As a lot of you know, I adopted Finn (New Bern Now’s Mascot) in April 2017. He was approximately 4 1/2 – 5 months old and a little terror with very sharp teeth! On the second day of being home with me, I questioned my decision – as I was truly concerned that he was beyond rehabilitation. I’ve owned other rescues over the past 30 years and the thought never crossed my mind.
Soon thereafter, I found out that he was acting so crazy because he had hookworms. Poor guy. He didn’t make the cut as a hunting dog, so he was surrendered to an animal shelter. The day I picked him up, his owners were back at the shelter to adopt a different dog and they told me he had “food aggression” issues. He didn’t exhibit any signs when I got him, he was just starving.
I’m not writing this to bring you down, I just wanted to give you a little background to put things into perspective.
After he was dewormed, he adjusted well, or I should say, after daily walks and lots of exercise, training, play and “nose work”, he is a great dog!
With so many dogs needing a home, I thought that I’d share some lessons learned in hopes that they may help you if you’re considering adopting or even purchasing a pure bred.
There’s a lot of contradictory information about dog training on the Internet, it’s hard to know if you’re doing the right thing. That’s why I recommend getting a trainer to help you. At the very least, sign up for training classes. Our friend, Dona Baker owns Masterful Dog Training has helped me over the years. I highly recommend that you contact her as she does a lot of her classes at Lynaire Kennels (they even have an obstacle course).
Zak George is also a wealth of knowledge as I’ve read his “Dog Training Revolution” book and watched his educational YouTube videos.
The most important things that I recently learned and wish I knew before, is that dogs go through a number of “Sensitive Periods” for socialization. I say this because Finn became very reactive last fall and his behavior escalated because I didn’t know what was going on with him. Thankfully, Dr. Alice Moon-Fanelli, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, has taken me on as a client. She has her own practice, Animal Behavior Consultations, LLC, and is a former Clinical Assistant Professor at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
Regarding “Sensitive Periods” for socialization, Dr. Moon-Fanelli advised, “the earliest is the first 12 weeks of life and is the most sensitive”; after “12 weeks, most pups will enter a fear-prone period in their development”; and “an adolescent fear period between 6-14 months (sometimes as early as 4 months)”.
Although I had no control over his lack of socialization prior to adopting him, if I had known about the other fear periods, I would have been more attentive to his body language and actions. For example, in the beginning, I read that it was very important to socialize Finn as much as possible. Instead of taking him into some local businesses where he was beyond his threshold (over stimulated), I should have slowly introduced him to new locations instead of assuming he would adjust. This was by far my biggest mistake and we’re working hard every day to desensitize him, teach him how to relax, work on communication and trust building, and so many other things with the direction of Dr. Moon-Fanelli.
Another vital lesson is the importance of communication. I talk to Finn all the time, but until recently, I honestly wasn’t listening and paying attention to sounds, the environment, time of day and all of the other things that he’s tuned into. It may be difficult, but it’s very important to pay attention and let him know that I hear what he hears, sees the person that he’s concerned about, or whatever the situation may be. He needs to know that I have a plan as his leader to help him relax and understand that I have things under control. If he’s afraid of loud noises like fireworks or thunderstorms, I tell him to go to his safe place (area in the house) to relax, this depends on your dog. Finn is very independent and prefers to be alone during these times, but if your dog prefers to stay close to you when they’re afraid, remain calm and don’t coddle them. Dogs are masters at picking up on your body language and know if you’re uneasy or stressed out, this can lead to behavior problems because they look to you as their leader.
While observing your dog’s “exposures and responses”, it’s important to write down what the circumstances are that trigger them; not only the negative, but positive behaviors. This will help you figure out ways to avoid the things that trigger inappropriate or reactive behavior to prevent negative learning and see how far you’ve come!
Have you heard that Nothing in Life is Free (NILF). Learn more by listening to this fun and educational Podcast “Oh Behave” with Dr. Moon Fanelli about the NILF program.
Please know that I learned about socialization, fear periods, communication, body language, Nothing in Life is Free, and avoiding triggers among many other things from Dr. Moon-Fanelli! We still have a winding road ahead, but with her knowledge and tools, I’m looking forward to overcoming any obstacles that come our way!
Lastly, Dr. Moon-Fanelli told me about the “Dog In Training” vests made by Wizard of Dogs. She said, “They are brightly colored, make a professional statement and give well-meaning folks pause. A vest would help give people the option to pause and recognize the space and respect Finn needs. Tie a yellow ribbon on his leash and let people know dogs need space too. The more people share the message, the fewer dogs will have their personal space violated by well-meaning people.” It really works as people ask before rushing up to Finn so he can approach them when he’s ready and 99% of the time he does happily wagging his tail!
He’s come a long way and I’m so proud of him. If you’re thinking about getting a dog, but only want a young puppy, think again. The opportunities to improve your life are endless with a furry companion. When I brought Finn home, he was skin and bones but needed a lot of exercise. Since then, he gained 30 pounds and I lost 30+ pounds. I never thought that walking him and taking time out of my busy schedule to play and train him would enrich my life so much. He’s truly rescued me!
I hope this article has been helpful. Please let me know if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions by sending an email or calling 252-259-6853.
Wendy Card