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Our Resource List for new puppy owners - updated

4/7/2022

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We used to send this by email to our clients many months in advance, now it lives here getting updated from time to time and the link finds its way to your inbox. Yes, we know, it could be a year or more before a new Two Gun pup will cross the threshold into your home. Which means, right now is a wonderful time to start looking into different training options and methods, as there is little pressure. You can read, ask questions, seek out advice, find a local trainer: observe training sessions, etc. and really see what is going to work for you. Making these kinds of decisions once you have the puppy is a whole lot like attempting to fix an airplane while it is in flight...generally not advisable. ​So here it is, I have dusted off the Recommended Reading list yet once again.

What do these books have in common? They are in tune with modern canine behavioral science vs. the old school ways. We believe in working smarter and not harder whenever possible and these resources will certainly help you to do so.

Don't Shoot the Dog! The New Art of Teaching and Training, by Karen Pryor

The Puppy Primer, by Patricia B. McConnell
 - for that matter, any Patricia B. McConnell book on training/dog behavior
 
How to raise a puppy you can live with, by Clarice Rutherford

When Pigs Fly! Training Success with Impossible Dogs, by Jane Killion, founder/creator of Puppy Culture. This book picks up where we left off with the Puppy Culture protocols, we used with our puppies and isn't just for "impossible" dogs! However, those who are intending to develop your Drent for field work please disregard pages 80-84 her ball & tug games run contrary to your aim.
 
Dog Sense, by John Bradshaw
 
The Genius of Dogs, by Brian Hare
 
Absolutely Positively Gundog Training, by Robert Milner. To learn the mechanics of "Positive/ Force Free Training" and developing a retrieve based on stimulus control.

The Drentsche Patrijshond for the North American Fancier, by B. P. O'Connor
​Since we have you here in the mindset to learn and read. In short, the "early" pediatric spay/neuter is being strongly implicated/tied to joint irregularities, tendon injury, and even increased the risk of many cancers, amongst many other developmental issues, please take some time to review these scientific articles:

  • Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete
  • Neutering Dogs: Effects on Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers
  • Risks Associated with Pediatric Neuter: Cancer risks, orthopedic concerns, behavior issues
  • ​Good Dog Webinar with Dr. Chris Zink on Early spay/neuter (also CBARQ)
  • Spay/Neuter & being overweight effects on Hip Dysplasia
  • Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence
  • ​Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence
There are also some great training resources on the internet​:
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​​Leerburg / The Michael Ellis School for Dog trainers: Michael Ellis is considered by many to be one of the World's Greatest dog trainers. He uses LIMA principles to achieve incredible performance from a wide range of dogs for all types of dog sport. Michael's system covers a wide range of topics and is both highly effective, humane, and applicable to all aspects of canine sports.

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McCann Dog Training: I am a big fan of McCann as they offer a wide range of well put together videos covering all manner of training challenges using Rewards and Markers, and even offer online courses here.

Dog Training by Kikopup: Run by Emily Larlham, owner operator of Dogmantics. She shares her impressive skill with easy to learn and follow videos for the regular person. Solving unusual problems suddenly got easier, if not surprisingly fun using her methodology.


Higgins GunDogs: Mr. Higgins has used his experience and background in training falcons for the benefit of gun dogs. This method hinges upon a dog's natural cooperation with his boss/co-hunter. The Higgins method isn't exactly 100% fully force and pressure free as its creator pitches. However, the Higgins Method presents stress to the dog in a minimalist and constructive fashion and is without question the best overall and most humane, system for training and managing a high drive gun dog! We use the Higgins Method with all our dogs.

Regular visitors to this spot will note I have included Standing Stone Kennels, removed them, reinstated them, and now note they are off again... They have been moving in the right direction. It is important to note that SSK pays their bills by producing content on a rapid production cycle. So, it is important to recognize that the quality of their content varies widely. A knowledgeable trainer can easily sort the wheat from the chaff whereas the novice may not. Therefore, my best advice is to use their content with objective care, or leave it be if you don't know what good training looks like. 

In short, find/use a method that helps you to build a relationship with your dog. You will see the dividends and how hard your dog will want to work with and for you.

Rewards/Marker based training methods based on modern canine behavior science, are easy to learn and use is easy for you to be consistent using. These low stress methods are quite game/play like and well suited for your Drent.  

