Instructions – Teen Playtime

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU:

  • 1. Your puppy, already wearing a harness.
  • 2. Please bring high value treats. We will be taking several training breaks to teach your puppy to focus on you around distractions.
  • 3.  A clicker (or a verbal marker is fine if that is what you have been using.)

LOCATION AND PARKING

    • https://ahimsadogtraining.com/directions/

HEALTH

  • If your puppy is sick (coughing, vomiting, really tired, red or runny eyes, diarrhea, nasal discharge, etc.) PLEASE don’t bring him/her to puppy Playtime and inform us immediately

FOOD AND TREATS

  • Make sure to feed your pup breakfast before playtime. Research indicates that similar to humans, dogs perform better and have better self-control after eating breakfast.

RESCHEDULING OR REFUNDS : Teen Play and Train can be fully refunded if Ahimsa is notified by email at least 7 calendar days prior to your first purchased session date, or you can receive a gift certificates if Ahimsa is notified at least 2 calendar days prior. If Ahimsa is notified by email after your puppy Playtime begins, you will receive a pro-rated gift certificate starting with 2 days after your cancellation, charged at the regular (non-package) price for sessions used. Please see our cancellation policy

 

Here’s some info about play:

  • A bouncing play bow means “Just Kidding!” and is meant to excuse the puppy for any biting, pinning, or chasing that follows. It also is used to get another dog to engage in play.
  • A T-stance, where one puppy puts her head or body over the other dog’s neck, can be confrontational. Usually, the bottom dog will just wriggle out or the puppy will change her mind and do a play bow instead. But sometimes they get “stuck” in a T-stance and it moves into a growling match.
  • Puppy biting (or jaw sparring, which looks kind of like the dogs are making out, with teeth) can be bad or good. If the bites are short and slow, with mostly open mouths, that’s great! Bite & Hold or Bite & Shake are moves that can be more threatening, so we interrupt puppies when they’re doing that. If they have a hard time finding another way to play, they may be too excited or even stressed out by the situation.
  • Chasing can be bad or good. A bow plus running away means, “Chase me!” but a slinking run away with no bow or tail tucked means the puppy is fleeing. If you aren’t sure, grab the chaser in this game and see if the puppy that was being chased comes running back for more.
  • Uneven, non-reciprocal play should be interrupted immediately. For example, if one dog is spending more time on defense than the other, or the “bully” is stiff and not bouncy. But even a dog that is playing may overwhelm a shy puppy and should be redirected or possibly given a time out for 5-15 seconds if they do not listen to a shy puppy’s cut-off signals.
  • Cut-off signals include: sitting, turning away, yawning, sniffing the ground, moving extra-slow, hiding under furniture, crouching as if to get away. More extreme cut-off signals can be growling, baring teeth, or air-snapping.
  • Never pin a puppy down as punishment. They love play enough that taking away their chance to play will be punishing enough for rude behavior. If your puppy is having a hard time respecting other dogs’ boundaries, have him play with a well-socialized adult dog that can correct appropriately through avoidance and possibly a growl or airsnap. An adult dog’s timing and understanding of what good play looks like is much better than most humans can do.
  • If your puppy is growling out of fear, we do not reprimand her, but rather get her to a safer place asap.

 

RECOMMENDED READING

Puppy socialization and training: 

  • Ahimsa Dog Training Manual pdf version of which comes with your class
  • Social, Civil and Savvy: Training & Socializing Puppies to Become the Best Possible Dogs by Laura VanArendonk
  • The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnel and Brenda Scidmore

Introducing your puppy to your adult dogs:

American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior position statements on Puppy socialization:

https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf

Punishment:

https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Punishment_Position_Statement-download_-_10-6-14.pdf

Dominance:

https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dominance_Position_Statement_download-10-3-14.pdf

 

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Class Location: Ahimsa Dog Training is in Seattle, and our dedicated training facility is at 925 NW 49th Street, Suite C in Ballard, just off Leary Way.  Our main office phone number is 206-364-4072.

We look forward to working with you. Please contact us if you have any questions.