What can go wrong after the puppy moves in?
A puppy test reveals a great deal about a puppy's fundamental traits—as do the breeder's observations throughout the entire puppyhood period.
A combination of observation and testing provides a solid foundation for the puppy's start in a new home.
After all, who is better placed to assess the puppy's behavior and actions than the breeder, who is with the puppies 24/7?
But how the puppy
- to the young dog - to the adult dog - developed, is in the hand of the new family!
Every breeder places great importance on ensuring that the puppies experience as much as possible in the first phase of their lives. They should see and experience as much as possible! Crucial here is the sense of belonging, the group dynamics, playing and romping together, the sense of community among the little ones. The feeling of security is important, but so is how much exposure they receive to other influences. Other people, children, visiting dogs, outings, etc. – experiencing and learning about new situations in a controlled manner within the group.
Breeders today place great importance on placing well-prepared puppies with their new families, yet once the puppies leave, they often develop in completely different ways. This is primarily due to the new family. Everyone raises their dogs differently and sets different values.
What can all go wrong in the first few weeks of living together?
The puppy is not yet regarded as a dog but as a small puppy, which must be protected and which must not be much. The dog is not used to any other situations. Lives rather isolated, because he is still so small and you do not want to overwhelm him.
It’s great to live on the edge of the forest, but how can the puppy withstand stress if he hardly notices it and is exposed to it?
The game between puppies does not take place.
A puppy school is not attended and also the contact with other social adult dogs, takes place too little or there is no, because the other is too big to play.
What happens to a puppy if he can’t compete? Can't deal with the same age? Can't learn body language?
The stimuli are minimized or do not take place at all.
City, train, bus, etc. the hustle and bustle is kept away. What happens if the puppy is kept more or less away from everything?
What can this mean for an unneeded puppy?
Clearly:
He becomes more and more insecure, dares to do nothing, becomes nervous and anxious. All noises, all people, new situations cause him anxiety.
Anything new is met with barking and causes stress.
Some dogs then tend to become aggressive and move forward instead of backing down.
All of this can happen, and much more!
He never learned to deal with these new situations; he never learned to read the body language of the other dogs.
The chain of reactions/actions begins, the dog is kept even further away from such situations, as it means stress for the human or one doesn't know how to get out of this situation, how to learn to deal with it.
People only go to a dog training school when the damage is already done, if they go to one at all.
But here too, individual lessons are given again, since there's a lot to catch up on, and what good does that do in terms of the dog's social skills?
A good mix of calm, activity, head utilisation, new and familiar must be bread in a puppy daily to strengthen and advance his character.
He should not be overwhelmed, but also not underwhelmed and certainly not kept away from everything.
A visit to the dog school is also important for experienced dog owners, because even if you already had several dogs and think you could do everything and would do everything right, mistakes creep in again and again and the gaze of a dog trainer is quite different than oneself.
Self-image and foreign image.. Reflection a big issue
Accept help and seek help if you notice early on that the puppy/dog is becoming anxious, or behaviors that can lead to a problem.
With diligence and work you get a lot done!
A very well-known dog trainer once explained in an interview why dogs belonging to homeless people are always so relaxed and well-socialized. Because the days are never the same and the dogs are always with them. They learn to cope with frequent changes of location, different noises, environments, and acquaintances, which is why they are much more relaxed around people, places, and other animals. Because they have learned to orient themselves towards their human companions, new situations don't cause them stress.