 
As always, if you have questions, concerns, comments or just want to talk dog - we are here for you,
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Puppies & Growth plates

15/10/2021

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Drents are at the large end of Medium-size, or at the small end of Large-size for dogs. We like the idea of being safe vs. being sorry. So, when you have an intelligent and active breed like the Drent and you have all sorts of ideas for activities and training to do with them, please have a look before you make up your "work schedule" for your precious pup.

Today we bring you the explanation why we should not perform intense physical exercise with puppies until 18 months or even 24 months. Puppy growth rates vary by size. It's important to adapt diet and exercise to your puppy s' specific requirements to ensure ideal skeletal development. Endochondral ossification (the process during which cartilage turns into bone) differs according to the adult size of your puppy, with closed growth plates (complete ossification has occurred) between 3 months in toy breeds and 24 months in large breeds (see photo).

There are many factors affecting growth rate and maturity age, for example, males mature more slowly than females. There are variations in periods of 'fast growth' ranging from birth to 11 weeks in small dogs and toys. Large breeds range from birth to 20 weeks (Hawthorne et al 2004) excessive exercise and inadequate nutrition during these periods can lead to conformation and malformation of bones, which can lead to the osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease.

The recommended exercise levels for puppies are 1 minute for each week of their life, twice a day. This should be negligible impact at a steady pace. If your goal is to train to compete for flyball or agility (for example), it is recommended to avoid any jump training until full ossification has occurred.

This is what we mean to tell you not to rush with your pups, work other things with them. Work their minds, smell, worry about socializing etc. After spending the development months and making the corresponding plates, consult your veterinarian if your dog is 100 % for sport.

When you get an 8-week-old puppy, keep in mind these images!

His bones don't even touch yet. They walk great with large, flexible legs and wobbly moves because their joints are composed of muscles, tendons and ligaments covered in skin. Nothing fits right or has a real grip yet. So, it is critical to not allow the puppy to become overworked or over exercised during this time. This relaxed pace allows the puppy the opportunity to grow properly. Every big jump or bounce causes bone impacts...in reasonable amounts, it's not problematic and it is normal. But when you let the puppy jump up and down from the couch in the living room or bed, have free access to run the stairs, you take him for excessively long walks, you can damage that joint during training. 

A well-formed body is something that comes from excellent parenting and education, BOTH, not just one. Once he grows up, you'll have the rest of his life to play with and perform high-impact exercises with him. So, keep calm while they're still small puppies and give them the gift that can only be given once.
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Train your dog to Settle+

8/2/2021

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I love fielding questions from our clients! We offer 24/7 tech support, but I'll just go ahead and say it. It's much easier to head problems off before they occur, then to fix them after they have been allowed to manifest.

​We used to have a hard time finding clients with enough time to adequately care for their dog, now it seems everyone is working from home and has time, but this creates new challenges. It seems the big one is, how to keep a pup quiet while I'm Zooming. The next one in line is heading off Separation Anxiety, which should be managed before it even has the chance to manifest.

With a Drent, and most active sporting breeds, a balanced approach is really the way to go: Body & Mind. 
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Body:
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Many folks assume taking the pup for a lot of exercise will help them sleep the day away. To a degree it works like that, however, it will also create a dog that requires exercise... How much running makes a marathon runner tired? Trust me, for the first couple of weeks after hunting season is over, the natives are restless.

During the time a pup is young you really can't take them for rigorous or forced exercise. Fortunately for a young dog it doesn't take much to wear one out... it's when you get to the teenage-time that they can go for quite a bit of exercise 'at their own pace' and they will also begin to develop stamina. This is a one dimensional solution that becomes both self-limiting and its own problem. As a side note: a Drent really needs to be at least a year old to start becoming a running partner, even then, shorter runs with varying pace as you work pup up to it. ​

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Mind:
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There is a time where using distractors: toys, chews, brain games, etc. is great. Just as important to getting pup out to stretch his legs, but on its own this too becomes self-limiting. As it puts the burden on you to find ever new and more enticing ways to focus your dog's attention. In fact, by spending too much time in the 'mind zone' you can actually defeat your Drent's natural 'off switch' because your dog will always need to be entertained with something! Ever meet a kid who needs to be entertained constantly to stay quiet and out of the way? I'm pretty sure you have... it was fun wasn't it?

