Puppy downtime

[zubs]

I have a 12 week old cav collie cross. I live alone with the pup, and I'm struggling a little to work out what do to with the pup outside of playtime, nap, exercise and training. This still leaves a couple hours in the evenings for instance. But the pup is invariably quite crazy and needy, and its quite draining not being able to switch off at all.

 

I'm hoping to have the most relaxed adult dog possible, and I hear it's important to prep for training settle, downtime and quiet skills early. And I'm wondering what this approach involves?

 

I have got into some bad habits, for example overusing the crate. When she does something a bit naughty I use it as an excuse to get some 'me' time and put in the crate for a 30 minute time out. This is something I want to avoid though.

 

Any advice gratefully received!

[chene]

To teach your puppy how to settle down calmly and quietly when you are absent, start by teaching him to settle down with a chewtoy at times when you are present. A dog is not like a television or a video game. You can't just pull the plug or temporarily remove the batteries from a rambunctious puppy. Instead, you must teach him to settle down and shush. Right from the outset, make frequent quiet moments part of the puppy's daily routine. Following the confinement schedule (described in the previous chapter)* will help your puppy train himself to settle down. Additionally, encourage your puppy to settle down beside you for longer and longer periods. For example, when you're watching television have your pup lie down on leash or in his crate, but release him for short play-training breaks during the commercials. For a young puppy, you can't have too many rules. When playing with your pup, have him settle down for frequent short interludes every one or two minutes. Initially www.dogstardaily.com 15 have the pup lie still for a few seconds before letting him play again. After a minute, interrupt the play session once more with a three-second settle-down. Then try for four seconds, then five, eight, ten, and so on. Although being yo-yoed between the commands "Settle down" and "Let's play" is difficult at first, the puppy soon learns to settle down quickly and happily. Your puppy will learn that being asked to settle down is not the end of the world, nor is it necessarily the end of the play session, but instead that "Settle down" signals a short timeout and reward-break before he is allowed to resume playing.

-Ian Dunbar, After You Get Your Puppy

 

*Short term confinement:

It is important to supervise your puppy. When the two of you are not play-training, confine your pup for an hour at a time to her doggy den (short-term confinement area), such as a portable dog crate. Include a comfortable bed and plenty of stuffed chewtoys.

The purpose of short-term confinement is threefold:

1. To prevent mistakes around the house

2. To teach your puppy to become a chewtoyaholic (since chewtoys stuffed with food are the only chewables available), so that she learns to settle down quickly, quietly, and calmly

3. To be able to predict when your puppy needs to eliminate

 

When you are away from home, keep your puppy confined to her puppy playroom, where she has a suitable doggy toilet. Otherwise, when you are at home:

1. Keep your puppy closely confined to her doggy den, or on-leash by her bed.

2. Every hour on the hour, release your pup from confinement and quickly run her (on-leash if necessary) to the toilet area. Instruct your pup to eliminate and give her three minutes to do so.

3. Enthusiastically praise your puppy, offer her three freeze-dried liver treats, and then play/train indoors or in the yard. (Once your puppy is over three months old, take her for a walk as a reward for eliminating in her toilet area.)

 

 

 

In short, using the crate isn't a bad habit, it's a great resource. I don't always agree with Ian Dunbar, but he gets most things very right, and in my opinion this is one of them.

 

 

You can read the full book here: http://www.dogstardaily.com/files/downloads/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Puppy.pdf

It's great, just take all of the extreme statements with a grain of salt (eg: if your dog isn't doing ___ by ___ age it will never be able to do it).

[zubs]

thanks that is super useful. I have a question though, does a chew toy count as settling as my pup can be quite enthusiastic and wriggley, even lying down with a chew toy.

Maybe a meditation gong would come in useful

[Guest Jule]

I really like chenes post, all sounds good to me. I would only add - be careful not to try too hard to occupy your pup, particularly physically. When I first started with working breeds, it was with Working Line GSD's. I made the mistake of thinking because they were an intelligent, high drive, high energy breed, they needed to use that energy. I learned this was wrong the hard way. Whether it be by games, work or sport the same stress hormone is released and it can take a while to dissipate from their systems and they remain in an excited state which can be misinterpreted as them needing more activity which then exacerbates their excited state in the long run.

