Instructions – Puppy Playtime

DOG PARKS AND DAYCARE

  • Do not take your puppy to a dog park or daycare if you are registered for and/or attending puppy Playtime. Many puppies will only have one or two sets of shots when they’re attending classes here and could be susceptible to germs other puppies bring in, so please do not put them at risk.

THINGS TO DO AHEAD OF TIME

    • Vaccination records. Please email your puppy’s latest vaccination records to admin@doggiezen.com unless we already have the latest records on file. You can also ask your vet to email it to us.

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU:

  • 1. Your puppy, already wearing a harness.
  • 2. Please bring high value treats so you can take part in training your puppy around distractions.
  • 3.  A clicker (or a verbal marker is fine if that is what you have been using/plan to use in Kindergarten)
  • 4. Yourself! Plan on being an active participant in playtime to support your puppy in developing good play skills. Also be prepared for some short training breaks using the high value treats and clicker you brought.

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 puppy at least half of their breakfast before playtime. Research indicates that similar to humans, dogs perform better and have better self-control after eating breakfast.
  • In order to keep puppies’ tummies happy throughout playtime, we feed them freshly cooked chicken and chicken broth. If your puppy cannot have chicken, please bring freshly cooked meat that your puppy can have (e.g. turkey, lamb).

RESCHEDULING OR REFUNDS : Puppy Playtime 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 Puppy Kindergarten and Puppy Camp
    • 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
  • Housetraining: 
    • Way to Go by Patricia McConnell and Karen B. London
  • Prevention and treatment of separation anxiety:
    • I Will Be Home Soon by Patricia McConnell
  • 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

 

_____________________________________________________

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