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So I just took your whole plan away you say? Well, if that was your plan, then I suppose so and I wasn't even trying - ouch!

So let's do this instead, because I see them as as related. You need balance, Body & Mind, but let us also take advantage of one of the things that makes living with a Drent pretty awesome - let's do some deliberate work on their natural 'off switch' and we do this by teaching the dog to settle!

Teaching 'settle' also helps with 
crate training - which you will need to do as part of your regimen. Also now with so many people being 'home based' these days, taking a  proactive approach to avoid separation anxiety has a level of importance many have yet to realize! Yep, that's right your increased availability has a Darkside...

So let us head all of this possible drama off at the pass, this is the way.

​Please take a few minutes to watch these videos:

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You can see they are very similar, basically a subtle variation on the same theme - you can find dozens of similar videos on YouTube, and all the better ones will more or less resemble what I have posted above for you. We did this with Ila, and by 5 months she was an Old Hat at being a pro-pub dog!
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Puppy 101: A multi-part series

1/1/2021

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​Some of the inquiries we get might surprise you. As you might guess in this day and age, many lack basic common courtesy – the worse of which we simply don’t even acknowledge. The better of which will we provide at least a reasonable, if not short, but professional response. However, recently we fielded an inquiry about how to bring a new puppy home. The answer for this question is best provided by the breeder you have acquired your pup from, or even Google vs some random breeder or person. After all it's not a short answer. A rather odd request from someone who you have not had nor plan to have any future interaction with. I provided some basic info, then reviewed our own puppy related materials and realized it wouldn’t hurt to add to what we have started. So, for that, thank you random person for your questions. This also this helped to make good on a client’s request on putting all this stuff in one place – I didn’t really know how to do it, but this is what I came up with.

​Part 1: What is the best way to acclimate a new puppy into the home?

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​A great place to get setup for success is to review each of the articles highlighted by the hyperlinks throughout this article to include reviewing our Recommended Reading for new puppy owners. Getting Set up for Success is where we talk about all sorts of things ranging from general physical concerns and needs for a rapidly growing puppy's joints & bones, as well as puppy proofing your home & yard. Here is a list of puppy essentials for what your puppy will need. Oh and not to forget, how do you plan to manage the messes that will happen, during your potty training adventures? Additionally, have you nailed down a teething management strategy,? Some pups will chew like a beaver, and others hardly any, but knowing what to do in advance can help shape all of their desires. Have you considered coat care, and the tools and time required? For Drents it’s pretty easy, but still it’s something you should have thought about.

Extending this thought process, you will want to be sure you have a veterinarian selected, if you don’t have one already, well in advance to bringing pup home. Also, what do you plan to feed pup? You don’t need to feed the ultra-expensive stuff to have a happy, healthy dog, but if you are considering to feed Old Roy, you should consider putting yourself on a diet of corn and rice hulls seasoned with charcoal, and for a big night out you guessed it – Top Ramen.

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​Next, you will also want to have a socialization and training plan thought through in advance. The more comprehensive, the better. At the minimum we strongly encourage everyone to update what they know, or think they know about dog training. A lot has changed with the advent of the scientific study of Canine Behavior: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3. The old concept of Alpha/Dominant v.  Submissive is quaint. The old techniques of traditional obedience training are at best boring and repetitive. These methods tend to be unkind, bordering on inhumane. Not even thinking about the old ways of bird dog training which if we are to be frank can be quite barbaric. We can and should do better, by looking towards trainers like Brad Higgins, McCann Dog Training, and Stonnie Dennis, for example. You should seriously consider enrolling pup in a certified AKC S.T.A.R. puppy course  and shooting for achieving an AKC Canine Good Citizen certification.

​Part 2: How do you Introduce pup to your other dogs?

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​​Alright, so The Pup is en route - what to do? Each dog should ideally have its’ own handler – this really can make it or break it if things were to slide sideways. Both dogs should be restrained by a leash initially. Allow them to sniff one another. Expect pup to maybe be a little bit timid or restrained. If so, it may be appropriate to allow the pup off leash to make its own introductions on its’ own terms. In this case restraining the adult dog can be important as they can get over excited and without meaning cause harm to the pup, in particular if much larger and stronger. With a little care, some calmness and patience, introducing pup should be fairly quick and painless. However, pup and Fido-1’s interactions will need to be supervised for the next few days. Play sessions will likely need to be supervised for the next several months, remember avoiding serious injury to pup is paramount – when in doubt call a timeout.