Many dogs who become OCD over ball or frisky games are actually just addicted to the high of the hormones. Fetch games of any kind ignite the prey drive.

With my BC I have used more intellectually stimulating games. Using there brains will tire them 10 times quicker than physical games and does not tend to get them all revved up. I do play fetch games but only in very small doses (3 throws) and as a reward for a good training session or a successful mind game. Definitely not as a form of exercise.

I am 58 and mostly on my own with an active BC so I don't think being single is an issue with active dogs. While you need to provide adequately in all respects for your dogs, your dog needs to learn how to fit into your life rather than you trying too hard to schedule the dogs day.

Re; crate. I'm not a fan of using crates for discipline or punishment. You want it to always be associated with good feelings or at least benign feelings. Having said this I absolutely use it for training down time. Crates are awesome training tools. If your pup is naughty deal with it appropriately but instantly and let it be over. It's OK if you need to repeat corrections. It's a pup and he will push the boundaries. It's fine to decide you need a quiet period and use the crate to achieve that. My pup gets a case of the out of control zoomies each evening, I think it's often when he is over tired and over stimulated. I put him in his crate and after the initial short protest he is out like a light. I often think he might be grateful I have taken control for him and he has no choice but to settle. When I let him out he is calm. Just quietly open the door and walk away.

Stay consistent and patient with methods of training you decide on. If you give up too quickly and chop and change you just confuse the dog.

[Guest Jule]

Haha, maybe a meditation gong is a great way to signal "time out" and I see no reason why you couldn't train that over time. Hmm, think I might borrow that idea ! Very cool !

[chene]

thanks that is super useful. I have a question though, does a chew toy count as settling as my pup can be quite enthusiastic and wriggley, even lying down with a chew toy.

 

Maybe a meditation gong would come in useful

 

I find that if it's the kind of chew toy that's going to take them a while, eventually they'll settle down and get to work gnawing. You can try raw meaty bones, or rawhide sticks, or kongs filled with food like peanut butter or anything that's got that similar gooey consistency (freezing them makes it take longer to finish) or something similar that they'll be able to actually make gradual progress on instead of something like a nylabone that is more just for teething.

[Gloria Atwater]

I have a 12 week old cav collie cross. I live alone with the pup, and I'm struggling a little to work out what do to with the pup outside of playtime, nap, exercise and training. This still leaves a couple hours in the evenings for instance. But the pup is invariably quite crazy and needy, and its quite draining not being able to switch off at all.

 

I'm hoping to have the most relaxed adult dog possible, and I hear it's important to prep for training settle, downtime and quiet skills early. And I'm wondering what this approach involves?

 

I have got into some bad habits, for example overusing the crate. When she does something a bit naughty I use it as an excuse to get some 'me' time and put in the crate for a 30 minute time out. This is something I want to avoid though.

 

Any advice gratefully received!

 

 

What to do with your pup outside the times you're doing something with her?

 

Nothing.

 

They have to learn down time, too. Crating is not a bad thing, but I don't like to use them for "storage," either, especially for a growing pup. So, don't do that. Do you have an area outside she can just go hang out in, when it's not cold? And/or can you X-pen an area indoors or out for her to chill out with some toys and chewies?

 

A mistake many people make, as has been noted here, is in thinking that a border collie pup "needs" something all the time. They don't. Other than time to themselves without your participation. That's perhaps the most important thing a dog can learn. Right now I have 4 dogs in the house. The Aussie is sleeping, the 7-1/2 year old border collie just went to the bedroom for a nap, the 6 year old is gnawing a hoof chewie and the one year old is under the end table doing ... whatever. But it's quiet. Meanwhile, we're just watching TV.

