Dog Walking a new puppy in your pack, what you need to know
As most people who have ever walked a puppy on lead will attest, a puppy on lead can be like walking a cat or salmon, except much stronger. There is nothing like the youthful exuberance.I have to admit that the micro management of walking a puppy on lead is not the main thing I want to do every day, but sometimes I just do it for the pack. Sometimes just for the puppy, and yes, even for me.
Scientists have reasoned that domestic dogs puppies are even more irresistible than most species because that's how they are going to suck you into owning them and being responsible for them for life. Its called neoteny and its a real thing.
The shame for many Australian's is that as soon s people stop you in the street to pat your puppy, the give up on walking their dogs. The dogs get relegated to teh back yard, and diminish daily.
What the puppy gets from a walk
· Exercise· Confidence or learning to wind back the energy
· socialisation (learning to be friendly, not scared not aggressive)
· Learning what dogs to avoid
· How far and how hard to play
· Improving recall in a high energy high excitement environment
· Wearing the brain energy out so they are not bored and can sleep happy at home
There are of course so many other numerous things tangential to this that the dog gets, A healthy body inside and out so that they resist disease, the ability of the owner to take their dog to an outdoor cafe and know that their dog wont launch at every dog that passes.
What the pack gets from a puppy on a dog walk
This very much depends on the energy level of the dog and its initial orientation to play. Some dogs are friendly with every dog and want to jump over all other dogs. Some dogs are anxious and buck and weave and try and get off the lead for the first lap. Some dogs are just neutral and walk perfectly along side.It will be up to the dog and who they decide to challenge as to how the dog is welcomed into the pack. Puppies always get leniency from over playing from social adult dogs. They like old dogs, are given many chances to learn what the right thing to do is, before puppy mouthing or other similar guidance techniques are used by the members of the pack.
It is axiomatic that puppies are fun or at least in many ways demand attention. Sometimes its considered bad attention by society, but you have to understand where the puppy is coming from. Like small children, with good parents, all they want to do is have fun and play. And this is a very good thing, the perfect disposition to keep a dog healthy and happy in life.
The desire to explore to associate, to be with the dog pack is very strong in a balanced dog. it doesnt take very long for the puppy to get that is their job. Although as many dogs age, the begin to fall into the breed imposed behaviours that man has forced upon the various breeds. My job is to see that all dogs are having fun, that they get on well with all types of dogs, and get home safely.
Puppies in a pack renew the packs energy and remind them of their teacher roles. A puppy brings every member of the pack, including the walker, become truly alive.
