This Redmond Puppy is Very Fearful.    Socializing Your Dog, this is the last in a five-part series on Puppy Socializing.

Today a 12-week old, very sweet Pugal came to day care.  It had the softest fur and what is more adorable than the mix of a Pug and a Beagle? But the pup stopped me dead in my tracks for a long look.  What should have been a romping, happy canine youngster was instead a shy, very scared little pup that only wanted to hide and be invisible.  Instantly I knew this pup could not be mixed with the other small dogs romping the yards.  All dogs should be introduced to new dogs slowly but this was a baby and scared to the extreme.  I brought it into a small area in my office where I was working on my computer and where I could encourage it while allowing the poor baby to safely observe me and to peek out and then run back under a chair.

Maddie, my Westie, is so well trained. I’m a trainer and I have worked long hours with him to be my canine host here at Doggie Care Resort.   Many people have heard me tell Maddie “Sweet & Gentle” which means there’s a puppy, a shy dog or a rescue dog here and you must be extra  gentle.  Maddie has raised more puppies and helped more fearful dogs than I can count.  He totally loves puppies and knows exactly what to do.  He rolled over on his back, play bowed and swooshed his rear end toward the puppy in playful, encouraging endeavors. He ran in the opposite direction trying to get the puppy to play.  But the puppy was so fearful that he couldn’t respond. It’s one of the only times another dog didn’t respond to him.

Why was this very young pup so fearful?  The owner told me that at only 10 weeks old she was encouraged to take the puppy for training and socializing in a local Redmond program.  But the puppy was so terrified in class and shook so hard that it could hardly stand.  Several big dogs in class were allowed to bark like crazy, very loudly and non-stop which was stressing out all the other doggie students and all the owners as well.  In each and every class, these same dogs yelled and screamed totally disrupting the energy of the class.  Additionally, full grown, really big dogs romped the classroom barking then sniffing the youngster & terrifying him.  The owner was told to put the puppy out in the middle of the floor and let the pup get used to other dogs. The big dogs pounded the floor around the pup and one very big guy accidentally stepped on him injuring the leg of the pup.   The youngster had diarrhea in the middle of the floor, totally froze and couldn’t move.    Well, I must say there are some really good trainers and then there are some that shouldn’t be training.

Smartly, the owner decided not to finish the class.  She brought the dog to our daycare for socializing.  Well, in analyzing this, it’s clearly obvious that this pup has had some terrifying experiences at a young age and a time when it’s most important that a pup be guarded, feel secure and receive only happy experiences.  Don’t get me wrong.  Young dogs totally need socializing early with other dogs, new situations and different people but there are good ways and bad ways to do it.

But let me first say that most puppies are not fully vaccinated and protected until 12 to 14 weeks old.  Why this young pup was supposedly protected at under nine weeks old is a question indeed.  Vets today are spacing out the shots even on older dogs. At under nine weeks old, how could that pup have that many injections in that short of time?   It is understood why a pup would be pushed to get into a socializing program but that’s a lot of injection for a young pup.

Secondly, when you have dogs that absolutely won’t stop barking, they should be removed from class and receive some private instruction before they can return to class.  Third, there’s a time and a place to leave a puppy down and not pick him up.  Picking up a pup because he’s scared when, in fact, there’s no danger at all….actually communicates to the pup that he should be afraid.  That sounds odd, but it’s true.  However, placing that pup in the middle of huge, actively playing dogs and then having him injured is enough to make that pup afraid for a long time.  It now will take great patience, persistence and a knowledge in training to get this puppy past his fear.   Nevertheless, we can and will do it.  Because the pup is so young, I do believe we’ll have him up and playing with some other sweet dogs in no time.

There’s a lot to be done in raising a puppy.  Try to read some quality books on raising a pup.  If you will email me, I’ll be happy to send you a list of great books. Also, be sure and find a high quality, very knowledgeable trainer.  The trainer can make the difference in your puppy becoming happy and well adjusted or becoming shy, fearful and even a biting dog in later years.  Do some research and be patient, persistent and encouraging with your puppy, they are well worth the effort.

Bow  Wow ….Woof….Woof….Woof and YIPEEEEE

Note Two Weeks Later: Oh my gosh, you should see this same puppy now.  He has been coming twice a week to daycare and with an understanding of his fear & great supervision this adorable youngster is romping with every other playful dog.   It is truly Sweet Success.

When your own warm, red blood literally runs down your arms and legs as the result of a raccoon attack, it’s a fear you will never forget. Yes, raccoons most definitely attack dogs and people.  About this time every year, I start thinking about one of the most horrific experiences of my life when both my Westie dog, Maddie, and myself were viciously and repeatedly attacked by a raccoon.  Yes, they growl.  Yes, they know how to go for your jugular.  No, your neighbor should not be feeding them.  No, that neighbor should not trust them. Yes, they are cute…..at a distance.   Can a hungry raccoon turn on you?  Absolutely.

Note:  This accounting ends in a very good way.  Read the last paragraph.

Here’s my personal accounting of an attack that changed my life & explains why all dogs boarding with us are highly supervised and safely inside as the evenings approach.  A few years ago in September, I had my Westie, Maddie, out with me for a last-call potty time and we were not in the safe compound but were out by the car getting something. Suddenly he plunged into an attack bark.  Instantaneously, a dark figure dashed out from the dark, brushing against my shin and jumped onto him.  He was on his back screaming with this thing trying to dig into his throat. The dog could not defend himself against this thing.

