What She Said & Heidi Heidi + KaiBaby Update

I second what Elizabethanne said in the comments of yesterday. And I agree with Carol that likely it is just a stage -- if you think about it, big unknown dogs should probably be a little scary to the discerning puppy!

Harper doesn't really see other dogs much but she has had a similar reaction to deer! She thinks they are creepy or something -- it just reminds me of how the developing brain allows new information in and has to find places for it all. A puppy -- and a baby -- is constantly exposed to new "stuff" and once they notice it they must decide what they think about it -- scary? Friend? Edible?

Consider this -- let's say Harper barks at the evil Bambi and I get upset/concerned about it. After all, the fact that a three month old puppy barked at Bambi means that I will never be able to show her in deer agility, or take walks in the woods, or even watch the Disney movie about Bambi -- and woe is me -- clearly this means that my puppy has a terrible temperament!!!!!

Dogs can detect changes in blood sugar, they can sniff out cancer, and they most certainly can detect the flood that we produce when we are stressed/upset. And suddenly the puppy is well-aware that Bambi is the anti-Christ because the human just got panic-stricken in the presence of Bambi.

The puppy doesn't know that the human's reaction was to her own quick mental skills of catastrophizing -- the puppy just knows that her reaction to Bambi was well-placed since the human had an even bigger one. Welcome to the vicious cycle -- and who gets blamed?! The puppy.

Dog training requires a level of self-awareness that is not easy to develop or maintain -- who wants to admit that they are, in fact, a large part of a puppy's problem? And dog training seems like it should be easy -- who wants to feel stupid and ineffective? So clearly it is the dog -- it couldn't possibly be the owner!

Luckily for Lainey she has Cindy, The Queen of Chill, to handle things. And Harper has me -- it takes more than a three month old puppy barking at a deer to convince me that the sky is falling in!

If my puppy barked at other dogs, I would find a puppy play group or puppy class to attend -- other puppies likely won't be intimidating and they will quickly grow into dogs so the comfort with bigger dogs can grow with the puppies in the class or group, if that makes sense. I would not set out on a course to sensitize her to bigger dogs at this minute since clearly they are scary to her right now -- instead I would focus on the many things she does confidently -- in that way she is rehearsing confidence.

If she sees another dog and finds it scary for whatever reason, I would adopt what Elizabethanne suggested. And in 2 - 3 weeks she may be ready to move through the stage with some gentle "work" but I wouldn't force it or really do much of anything extra right now -- just a puppy group (if she is okay with it) and let her develop a little more.

This is a great age to teach alternate behaviors that can be "whipped out" when we need to distract a puppy and/or help them feel confident. I have been shaping Harper to do some fun things. I started with her crate -- first just going in, and then going in and sitting, and then going in and laying down -- I did all of this with just cookies and a clicker. A couple of nights ago I shaped her to touch a lid -- that took about ten seconds -- once a puppy knows the game is to "do something" they catch on quickly. Last night I shaped a down outside the crate -- very cute! And I am also shaping her to hold the down until she is released -- she already knows her release word! That is the only word she really knows for training since I am not using words yet -- just cookies and clicker.

Dear Husband, on the other hand, is trying to teach Harper to like watching football...

And Harper says, "fine -- just don't make me watch Bambi -- those deer are like creepy clowns!!!!!!!!"

Heidi² Update

You know what today is! Double Dose Wednesday -- here is the latest from John on "Heidi Houdini" and the rest of her family...

"She is now called 'Heidi Houdini' because she has escaped (on many occasions) from her temporary backyard fence!  In the picture she is supposed to be on the OTHER side. 

This fence was erected to keep her away from various backyard flora (Her nickname last week was 'fungus').  We are now in the extra-proactive process of fencing the front yard, which will become the 'winter/spring' yard because it has none/less of said flora.  I have been wanting to do this anyhow and now we have reason.  This project will be complete with a dog-door into the laundry room/house so Mika and Heidi can come and go as they please...  

Heidi and Kai are doing well and still growing.  Included is a picture of Heidi riding in the crate in the car. 

Kai likes the car almost as much as she does... maybe we should just drive around all day and night!!!"

I suspect you would not be the first parents to drive around to get the babies to sleep! Thanks for the wonderful update -- and good luck on the fence situation -- I am thinking Heidi Houdini is ahead at this point -- just saying ;)

I hope everyone is having a most excellent week!!! And thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas -- we all learn when we do that!