 

Border collies don't need to be constantly entertained, trained or exercised. They also need to learn the value of chilling out on their own. Doesn't mean you want to shut her away from you - especially as a baby. But give her an own area and put her in it with some things to entertain himself. It's not punishment for being too rowdy, it's just a matter of fact, happy-voice thing that becomes part of her day.

 

Also, if she's too busy or needy, practice removing yourself from that. Stand up, look away, cross your arms and refuse contact. Give her a toy or chewie instead. Teach her a command, such as "out" or "go lie down" or "place," where she is to go with a toy or chewie.

 

Lastly, a thing to bear in mind is her temperament. She may never be a mellow, laid back or un-needy. You can teach her to control such behavior, but she may simply be a busy, needy, bothersome little rascal. A friend of mine has two male pups the same age, 6 months, different breeding. One is like an old soul, loving and happy but content to do his own thing. The other is a floppy, happy, goofy goombah who constantly hurls himself at our feet and wants to jump up. She works with both pups every day, teaching them tricks, teaching them good behavior - teaching the happy dude to keep his darned feet to himself. But it's just who he is. And he'll always be that way. He'll grow up to know restraint, but he'll never be as laid back as his adopted brother.

 

So, be prepared for that. If you're exhausted by the pup, maybe you're putting too much into her. Or maybe you're just asking too much of her, or doing too much. You don't have to constantly work with her.

 

You said she's a cross - what's a cav? So that cross may also figure into her temperament. But try an x-pen or other fenced area to give her time off alone every day. Give her freedom to be alone, supervised.

 

Best of luck!

[GentleLake]

I agree with what everyone else has been saying.

 

One thing I didn't see, though (or may have missed in my skimming), is whether you're reinforcing any quiet behavior from her, especially if it's just something she does when she gets tired. I think too many people forget to praise their dogs, especially their puppies, for just being quiet whenever they are.

 

Puppies will play until they collapse. When she collapses, do you quietly tell her she's a good dog? If not, how is she supposed to learn that this is something that you like and want more of? Too often the only attention puppies get is when their human's actively playing with them or engaging them when they're being naughty. So, since they crave attention, they'll amp up the play behaviors and the naughty behaviors to get the attention they want. But if they learn that they get a nice cuddle when they're sleepy or gently stroked and softly spoken to when they lie down on their own, then they'll also learn that this is a really nice thing to do too and will learn to enjoy, or at least accept, quiet time as valuable as well.

 

Never underestimate the value of positive reinforcement for a puppy's doing nothing at all.

[mum24dog]

Cav - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

 

Strange mix with a collie. Don't think I've ever known one

[zubs]

Yes I think it was an accidental litter. Parents seemed friendly though. Care to guess which way the temperament might swing? From a guess from the puppy weight charts she is looking to grow not much bigger than 8kg.

[mum24dog]

No way of knowing which way temperament or health will swing I'm afraid.

 

I wouldn't tell people what cross she is because she looks very cute and you wouldn't want to give anyone the idea that it's a good idea for another designer dog.

[rushdoggie]

I have a bunch of wire folding wire crates and ex pens I use with puppies that I scatter around the house, so I can settle them safely confined near us and ignore them a bit. I make sure I schedule play time, training time and plenty of cuddle time, but also sometimes I am busy and need to focus elsewhere so they learn that they are responsible to entertain themselves. I give them a chewie, or a toy that makes noises or dispenses food and usually they play a bit then just settle down and watch or sleep. They don't need to be entertained 24/7. I use the crates/expens so I can actually safely give my attention to something else and not worry they will eat the edge of the carpet or sneak off. They are close enough to feel not alone but not in danger of doing something destructive or dangerous.

 

Once they grow up a little I start removing the crates and just give them a chewy on a dog bed or nearby and they settle. I do have gates and so they are usually confined into whatever area I am in. Over time the gates go too.

 

Crates are not punishment, they are just part of the routine. As adults, crates exist in the house but are mainly used during meals (I have 2 little and 1 big, so my little dogs eat in crates just to eliminate any issues). But now and then people come over who don't like dogs, or who are working on the house, and I send them to their crates with a chewy and they all settle quietly for fairly long periods of time in their crates, because thats what crates are for to them.