With that in mind, here are a few other tips for success: Be aware and don’t leave yours dogs alone and unsupervised. Avoid free feeding and encourage waiting when it is feeding time. When you offer special treats e.g. chews and/or raw hides, ensure there is enough for all, supervise, and pick them up long before they are fully consumed. Please be sure to have an ample supply of toys and beds. If one toy becomes a point of contention, retire it. Monitor play time be aware of body language and if/when needed redirect and give timeouts as appropriate. To the greatest extent possible give each dog a little bit of its own time.

We believe through daily, structured walks; your dogs will respect you as the boss and look towards you for guidance and direction. Daily, structured walking is a great way to establish your benevolent leadership.

After a month of careful supervision, correcting misbehavior, structured walking, and supervised feedings, your dogs will know you are the boss and the new/old dog is not a threat.  Once your dogs begin to feel safe with one another, their true personalities will come out and you will have two wonderful pack members to entertain you and love you for the rest of their lives.

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So, if have been caught be the Drent virus, you are likely adding to your clan. Or if you are recently afflicted, you may still have another dog as part of your clan. Either way, you need to integrate. If you don’t already have a dog, my initial reaction is to pass this up…but my better sensibility says take a moment to read, and let it marinate for a later time – after all, you have the Drent virus, and there is no known cure.

Alright, okay, enough shenanigans – I’ll get to it…well, not to be special, but you are here on my blog so endure. You need to introduce pupski to an established adult dog. So, let us consider the established dog for a moment. Is he a model canine citizen? Let’s be honest, you know him far better than anyone so there is no need to tell any stories or make excuses. Does Fido-1 have separation anxiety, excessive barking, destructiveness, house training issues, aggressiveness/shyness towards other animals/people? If so, you should really work on getting those issues remedied – puppy will not help any at all. What you can expect pupper to do is to pick up some, if not all, of these less than desirable traits unless YOU have a clear and decisive plan, which is likely to involve external onsite assistance. Because the only thing worse that one canine terrorist, is two (or more, God forbid).

Okay, so your current dog is more or less well-adjusted and well behaved. Finding balance is likely the path to success. This doesn’t mean if your dog is a total couch potato you should add Hellfire the Tasmanian Spaziod to the equation - what is or will be complimentary? What temperament and personality will compliment, coexist, or coincide with what you currently have? With some deliberate thought you can create some amazing canine partnerships.

​Part 3: Crate training - what is that all about?

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​Some people want to think a dog crate is a punishment tool, when in reality a properly sized crate is your dog’s home inside of your home. This, as you might imagine, has a few benefits like helping to potty train pup, keep pup safe when you can’t supervise him adequately, to name just a few. It is important to have the crate properly sized and built to be safe and secure.

A dog’s crate should be a happy place. The training process can go quite rapidly, or it may take a couple of weeks. Always have in mind, the crate is the dog’s house, and it should be a pleasant place for him. Generally, this can be accomplished without too much ado by breaking the process down into a few steps, just be mindful not to rush.

A handy, mobile, oft overlooked and undervalued tool is teaching your dog to settle. Drents have a natural 'off switch' so why not cultivate it and use it to your advantage? In doing so, it will help with crate training and in turn separation anxiety if you happen to be home based as many are these days. Who knows, you might even end up with a super cool 'pub dog' that everyone is jealous of...

