Puppy Socialization, Obstacle course, etc.

[4TheDawgies]

Well I have always been interested in the nature vs. nurture debates when it comes to raising dogs. I am always trying to find out if something could be prevented or accidentally created due to the way a dog was raised.

Obviously this travels into the raising a dog for schutzhund or protection work etc. and the things you can do to set your dog up to succeed.

Googling actually brought me to an old thread here linking to this video

YouTube - ‪puppies 6 weeks old‬‏

YouTube - ‪puppies 6 weeks old‬‏

You Tube

You Tube

and the Logan Haus Kennels - Home

I didn't do something to this extreme with my male Havoc. But I did make him do bite work while he walked over unstable surfaces, chainlink, while i banged a pipe on another pipe to make clanging noises, did obedience and playing in home depot while there were loud bangs, forklifts driving around etc. I felt it was very important and regret not doing so with my other dogs, to socialize them to these things. I feel it sets the dogs up to succeed in the future. as young puppies who are usually not as fazed by things as an older dog who thinks more. I think its a great idea to make these new environments a part of socialization and make positive associations so the dogs can handle these strange things later in life. It also build confidence

"what doesn't kill them makes them stronger"

I like to think I did a good job but I still think there is more I could have done. I would love to build a little obstacle course like this for all of my future puppies. I just wish it wouldn't have to sit there for months or even years not being used in between a puppy. But I feel the importance and value of socializing your puppy to something like this is priceless.

Teaching your puppy at a young age to overcome stress, environmental changes etc. builds confidence and socializes them really well. In fact I wish more breeders did this with their puppies.
I think they are really loosing out by not doing at least part of this sort of stimulation to make for more solid dogs.

Does anyone have any links to any studies done with puppies raised this way and puppies from the same litter not being raised this way? or anything similar and related? I would love to see the difference in the same genetics with and without this socialization experience.

And what is everyones opinions on this type of socialization and at this age? My personal opinion is it is a fantastic way to help create a stable dog even if its not for a competition, breeding, or working dog.

[Sulamk]

Whilst not as extreme as the video, the breeder of my Xara gave the pups a little adventure play ground! Different types of surfaces to walk on, mini obstacles to go over, under etc. puzzles to work out to get a treat or toy. A sandpit to dig in! and must admit Xara has not worried about anything she has been faced with!

[codmaster]

A great idea! And we did a lot the same with our puppy - as many different things we could find and things like floating docks on the water and many different surfaces to walk on and little things to climb on. Now we have a very self confident dog (maybe we have created a monster!).

[Whiteshepherds]

Originally Posted by 4TheDawgies

Does anyone have any links to any studies done with puppies raised this way and puppies from the same litter not being raised this way? or anything similar and related? I would love to see the difference in the same genetics with and without this socialization experience.

And what is everyones opinions on this type of socialization and at this age? My personal opinion is it is a fantastic way to help create a stable dog even if its not for a competition, breeding, or working dog.

You might find this interesting.
http://breedingbetterdogs.com/pdfFil...ulation_en.pdf

I would say that what you see in the video's is a continuation of this process even if not intentional. I think it's great btw! Too many people believe socialization means a dog just has to meet thousands of people and other dogs but that's not true.

[4TheDawgies]

Originally Posted by Whiteshepherds

You might find this interesting.
http://breedingbetterdogs.com/pdfFil...ulation_en.pdf

I would say that what you see in the video's is a continuation of this process even if not intentional. I think it's great btw! Too many people believe socialization means a dog just has to meet thousands of people and other dogs but that's not true.

Ah yes the puppy stimulation. I couldn't think of the name of it but I have seen that before. I wonder how many breeders do that as well.

There are so many things I wish people would study for in dogs because It would help breeding programs and training programs out so much with dogs.
There just isn't enough studies about dogs IMO.

[DJEtzel]

I agree with your general train of thought and I'm always thinking about new things to add to my list of "socialization/desensitization" for future puppies.

Fwiw, I've done the bio-sensor program with litters of puppies in rescue. Certainly not a real experiment set up, but I did find it perhaps coincidental that dogs which I did not do the program on (from the same litter, I split them up as evenly as possible) had a higher chance of being returned to the shelter for one reason or another. Of course, there are hundreds of outside variables, but I still feel like stimulation and socialization like this sets dogs up for success.

[Whiteshepherds]

Originally Posted by 4TheDawgies

Ah yes the puppy stimulation. I couldn't think of the name of it but I have seen that before. I wonder how many breeders do that as well.

Ours does. When we got our dogs (as pups) they were both well socialized, we just had to continue where she left off.