The Dog Den

07/03/2025

15/02/2025

Being a adolesent is tiring work! Everything is under construction ⚠️⚠️⚠️ Brain , Body, Emotions, Hormones....😴😴😴😴😴

08/01/2025

PUPPY PASS HAS NOW EXPIRED!!!! ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

At now 20wks of age Jeffreys puppy pass has offically expired! Humans and other dogs give puppys a pass until this age (apptox 16-20wk) and then it changes to more of a "You should have learned by now" response!

What does this mean or look.like?

- Interactions with other dogs can change. This is espically important to be aware of with multidog households to avoid conflict. What behaviour was acceptable before by other dogs may now get a much harsher and bigger reaction.

- Humans expectations have suddenly increased alot and patience for the pup has drastically decreased.

Whats really exciting about this stage of life, becoming a tennager, is your young dogs brain for the 2nd time in his life is having a blast of new neurons develop, creating huge opportunity - the brain is ready and wanting information!!!! 🥳

USE IT OR LOSE IT! (kinda)

- If these neurons fire often (i.e you practice behaviours you want) , they become bigger, fatter, stronger , faster and protected !!!! 💪💪💪👏. If they are no used the opposite happens weaker, smaller and get prunned.

- If you are letting your dog practice behaviour independantly that you don't like or want you need to be aware that the same thing is happening - these neurons are getting bigger, stronger and more protected and hence more resistant and harder to change in future.

This is a great time to get your young dog onto the right track!!!! Information is power!!!

01/01/2025

We have had a lovely Social media free Christmas & New year!
We wish everyone all the best for 2025....full of adventures and doing the things you love to do with the people and pets you love to do it with! Xx

16/12/2024

⚠️⚠️⚠️FEAR PERIODS - what to expect & what to do?!

At 17wks of age now, we have started noticing over the last wk some different reactions and responces to things and experiences that he was neutral towards, or even happy about, prior to this age. For example:

- Conflicted response to unknown people, wants to sniff them but only if they don't move, prior to this he would expect everyone to come say hello
- Louder Traffic, asking for me to pick him up
- Thinking that Wheelie bins may now be a killing monster
- No longer a fan of the putting on of the harness or lead, fine when they are on.

What am I doing about it?

Fear periods are a normal part of development, and generally do not last more than a few wks. It is very important to make sure nothing seriously scary happens during a fear period that leaves a long lasting result (so the 2 dogs that had escaped from their house and targeted us on a walk last wk was far from ideal 🙈).

When the brain is firing fear signals it is not the optimum time for learning so ...:

- We are sticking to familar enviroments and experiences (nothing new during this time)
- Walking in more remote places where theres nothing to spook him
- We are avoiding crowds of people as hes still cute as a button and people are drawn to reach out and pet him (this will be too much for him right now)
- Lots of opportunity to chill & sleep, this is an exhausting time for them!
- We are encoraging moving away from perceived scary 'X' rather than towards (to avoid triggering a bigger responce)
-

Fear periods and when they pop up can differ with individuals, some sail through them and owners don't notice anything, for others the behaviour change is obvious like with Jeffrey!

Unfortunitly for some there pup may have been struggling and fearful as their basline before even reaching a fear period. For those pups we reccomend finding a trainer in your area to help you navigate.

06/12/2024

Storm Daragh Ready!!!

12/11/2024

12-16 Week Plan

For the last month in Jeffreys most sensitive / critical developmental stage we aim for as much variety as possible in everything we do. (This can be hard for some that love routines, same time of day walking , same route etc) and lots of doing nothing and just sitting and watching the world go by - a skill alot of dogs struggle with, and a hard one this time of year when its wet & cold! 🥶, but we will do it!

I LOVE walking in deserted places , and i will do some of that for me, but its about Jeffrey right now and me feeling like Ive done everything I possible can for him to grow into a resilent , confident , stable dog. (This may not be the case, genetics have a huge role to play, but its about his potential, and me feeling I have done my best for him to reach his potential)

We will still have our routines around sleeping time, alone time, feeding times etc .

This wont stop after 16wks if age but more on that at a later stage.

Our active training teaching foubdation behaviours are still going on in the background but they are not the priority right now.

We will keep you posted on his journey.
Any questions, please let me know!

08/11/2024

In general im not a fan on flexi leads!

But everything has its Pro's & Con's!

- I don't like the bulkiness of the handle in my hand
- If they wrap around a finger they can be lethal!

However now that Jeffrey is allowed to go for walks not in my arms its the tool of choice for us for the next few months (and a long line) . I won't start activly teaching loose lead walking until he is older as i want him to just explore the world and build confidence. (However passivly i will be teaching him that all the good things happen by my side / behind me)

** but don't worry ill never be that person that lets him take up the whole pavements that passerbys need to step over the line 🤦🏻‍♀️....yes this has happened me multiple times!

04/11/2024

11 - 12 WEEK OLD PLAN