Now back to crate training. Introduce pup to the crate. Do so calmly and be sure the door can’t slam around or close. Put some of pup’s favorite things into the kennel along with a few treats. Drop a few treats near the kennel, then just inside the door, then toss a few treats in. Let pup take his time to go in. We familiarize our pups with kennels in the whelping box – so this should be super easy. However, at first, this will be new in his new home, so a little bit of patience will serve you well. Once pup is going in the crate well on his own, be sure to feed him at least once a day, or possibly all his meals for a little while in the crate. At first with the door open, then gradually work towards shutting then even latching the door for short periods. Work up to 10 minutes or so after eating. Here is where things can get tricky, and you will need some will power to get through this. If pup whines in the crate, you did too much too fast and here is the catch, you can’t let pup out while he is whining or crying. You can sit by the door, even place a finger in for pup to smell and help calm him. Once the whining has stopped, and this could be a while in some cases, you may then open the door. If you open the door while the pup is crying it very well may make the association and begin doing much more crying and whining – just what we want to avoid. You may need to have pup close by in his crate at first, and just like ‘playing with the door’ you can adjust proximity. Evening TV time, or some other calm time is perfect for working on building familiarity and comfort.

Also McCann has an entire crate training series which you may find helpful.Some people want to think a dog crate is a punishment tool, when in reality a properly sized crate is your dog’s home inside of your home. This, as you might imagine, has a few benefits like helping to potty train pup, keep pup safe when you can’t supervise him adequately, to name just a few. It is important to have the crate properly sized and built to be safe and secure.

A dog’s crate should be a happy place. The training process can go quite rapidly, or it may take a couple of weeks. Always have in mind, the crate is the dog’s house, and it should be a pleasant place for him. Generally, this can be accomplished without too much ado by breaking the process down into a few steps, just be mindful not to rush.

A handy, mobile, oft overlooked and undervalued tool is teaching your dog to settle. Drents have a natural 'off switch' so why not cultivate it and use it to your advantage? In doing so, it will help with crate training and in turn separation anxiety if you happen to be home based as many are these days. Who knows, you might even end up with a super cool 'pub dog' that everyone is jealous of...

Now back to crate training. Introduce pup to the crate. Do so calmly and be sure the door can’t slam around or close. Put some of pup’s favorite things into the kennel along with a few treats. Drop a few treats near the kennel, then just inside the door, then toss a few treats in. Let pup take his time to go in. We familiarize our pups with kennels in the whelping box – so this should be super easy. However, at first, this will be new in his new home, so a little bit of patience will serve you well. Once pup is going in the crate well on his own, be sure to feed him at least once a day, or possibly all his meals for a little while in the crate. At first with the door open, then gradually work towards shutting then even latching the door for short periods. Work up to 10 minutes or so after eating. Here is where things can get tricky, and you will need some will power to get through this. If pup whines in the crate, you did too much too fast and here is the catch, you can’t let pup out while he is whining or crying. You can sit by the door, even place a finger in for pup to smell and help calm him. Once the whining has stopped, and this could be a while in some cases, you may then open the door. If you open the door while the pup is crying it very well may make the association and begin doing much more crying and whining – just what we want to avoid. You may need to have pup close by in his crate at first, and just like ‘playing with the door’ you can adjust proximity. Evening TV time, or some other calm time is perfect for working on building familiarity and comfort.

Also McCann has an entire crate training series which you may find helpful.

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​Crating pup overnight:
 
Alrighty, now it is really time to start to work with longer crating periods. We have found doing this while you are at home really is best as you as easily start adding some structure to an already familiar event. Here are your marks:
  • Call pup over to the crate and give them a treat and you can use ‘yes’ if you are using shaping.
  • Give them a queue to enter, such as ‘kennel’. Then encourage them to enter the crate with a treat in your hand.
  • Once your dog enters the crate, use ‘yes’ and treat, then gently close the door.
  • Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes, and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return and sit quietly again for a short time, and then let them out of the crate.
  • Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave them in the crate and the length of time you're out of sight.
  • Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving them crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting them sleep there at night. This may take several days or weeks, it really depends on the pup and how well you have managed the steps.
If you have progressed through all of that, and pup can confidently go 30 minutes or so with you more or less out of sight you are ready to start crating your dog when you leave your home.
  • Have pup ‘kennel’ just like in all your test runs to date; same treat, everything. You might also want to leave them with a few safe toys in the crate e.g. a Kong or Nyla bone.
  • Then just leave quietly without fanfare, goodbyes or anything you haven’t been doing any other time pup has been crated. Also, pup shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave.
  • Again, do not make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give them a treat for entering the crate, and then leave quietly – just like a normal ‘kennel up’ time.
When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior. Refrain from being enthusiastic, just quietly and smartly usher pup out to go potty. Be sure to keep arrivals low-key to avoid creating anxiety over your return. Additionally, continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you are at home so they don’t associate being crated with being left alone.

