Phase 1A PRACTICE QUESTIONS for Dog Social Development

What mistake would prevent a puppy from growing out of play-biting?

1. Allowing them to bite/chew/be mouthy 2. Poor timing of corrections 3. Correcting with a sing-songy sound, saying nooooooo or nooooooooo biting instead of using a startling sharp sound

What causes the changes in behavior that are seen during adolescence?

1. Changes in the dog's hormones 2. Even neutered dogs will show changes

What do adolescent dogs exhibit more of?

1. Confidence 2. Sense physical strength and agillity a. jumping b. body slamming c. intentional mouthing of the owner d. chewing e. digging f. counter surfing g. stealing h. escaping etc. 3. Start barking

How might you advise a dog owner if she wants to socialize her puppy but her vet has told her not to let the pup out of the apartment until he has had all of his vaccinations after 16 weeks? a. What do these articles recommend for this situation?

1. Enroll in a puppy class where the puppies are known to be up to date on vaxes and parasite free throughout the class in an environment relatively free of natural exposure by good hygiene and relatively clean environment. 2. Have lots of people over to socialize 3. Have vaccinated dogs interact in private homes 4. Take on as many car trips as possible 5. Know that your dog is 1,000 times more likely to die of euthanasia due to behavior problems than of dying of distemper or parvo virus as long as the dog is properly vaccinated while socializing. RK Anderson and AVSAB Articles

3rd Week Social Development in Puppies - The First 12 weeks

1. Eyes and ears open 2. Vocalizations begin 3. Social behavior with mother and littermates begins

List 3 things you can do for effective socialization in the first 2 weeks of a puppy's life.

1. Gentle handling 2. Exposure to mildly stressful situations for a few seconds such as: a. turning their bodies b. changing their temperature slightly c. being held in different positions

List 5 new challenges that a dog owner may have during their dog's adolescent stage.

1. Jumping 2. Assertiveness 3. Aggression towards other dogs and strangers 4. Barking 5. Counter surfing

Imagine you are leaving a client with a list of tips for how to deal with their new puppy. Write 4 brief bullet points you could use for helping the puppy to gradually grow out of mouthing/playbiting.

1. Loudly exclaim "ow!" or "hey!" or some similar sound followed immediately by withdrawal from game or a time out. a. sound must be sharp and abrupt to catch pup's attention 2. Replace skin/clothing being mouthed with something else the pup can chew on 3. Have lots of different toys and things to chew on nearby 4. Timing must be instant

First 2 Weeks (12 days) Social Development in Puppies - The First 12 weeks

1. Most time spent sleeping and nursing 2. Eyes and ears not open yet

How does Touch and Treat exercise work? (Give a summary of the basic mechanics.)

1. Pick a body part a. touch it and b. treat 2. Do repetitions of this with every body part a. ex. gently squeeze a paw, then b. pop a treat in the pup's mouth c. 5 times in a row d. move to next paw 3. Do the above with moving the pup as well a. gently slide him over the couch and treat b. lift the pup from one spot to another and treat

List 10 things you can do for effective socialization in weeks 4 - 12 of a puppy's life.

1. Playing with litter mates 2. Interactions with mom and well-socialized adult dogs 3. Interactions with humans who give feedback on bite pressure 4. Exposure to safe objects of different sizes and shapes 5. Exposure to various surfaces 6. Exposure to new people 7. Exposure to other dogs 8. Exposure to new environments 9. Exposure to new sounds 10. Exposure to new scents

What are 8 behaviors that are a result of dogs' natural predatory or food acquisition instincts?

1. Search - find prey, mainly using nose 2. Stalk - stealthy approach to prey 3. Rush - move rapidly towards prey 4. Chase - if prey flees 5. Bite/hold/shake/kill - the prey 6. Dissect and eat - they prey 7. Chewing 8. Food guarding

How is sexual maturity related to adolescence?

1. Sexual maturity and the hormonal changes are what drives much of adolescent behavior changes 2. Usually between 6 months to 1 year, though some larger breeds can take as long as 2-3 years 3. Males may start marking and lifting their leg for the first time. Females may also start marking.

How does Show and Treat exercise work? (Give a summary of the basic mechanics.)