[Cass C]

I didn't see anyone else mention that it's helpful to link a word with 'downtime' or 'entertain yourself time'. I use the phrase 'all done' when I want my dogs to find a way to entertain theirself or just want them to stop bugging me to play. To start I'd get an xpen or a gate if the room you are in is small enough to block the exits and be puppy proofed. At that point say your chosen phrase and either put the puppy in the pen with a chew and/or toy or put the toy/chew on a bed in the blocked off room and ignore the puppy until they are settled and then you can calmly praise them, but do not make it super exciting.

 

If your puppy isn't super interested in chews yet or that isn't alluring enough to hold their attention you can give them a Kong stuffed with whatever your puppy likes that can be put in and a challenge to get out. If that's too easy try freezing it so your puppy has to really work at it to get the yummy stuff out. Freezing also works well for teething puppies as the cold Kong soothes their gums. I usually stuff mine with a mix of kibble, a few treats, and wet food then I freeze it. It typically takes my dogs an hour to empty a frozen Kong.

[GoonMoon]

I read somewhere else on this board to keep balls and Frisbees as outside only toys. This has helped me SO much with my almost 9 month old BC'S energy level inside. I don't remember who posted it but I owe that person a beer or a cookie because now my dog has more reason to entertain himself when we are inside which is our "downtime." I also rotate his chew things in hopes that he won't lose interest too quickly. Good luck!

[Gloria Atwater]

thanks that is super useful. I have a question though, does a chew toy count as settling as my pup can be quite enthusiastic and wriggley, even lying down with a chew toy.

 

Maybe a meditation gong would come in useful

 

 

Chew toys are one of my go-to items with a puppy! Anything a puppy does without my participation is counted as down time, for me. Short of rocketing around the house, that is. But if s/he is quietly (more or less) playing and having a good time without barking her face off, upsetting the household or getting underfoot, I consider that good.

 

Now that I know what "cav" is, I'd say a good deal of that wiggliness may come from the spaniel. The spaniels I've seen, from Cockers to Springers, were all very busy, frollicksome, wiggly things. So, with a cross like that, I think you may have an uphill fight to create a truly calm, quiet dog.

 

However, teaching her to entertain herself - and use an x-pen if she can't quite contain her wiggles to a single area just yet - would probably be a big help while she grows up. If you're exhausted by her a lot, I do suspect you're trying a bit too hard.

 

~ Gloria

[rwinner]

Definitely agree with everyone on the chew toys. My pup took a while to take to chewing. I just kept giving her a chew anyway and praising when she was queit and chewing. Puppy won't know that you want quiet unless you praise for quiet. Now its one of her favorite activities.

 

One thing I didn't see is training a "place" command when the pup is old enough to handle it. If you have a hyper puppy and want a relaxed dog, this command is the best way to do it. Basically, you train them to stay on a "place" (dog bed, couch, blanket, park bench, whatever...) until you release them. My 8 month old can do this for 3+ hours. She is also very high energy type, and before this command had trouble calming down outside of her crate. Comes in handy for watching movies or having people over for dinner or just getting some quiet time without the crate. You want to especially encourage them to lay down on the place, although at first just work on keeping all four paws on it until released. Normal dog beds work okay, but when first training a raised, cot style bed helps them to understand it best. You could start building positive associations with a "place" now, by giving treats when the puppy is on it. The pup will quickly learn that good things happen on the place. Then move to treats for laying down on the place. Expect the duration to come later since she is so young, then add distractions to it. I also like to use several different places after its first trained, makes it a more versatile command.

 

Also, I would agree to keep non chew toys away. Either keep them for outside only, or keep them in a cabinet and YOU initiate and end the play. Didn't do this with my first dog, and ended up with a ball-obsessed dog who would stack tennis balls at my feet when all I wanted to do was watch a movie or read...