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​​Yes, this can appear to run a bit contrary to to the whole training process, and frankly can be the most difficult part of crate and potty training – the night shift. Leaving pup out all night is surely going to result in a mess, damage to something, pup getting into things which might harm him, or for a real banner night all or a combo. Crating at night is a must until pup has proven himself reliable in all ways.
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Generally, it’s a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom if space permits or nearby in a hallway. Young puppies will need to go potty during the night, and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy BEFORE they whine to be let outside. Put pup in the crate using your regular command and a treat, know what pup’s potty schedule is (going potty just before bedtime is an absolute must), so that you can set a gentle alarm to take him out just before his normally scheduled time. Expect to get up at least 2 times each night for the first few nights. As his day schedule lengthens his night schedule should as well. One bit of advice here is to pick up the water bowl about 2-2.5 hours before bedtime. Soon your dog will be sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

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Potential problems:

Whining - If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether they’re whining to be let out of the crate, or whether they actually need to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from their crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, they'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at them or pounding on the crate will only make things worse.

If the whining continues after you've ignored them for several minutes, calmly take the pup out of the crate and carry outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. Give your “go potty” command and give pup a few minutes to get the job done. If he goes potty, give a calm “good boy” and carry back to the crate without a fuss. If he does not potty, then without drama take pup back to his crate. Potty or no potty ends with the same outcome - trips in the middle of the night are for necessity only, and the crate is a requirement until it’s time to start the day. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore them until they stop whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what they want. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.
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Separation anxiety - Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but they may get injured in an attempt to escape. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counterconditioning and desensitization procedures. You may want to consult a professional animal-behavior specialist for help. ​

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Puppy Essentials

29/7/2020

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You can make owning a dog as expensive as you want. Truth be told, to keep a dog, you really don’t need a lot of fancy things and expensive equipment.
  • Dog Food: Good kibble is critical, but don’t think you need to spend $100 a bag for grain free or single source protein to be buying ‘the best’ for Fido. Much of their price is paying for marketing hype and popularity – not R&D. Yep, that’s right. For example feeding Purina Pro Plan is actually a good choice, while feeding Purina’s Beniful is a rather poor choice…The Dog Food Project is an amazing resource to help you make better choices.
  • Food & Water bowls. There is no limit to what you can spend on a dog bowl, after all I’ve owned Polish pottery dog bowls, but the ones from the feed store work just as well.
  • A simple and sturdy flat collar. For a puppy it should be at least 1/2” wide, preferably adjustable and have a 'D' ring. Once pup nears adult size, around 11-months or so, upgrade them to a 1” wide collar, with a sturdy buckle and ‘D’ ring. Again, you may be tempted to buy harnesses, halti’s, chokers, pinch-collars, martingales, and so on. Please, just save your money. Your dog has one neck, and frankly there is no need for any of those other items. In particular if you train the Two Gun way.

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  • A leash. A simple 6’ latigo leather lead ¾” or a full inch wide is one of the best things you can buy. Treat it with some mink oil occasionally, It will last you a lifetime and only get better with age and use. Another leash worth your time and money is a British-style slip lead these are incredibly useful tools. Lastly, for doing your yard work on recall, even sit/stay, and down/say, retrieving, and field work the most useful lead to own is a biothane long line, like the one I have linked to. But 33' is too long – measure back 12’-15’ and cut it and leave the end ‘raw’. You should then cut the handle off the other end, and create a spare line…either way, cut the hand loop off – it’s only purpose in dog training would be to increase the leads liability by getting caught on every damn thing possible. Please just leave the mountain rope, anything with a ski-handle, or some other gimmick e.g. flexi-leads, and flat nylon lines in the store. They are uncomfortable in the hand at best, or a useless waste of your money.​
  • ID. I have plates riveted to my dog’s leather collars, until then a simple tag works great. Put your phone number on there, not the dog’s name – but some other identifier you know.
  • A dog crate. This will make potty training much easier, and give your dog a home of it’s own within your home. Pup should be able to lay out, stand up, and turn around. Much more in the early days. Once they are potty trained, how much space do you want to give them? Pups travel crate should be a bit tight, but they should still be able to curl up, stand up, and of course turn around. A small kong filled with frozen peanut butter, should be part of your crate training tool kit...

