After walking around the area a bit to get the pups loosened up and relaxed, we stopped at a park across from the market for some pre-market business.
Due to changes in the Pinellas County groups, we had several new raisers with us for the first time, so we started with introductions.
We then began going over some new information posted by Jen Gerrity on The Blue Coat Journal (since renamed The Blue Cape Journal) about greetings.
First, we practiced how our puppies should greet people, putting the pup in a sit when the visitor is a few feet away. If the pup is in a controlled state, we can then say "take a break" to allow the pup to go up to the visitor to greet. Giving the pup this opportunity to move toward the visitor on her own makes it less likely she will want to jump. If the pup jumps or otherwise misbehaves, correct her, move away, and try again. If the pup is under 10 months of age, this is an example of a time when it's OK to use "take a break" with your puppy in coat. If the pup is 10 months or older, petting in coat is to be discouraged, as by this time, the pup should be focusing on working when in coat.
I was the lucky one who got to be greeted by all the puppies! And they all did well. Good job! Here I am practicing with Melisa and Eric.
We next worked on greetings with other dogs. It's important to remember here that your pup should be behaving on a loose lead before he is allowed to greet another dog. The greeting is a reward, and you don't want to reward unacceptable behavior. Also, greeting other dogs should only occur out of coat. If your puppy is too excited to greet nicely, distract him by calling him to you and go on your way. If your puppy is focused and obedient, you can allow him to greet the other dog briefly. It's important to make the greeting brief and to avoid greetings when either dog is overly excited or tense, with raised hackles and a stiff posture. When the brief greeting is over, call your dog and go on your way.
Jen's post also mentions that it's OK to use "take a break" with a puppy in coat under 10 months old when releasing her from an obedience exercise. She also suggests interrupting play dates with moments of calm, going to your pup to put his leash on and having him settle down for a bit before he can resume play. Be sure to read Jen's entire post for a fuller understanding of these new uses of "take a break" and more.
I also had a lot of announcements to make at this meeting. In brief:
1 - We have new puppy raiser shirts in a different fabric and color. These will be rolled out slowly, with raisers receiving a new shirt when they get a new pup.
2 - The January Puppy Raiser Newsletter was full of information about:
- the ABCs of Awareness (knowing what your pup is doing and how she is reacting at all times as well as checking her physical condition), Balance (mixing up what you do with your dog, so sometimes he's in a crate and sometimes on a tiedown, usually he's with you but sometimes he's home alone, some exposures are familiar and some are new, taking him out both day and night), and Consistency (in your commands, actions, praise, and corrections);
- being aware of toxic foods (e.g., grapes, coffee, and xylitol in sugar-free gum) and plants (e.g., some types of palm, oleander, and rhododendrons); per Puppy Raising Services,
Should your pup eat anything toxic or you suspect is toxic DO NOT WAIT to seek treatment even if you cannot reach the school or your AC or the pup seems fine. Toxins can cause damage even after the ingested material is initially purged.
The ASPCA site is a great resource for information on this and has a 24-hour poison control hotline (1-888-426-4435, with a $65 consultation fee);
- the latest Puppy Raiser Survey results, which show great satisfaction with Southeastern's puppy raising program; new initiatives planned to arrive this summer include an updated, online Puppy Raiser Manual, online training videos, an online forum, and more.
Be sure to let me know if you are not receiving the Puppy Raiser Newsletter!
3 - This year's Walkathon is March 3rd! We discussed everything about Walkathon so that everyone would understand what it's all about and how to make the most of this exciting annual event – our biggest of the year, being held in St. Petersburg for the first time!
4 - Due to an abundance of puppies in the puppy kennel, volunteers may be needed to house young puppies for a few days before they go to their raisers.
Whew! After admittedly a lot of talking, everyone was ready to go across the street to explore the sights, sounds, and smells of St. Pete's well-known and very popular Saturday Morning Market, which also provided a great opportunity to practice working around a variety of other dogs – and people. I don't know about John, but Legion definitely looks like he's heard enough!
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