If you have a new puppy the first few weeks give you a small window of opportunity to help your pup learn about this strange world.
Time travel is possible
We’re back in March 2020 – virus cases rising steeply, hospitals struggling, staff overworked and the rest of us working from home and only allowed to leave home for exercise or essential shopping. Vulnerable people are being extra-careful again (my mum and dad have never stopped) and we’re not able to meet other people.
We’re more prepared in some ways. This time it is familiar even if still unwanted. And there is some hope with the vaccine saviour heaving over the horizon providing the promise of eventual relief.
But that will take time.
Your new puppy needs help!
And if you’ve got a new puppy you can’t afford to wait. There is such a small window of opportunity to help your pup learn about this strange world, to become confident in meeting all the different types of people and other dogs, to be comfortable with all the odd noises, surfaces and places they’ll encounter and to learn how to cope with new experiences.
The more you can pack into those first few crucial weeks the better. Luckily, there is plenty you can do at home even when you’re in lockdown. “Help! How to Socialise your Dog During Lockdown”, (available from our website or from Amazon along with all my other books) tells you how. You can get a .pdf copy FREE with our self-study Socialisation at a Distance online course which tells you in more detail exactly what to do and how to do make sure your puppy grows into a confident adult dog.
Teaching old dogs new tricks
For older dogs, this new lockdown is the opportunity to deal with those annoying and frustrating unwanted behaviours. We’re still offering individual online help and we’ve got our LIVE online Reactive Rover course starting next week to help dogs who turn into raving lunatics at visitors, noises, people, other dogs, traffic or whatever. (Check out last Monday’s email for more information.)
I’ll be back tomorrow to give you something new to focus on – how you can encourage and develop your pup’s superpower to keep them tired and content during lockdown.
Keep training and stay safe,
Carol
PS If you want something to do during lockdown, have a browse through our range of self-study online courses. More will be added soon.