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  • Chew ‘toys’. Puppy nyla-bones are fantastic. Plush toys, rawhides and rope bones, if you elect to offer them need to be offered only when you can supervise their use. Otherwise, you could be in for an expensive trip to the vet when a pile of fluff, rope-shreds, and a squeaker make into into the gullet.
  • Regular toys. Some Drents love their toys, most seem to be quite cat like in their toy love. The more you spend, the less they care…but offer them a torn off flap of a cardboard box or paper towel tube – wow, what an amazing toy!
  • Dog beds. Either your Drent will never chew it’s bed and you can spend as much money as you are willing to believe you are boosting their comfort. Or they will be a bed shredder. So work them up and supervise. Otherwise a Drent, much like a cat, will sleep comfortably on anything that isn’t precisely the floor. A sheet of paper or hand towel can also make for a great Drent bed.
  • Grooming tools: What you will need is a single row Undercoat rake (a double row is better), a Coarse/Med Comb, a Pin brush, a Fine tooth comb, a Boar bristle brush, and for the Pro a medium stripper blade for the ears. Good tools last, we like Safari.
  • A veterinarian who listens to you, and that you trust.

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C-BARQ & Early Spay/Neuter with Dr James Serpell & Dr Chris Zink a Good Breeder Webinar

18/5/2020

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Listen to world-renowned leading canine behaviorist and co-creator of C-BARQ, Dr. James Serpell, and veterinary specialist, Vet of the Year, Dr. Chris Zink, DVM, for a discussion on how breeders can use C-BARQ to breed for behavior and recent research on the effects of early spay/neuter.

​Dr. James Serpell's, BSc, PhD: 
Director at PennVet’s Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society, co-creator of C-BARQ (vetapps.vet.upenn.edu/cbarq/), author of The Domestic Dog, founder of the International Society for Anthrozoology, committed to the scientific study of human-animal interactions, Professor of Animal Ethics & Welfare at UPenn, and has published many studies and articles on canine behavior, health, and welfare.

Dr. Chris Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVP DACVSMR CCRT CVSMT CVA:
Vet of the Year, award-winning author, has put over 125 titles, Co-Founder of Avidog-Zink Ventures, and expert in canine sports medicine and rehab (instrumental in establishing this as the newest specialty in veterinary medicine).
​

Good Dog Team Panelists:
- Cat Matloub, Esq.
- Judi Stella, PhD
- Monica DeBosscher, Esq.
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Your Drent and Its AKC Limited Registration

11/4/2020

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Soon to be published by the DPCNA. The DPCNA’s Code of Ethics (Section 4.3) calls for breeders to register their puppies with the American Kennel Club on a Limited Registration. From the AKC’s website:
​“A dog registered with an AKC Limited Registration shall be ineligible to be entered in a breed competition in a licensed or member dog show. It is eligible, however, to be entered in any other licensed or member event. These events include: Obedience, Rally, Agility, Tracking, Field Trials, Hunting Tests, Herding, Lure Coursing, Earthdog, Fast Cat, CAT, Scentwork, Junior Showmanship, Trick Dog and CGC.” The AKC goes on to state: “Limited Registration helps breeders protect their breeding programs. If breeders do not want puppies used for breeding purposes, they can request the option for those puppies”.
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Matt & Bimini
​With that all being said, what does it mean to you having a puppy or dog with a limited Registration? If you have no intent to show your dog in an AKC show ring or breed him/her, then it means very little as all performance events are open to you and there isn’t a negative impact with NAVHDA, or UKC participation.

