Awww puppies! Puppies are some of my favorite people!
Puppies are cute, they are fuzzy, they have puppy breath and they sleep as hard as they play!
There is little wrong with puppies, except most don’t come with a lot of self-control!
“Self Control” is defined as the ability to control one’s self in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expressions of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations.
Synonyms:
- Self-disciple
- Restraint
- Will power
- Composure
- Coolness
- Moderation
Most often, none of the above list embodies the idea of puppies or most toddlers.
The big difference is that most people teach their babies and toddlers some self-control but for some reason people, often, don’t teach their puppies or young dogs to emulate any of those things.
Puppies Need To Learn Self-Control
Even toddlers who are poorly behaved are taught some impulse control. Without it, most toddlers would accidentally kill themselves by sticking fingers in sockets, swallowing objects or pulling furniture down on themselves.
The best toddlers are the ones who have been taught how to behave properly in certain situations (like church) and other composed places.
That doesn’t mean they never get to go to the park or play in the mud, that just means that playtime and quiet time is controlled to some degree.
The same should be expected of our canine companions.
It is also crucial that they learn some restraint so that they don’t eat through power cords, swallow batteries, or swallow tube socks and other things they will need surgically removed (all of which I have seen).
The difference is that society feels that dogs are more dispensable so instead of teaching impulse control and spending time with their puppy to monitor them and teach them, they opt to euthanize or rehome after a few bad situations.
Also, people find it more difficult to spend time with the dog.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I know that your children deserve more time, more teaching and more dedication than your dog. But that doesn’t mean your dog doesn’t deserve a fraction of your effort, too!
Simply spending 5 sessions a day teaching your puppy and playing with him rigorously for 5-10 minutes a session is really all that you need!
The problem is that it is difficult for people to even devote a small amount of time.
Exercise Isn’t Enough
And, rigorous exercise is not enough.
Recently, I was musing with a client whose dog’s behavior has taken a turn for the worse.
She explained all the play and walks, but left out any kind of learning and mental stimulation or control work.
So she was meeting the puppy’s need for physical exercise but was literally never meeting any of the puppy’s mental needs.
On top of that, the puppy was learning that spending time with her meant all out anticipation and exhilaration with no control.
It was like she was conditioning that spending time with her meant NO IMPULSE CONTROL AT ALL!
That is not a great idea!
Even when I play with my puppies, I want to be teaching them to drop the ball on cue and to perform obedience commands on cue in order for me to continue to play.
Rarely, if ever, do I allow my puppy to act like a Tasmanian Devil with absolutely no control of himself.
Otherwise, I am living with a monster instead of raising my puppy to act like a good canine companion!
Mental Stimulation is More Exhausting
And, don’t worry!
You may think that a 1 hour trip around the park will be more exhausting for your puppy, but even if you can exhaust him physically, it won’t last long.
Because your puppy is a born athlete. His slow twitch muscles (those that allow for more endurance) and fast twitch muscles (those that allow for fast bursts like sprinting) will adapt much faster than your human muscles.
After a few days, that walk will barely impact him anymore!
But, mental stimulation will teach him control AND wear him out!
Add a game like the retrieve game to his obedience and you have the perfect recipe for a tired and happily mentally engaged dog!
Give it a try!
via Whisker Therapy