1. Show and Treat a. Show the pup any new object you are going to place on or near his body i. ex. brush or nail clippers b. Put object out in front of pup and let him sniff it c. Give him a delicious treat d. Repeat a few times and regularly e. Do you best to NEVER overwhelm your pup by suddenly force a new object into his space i. ex. start brushing him without giving him a chance to investigate the brush as it could possibly create a fear association to the brush

List 3 new concerns that a dog has during adolescence that were not important to the dog during puppyhood.

1. Social Statues 2. Territory 3. Object possession

What do adolescent dogs become more concerned with and what can it lead to?

1. Social status and their territory a. Increased independence b. Assertiveness c. Territoriality d. Protectiveness over possessions e. Heightened interest which can lead to: 1. Potentially heightened aggression towards other dogs and strangers

What changes can a dog owner expect to see in their dog during adulthood? A. When does adulthood begin? B. Is it the same for all dogs?

1. Stop getting taller and longer and filling out a. broadening chest and shoulders b. usually some troubling adolescent behaviors calm down c. start to calm down d. confident e. social confidence f. physical prime A. Usually between 1-3 years B. No. Smaller dogs mature faster than larger dogs

Why is it important for a dog to have good bite inhibition?

A dog that does not have good bite inhibition becomes a presents a high risk of injuring dogs and people in any situation with it mouths or bites. It becomes a problem in both play and conflict.

Which period do dogs act more erratic and unpredictable?

Adolescent

When starts the Adolescent Period?

Also called Juvenile Stage or Teen Phase 1. May start about 5 or 6 months 2. For smaller breeds sooner, larger breeds later a. Maltese may be 5 months b. Great Dane may start 11 months

Why should socialization continue after 14 weeks of age?

Another development stage occurs early adolescence (6-11 months) so keep up the socialization The Other End of the Leash - Chapter 6: Packmates

Is biting a natural, normal behavior in dogs? Why or why not?

Biting is natural. Will do doing play, defensively and even offensively in rare cases

4th Week Social Development in Puppies - The First 12 weeks

Critical Socialization BEGINS 1. Intensive learning period 2. Ideal time to start exposing pups to safe, varied environmental stimuli 3. Pups learn about bite inhibition through play and interactions with each other

Weeks 6-12 Social Development in Puppies - The First 12 weeks

Critical Socialization Continues 1. Positive exposure to different elements continues to be more important than it will ever be in the dog's life. Among the most important are: a. Other dogs (not just littermates) b. People of all ages and types, including children c. Objects of all shapes and size d. New environments and surfaces e. Other animals (depending on living situation) 2. Pups will show more curiosity and boldness, but also more cautiousness and fear than they have at earlier stages. This is normal. a. Encourage pups to "bounce back" after they are scared by something, but use good judgement in not overwhelming them b. Give many opportunities for natural curiosity to gradually take its course as you introduce new things

5th Week Social Development in Puppies - The First 12 weeks

Critical Socialization Continues 1. Pups are weaning off of mother's milk 2. Mother's harmless corrections (growling or snapping) teach pups to control their social behavior a. Mother may correct a pup for anything she deems improper such as trying to take milk at an advanced age, biting too hard, jumping on her back or playing out of control

Give examples of 3 triggers that can push a dog past its bite threshold.

Dog may have some triggers such as: 1. leash aggressive to dogs 2. fearful of men in hats 3. barks/lunges when a motorcycle passes Dog may just bark or growl if 1 or 2 triggers happen at the same time. But if all 3 happen it may be too much for the dog and he will bite. A dog may only have 1 trigger, but usually it's multiple triggers

What is "the bottom line" in dog-to-dog socialization?

Dog-to-dog social skills develop with repeated exposure and deteriorate with isolation

When is the most important time in a dog's life to focus on bite inhibition? a. Why?

During the critical socialization period of puppyhood. Puppies give feedback to each other and will learn if they play regularly. Puppies will yelp to let each other know. If it's too hard the pup will stop playing. Feedback from humans is also important

In your own words, what is a dog's bite threshold?

Exceeding the number of triggers a dog has before he'll bite

True or false: lovingly patting a dog on the head when he performs a recall off of a difficult distraction is a good reward. Explain why or why not.

False. Many dogs do not like to be touch feely when highly stimulated The Other End of the Leash - Chapter 6: Packmates

When should you start separation training?

From the very first day you bring the dog home, whether a pup or adult dog

What does separation training consist of?