But what if you would like to keep those options open? And what happens if you want to begin showing your Drent before his/her health clearances can be performed? It is up to your breeder to sign off on the paperwork to revoke the limited status of the registration. First off, your breeder should take an honest look at the dog and evaluate its conformation, possibly even ask a fellow breeder to offer an opinion. In the end, if it is decided your Drent could have a possible show career, then the breeder may endorse the paperwork. But don’t be surprised if your breeder requires to be made a co-owner, at least for the short term. Making the breeder a co-owner still allows the breeder to comply with the Code of Ethics, and retain control over breeding, as all of the future litter registration paperwork will also require the co-owners signature in order to be valid and have the offspring registered with the AKC. Another option that might be offered by your breeder is to have preliminary hip and elbow screening done through OFA. Though these results are not final and cannot be used to satisfy the requirements for breeding per the bylaws, they can be used to identify any developing issues early on.
PictureHaley & Bimini
​When it comes to making your Drent available for the DPCNA’s breeding program, this too is something you will want to discuss with your breeder. Easy and inexpensive markers to knock out in the early stages are having a DPCNA e-Conformation conducted, obtaining an AKC CGC title, and maybe leaning forward and having his eyes run through the OFA CAER process. At this point, if the markers are looking good, you may be encouraged to press forward with having an OFA exam of the dog’s hips and elbows completed. Lifting the Limited Registration becomes an appropriate course of action when the documents with passing scores are shared with your breeder.

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Puppy Culture

4/3/2020

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So we have always done a significant amount of early puppy development. However, we finally bit the bullet and bought the Puppy Culture program to see what else we might be able to do, or see a different perspective on the many things we already do. As an added bonus, PC has some neat Singleton puppy information and techniques!

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What is Puppy Culture?
Puppy Culture is a program developed by Jane Killion, professional dog trainer and breeder. It is a comprehensive, organized program for breeders to follow during the first weeks of a puppy’s life. 

The first 12 weeks of a puppy’s life are incredibly important. This is an almost magical time when a breeder has the power to change the outcome of a puppy’s life by what we choose to teach him. By doing just the right things at just the right time, we can give your puppy the best start possible.

Prenatal Period
Making sure that your puppy’s genetic material is excellent is only the beginning. The physical and emotional health of the mother will affect the health of her puppies. Since research has shown that puppies born to mothers that receive prenatal massage are more docile and enjoy being touched, we spoil our mothers with lots of affection and belly massages. A puppy’s predisposition to form deep and meaningful relationships begins even before they are born.

Neonatal Period: 0-14 days
Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) begins on day 3 and continues through day 16. Research shows that tiny struggles and stresses in appropriate small doses are actually good for puppies and will help them grow into strong, healthy well-adjusted adults. Benefits include greater tolerance to stress, greater resistance to disease, faster adrenal system, stronger heart rate and stronger heartbeat. This is a gift that a breeder can only give their puppies once during the window of 3-16 days.

Transitional Period: 14-21 days
Behavioral markers are used to identify the beginning and end of each developmental period because every puppy is different and these timelines are simply guidelines. The transitional period begins when the puppy’s eyes open and ends when they first startle upon hearing sounds. 

Critical Socialization Period: 3-12 weeks
Most people think of socialization as exposing their puppies to as many new experiences as possible while the puppy is young. While this is part of the process, it’s not enough. Our goal is to raise dogs that have the emotional intelligence to connect with you. Emotional intelligence can be taught to young puppies and one of the goals of the Puppy Culture Program is to teach breeders how to do this. There are 7 key things that will nurture the emotional intelligence of a puppy.

​1: Communication – giving a puppy his own voice: Communication Trinity – power up clicker, box game, manding, attention/distraction protocols

2: Emotional stability – the ability to recover easily from fear as well as stress (startle recovery, barrier challenges, Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test at day 49
3: Habituation – familiarity with the maximum number of things: Puppy Parties, sound protocols, habituation soundtracks and noises, meeting different people, dogs, other animals
4: Enrichment – the view that novelty and challenges are opportunities for enrichment rather than things to be feared or avoided: novelty items, Adventure Box, off premises socialization
5: Health – physical wellness and motor skills that will allow the puppy to develop in a neurologically and physically sound way: daily weight checks, grooming, vaccinations, deworming, proper nutrition, vet health checks
6: Skills – learned behaviors which allow him to function in human society: recall, manding, simple commands, litterbox training, crate training, leash walking, resource guarding, bite inhibition
7: Love – the desire to seek out the company of both dogs and humans as emotionally positive experiences: shaping emotional responses, Happy and Calm CER (Conditioned Emotional Responses), daily cuddles with humans and mom

This is definitely an incredible amount of work, but it is 100% ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT!!!!!! When you adopt your puppy, you will be just as thankful as we are for this program!

The "Why" of Puppy Culture from Jane Killion on Vimeo.

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