & Tricks.” American Kennel Club, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/puppy-training/.

“Spot the Difference: Front Clip versus Back Clip Harnesses.” Andrea Arden Dog Training, 18 Oct. 2016, https://andreaarden.com/dog-training/spot-the-difference-front-clip-versus-back-clip-harnesses/.

Stephanie Gibeault, MSc. “Puppy Exercise & Activities for Training Your Puppy.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 20 Apr. 2021, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/keep-your-puppy-active-and-out-of-trouble-with-stimulation-and-exercise/.

Team, Petfeed. “22 Ways to Play with and Exercise Your Dog Indoors.” Petfeed - Pet Care Tips, How-to Guides, Funny Stories, Comics, and Videos, Petfeed - Pet Care Tips, How-to Guides, Funny Stories, Comics, and Videos, 28 Mar. 2022, https://blog.petcube.com/indoor-dog-exercise/.

Team, Pets4Homes Editorial. “How to Motivate a Dog to Play and Exercise.” Pets4Homes, Pets4Homes, 21 Mar. 2022, https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/how-to-motivate-a-dog-to-play-and-exercise.html. ​​