Without a thought, I grabbed the thing by the back & pulled it off him.  It was a big, very angry and aggressive raccoon.  Instantly it turned it’s attention on me.  Had I taken its dinner away?  I was shrieking at the top of my lungs but no one heard since it was cool and the windows were closed.  Where were the neighbors?  Why didn’t my husband hear me?  No one came to help as it lunged onto my chest & ripped its fangs into my flesh.  I could smell its breath almost in my face and it was growling.  I threw it off, backed up and three more times it jumped on me.  Yes, it had the ability to jump and climb right up me.  My chest, arms & legs were ripped.  Finally neighbors arrived with shovels as weapons but the attack was over.  They said I sounded like a wild animal & knew something really bad was happening.  My clothes were soaked in blood.

No, there isn’t a dog boarding with us ever taken outside the safe compound, not even my own dogs. A lesson learned.  I may be overly protective now, but I don’t think that safety instinct will ever leave me.  Raccoons are in the most populated areas.  Anyway, Maddie, my dog, was fine but I had to go for a series of five rabies shots.  At the Evergreen Hospital Emergency, there were no rabies anti-biotics or vaccine but the nurses found one at another hospital.  Usually the rabies treatments are only at Harborview Hospital.  Rabies is totally lethal; there’s no cure so time is of the essence & it’s a real emergency.  Two nurses at a time came at me at the same time in both the arms and the backside with shots.   But the thing I will never forget is the incredible pain of those long needles going two to six inches into my open bloody wounds in every direction to kill any spreading infections. You say to yourself, “I’m brave; I can take it”; but you can’t.  I’m sure the whole hospital heard my screams of pain.

Oddly, it’s not the rabies shots that cause the pain, it’s the anti-biotic shots that cause a burn & pain you can’t describe and you probably will never experience, hopefully.  Rabies shots are NOT painful and they are taken in the arm, not the stomach.  Of course, this was reported to the Health Dept. which said there hasn’t been a case of rabies in raccoons here in 60 years but one still has to have the five-shot rabies series just in case.  The East Coast Raccoons are full of rabies but not here. Rabies are in Coyotes and bats here in the Northwest Seattle area.  They said that raccoons here seem to be  turning more aggressive towards people and animals.   If you have them in your yard, you can capture them in a cage unharmed and release them in another location but be careful since when the cage door is opened, they are known to turn back on you and attack.  They are smart.

The only way you can tell if an animal has rabies is to cut open the brain.                                                                                                But first, you have to get the suspect animal that took the bite.

Sure, go ahead and feed those darling Raccoons, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.  Hungry mothers with babies are the ones you really need to watch.  When they have grown to expect food from you and you forget to put it out that one time is when they can get angry.    You’re always fine until in one split second you aren’t safe anymore.

Well, this has ended in a good way. The good news is that we haven’t even seen a Raccoon in our area for many years now.  Our neighbors own property running the whole length of our property and got a huge Labador Retriever named “Big Boy” who runs their entire property.  Not only are the Raccoons afraid to enter his territory, we don’t even see squirrels anymore.

Dog Scent Search & Object Recall is the rage of the country and it’s here for Bellevue, Redmond, Seattle & Woodinville dogs.
Doggie Care Resort’s professional trainers may be the only ones in the Belleuve & Seattle area teaching this wonderful class at our Academy of Dog Training Adventures. Big dogs, small dogs, the young & older dogs all love Search & Recall.

* Test & Improve Your Dog’s IQ
* Improve your dog’s:  Memory * Observation * Problem Solving
* Scent Tracking:  Watch your amazing Fido find your cell phone
* Enhance your dog’s learning ability & employ all of his senses
* Increase canine investigation skills, stamina & intelligence
* Educate & release canine skills to indicate
* Learn interpretation of expressions & signals
* Exercise & fun for your dog and for you

In the wild, dogs used to hunt, track, work & they loved it. Today, they sit around waiting for the owner while even the most pampered pet of the fanciest breed retains the skills of their ancestors. To be successful, all classes are based on rewards and encouragement.  Every dog loves it because every dog has the joy of learning and being rewarded and encouraged.  Owners love it too as they watch the canine “lights turn on” as their dog figures out puzzles, solves problems & mysteries and enjoys the adventures.  The canine eyes sparkle and the tails start wagging.

A canine brain that is not being challenged or used becomes dull and stagnant similar to the human brain.  If your dog is sitting around watching you watch TV, snooze in a chair, mow the lawn or make dinner, he is bored.  Even if you take him for regular walks, it isn’t enough nor the right kind of stimulation for his intelligent canine brain. With Scent Search & Object Recall you will watch your dog’s IQ grow.  A truly happy dog is one who has a job and is working.

Scent Search & Object Recall is good for every breed of dog from the biggest dog to the smallest dog.  Dogs should be at least six months old.  Many exercises, if used throughout your dog’s life, will strengthen a dog’s mind especially for “Dogs Over Age 6″.

Dogs involved in Search & Recall literally will pull their owners out of the car to get started in class. See our training classes.