Getting a dog used to tolerable amounts of time being alone, separated from family members 1. Give pup plenty of exercise before alone time 2. Leave dog with a stuffed food toy or a favorite chew item 3. Can start by keeping the dog a short distance from you, within sight, such as behind a gate, in a crate, or tethered on a leash across the room from you

Why is it smart for dog owners to play games with their dogs that involve behaviors in the predatory sequence?

Giving a CONTROLLED outlet for practicing predatory behavior means far less behavior problems if he gets to burn his natural predatory energy. If that energy is pent up it ends up surfacing as a host of issues from destroying the household to leash aggression towards dogs.

Define bite inhibition in your own words.

Having the dog learn how to control the pressure of his biting

Why do you want to avoid socializing a pup by placing him down in a busy dog park or busy puppy play group with many new dogs?

He will most likely get overwhelmed by the number of dogs that will run over and at the very least sniff him and at the worst trounce him. This can make his first impression of socializing with dogs a bad one. It's best to start by meeting one or two dogs (one is ideal)

Why are handling exercises and placement exercises a smart thing to do with a young puppy? What types are there?

It's not natural for a dog to tolerate invasive touching by humans. If a dog is not used to human touch by an early age he may never be used to it and not be comfortable with carrying or touching. This leads to stress and may lead to aggressive behavior towards humans. Two types of Grooming/Handling/Placement exercises 1. Show and Treat 2. Touch and Treat

Are hugs the same to humans as they are to dogs? a. Do all dogs like hugs, all the time?

Pretty much. Dogs vary just as people vary as how they like physical contact (ex. lab vs. akita). Both species share an awareness of personal space and the importance of matching physical intimacy with social intimacy. a. No. Some are not fond of hugs. Some don't mind to be hugged anytime. And some do not like hugs when they don't really know you. The Other End of the Leash - Chapter 6: Packmates

Why are food bowl exercises a smart thing to do with a young puppy? a. How do these exercises work? (Give a summary of the basic mechanics.)

Show the pup that you are never a threat to his food but in fact, even something wonderful. This will greatly reduce the likelihood of resource guarding in the adult dog. 1. While the pup eats, stay near the bowl, rather than eating in isolation all the time. 2. Sometimes give pup small handfuls of food in the bowl and when it runs out, add more. 2. Once pup is comfortable, start practicing quick takeaways. Take the bowl away for a second than quickly add even a tastier tidbit (such as eating a small piece of cheese) and give the bowl back to the pup.

Why are object exchange exercises a smart thing to do with a young puppy? a. How do these exercises work? (Give a summary of the basic mechanics.)

Show the pup you are not a threat to his objects, in fact you add more fun. Pup naturally want to guard their objects. 1. Take object away from pup and quickly exchange it for something better 2. Always trade the pup something better The real difference is starting young BEFORE resource guarding begins

Why do dogs need separation training? a. Why is it important to do separation training for a puppy when she is young?

Some dogs do not adapt easily to being left alone a. The dog will be more used to being alone from an early age and as with most behavior training, practicing during the critical socialization period can give you the strongest and long lasting result.

What is remedial socialization?

Trying to socialize a dog AFTER the critical socialization period has ended

Which week is the most impressionable period?

Week 9

Why is it better to have strangers toss treats to a shy puppy, as opposed to picking him up and giving him treats, or reaching directly to the puppy's face to hand the treat over?

Working from a distance allows you to create a purely pleasant association without adding any fear into the mix. (Moving closer will automatically instill fear and extending a hand towards a shy puppy's head will intensify that fear.)

Does an owner need to socialize a puppy to outside dogs if she already has another dog or dogs at home? Why or why not?

Yes because this will help the pup learn how to interact in real-life, public situations with dogs of different shapes, sizes, and personalities.

Is bounce-back a desirable trait to develop in a new puppy? Why or why not?

Yes. It's normal for a pup to cautious of new stimuli or even retreat into a full fear display. However, as long as the new stimulus is not actually painful or overwhelming, given sufficient time and distance a normal pup will be okay. Good bounce-back is something we would like all puppies to develop for a healthy social outlook.

Why can't Calvin be a happy-go-lucky dog to all visitors for the rest of his life once a good training program is implemented?

You cannot go back and change Calvin's experiences during his critical socialization period (first 12 weeks). He may make improvements but most likely will never be able to react as a properly socialized dog. The Other End of the Leash - Chapter 6: Packmates

What is bounce-back?

recovering after being mildly scared or stressed by new stimuli