We welcomed a new dog into our lives this year. Flash is my fourth dog and my first Terrier. He is funny and full of joy. I want to share his journey of learning, training and experiencing the big wide world.
Choosing a dog is a big and exciting decision. It is a long-term commitment and one that needs careful consideration of many different factors. Every breed of dog – and individual dog – has specific needs. It is important to consider what you expect and need from a dog, and whether you can also meet his needs and expectations.
The search was on
Once I had decided what kind of dog would suit our lifestyle best, I started reaching out to people and animal welfare organisations to find the right dog. My list of specific requirements was: younger than two years old, a male, grown body weight less than 15 kg and I wanted a Herding, Spaniel or Working breed mix.
I lead a very active life and all my dogs compete in various dog sports. I therefore wanted a dog who would enjoy training and be eager to learn.
It was also important to me that the dog had not suffered abuse or ill treatment, which would likely mean that he would have behavioural challenges that would need to be addressed. I already had a young dog, so I wanted to maximise the chance of a new dog fitting in well in our household.
After many potential candidates did not quite fit the bill, a shelter called me to say that they had just received a dog who ticked every box on my list. Flash was estimated to be seven months old, and a mix between a variety of Herding and Terrier breeds. He had been surrendered from a loving home that was no longer able to care for him.
I asked the shelter to send me videos of him running (to check that he was physically sound) and a video of his response to a thrown ball. He was super keen to run after the ball, indicating that he would be easily motivated by rewards.
The meet and greet with my existing dog went well. I applied and, a week later, Flash came home!
Training commenced
When we arrived home, he was very nervous and timid. I let him sniff around for a bit but then moved him to a covered crate lined with thick blankets in a quiet room. He was allowed to sleep and settle there for several hours. For the first few days, Flash mostly slept.
There are numerous important life skills that I needed Flash to learn right from the start. These would help him understand how our routine worked and would make it safer for him to join us on outings. I started to introduce these skills from day one. All of these were taught in very short sessions and with high-value food rewards, like cheese, chicken and yummy kibble.
- His name (I named him Flash) – I was intentional about using his name every time we interacted. I would say his name and then give him a treat.
- Crate training – I like my dogs to sleep and travel in crates. They provide a safe space for dogs and make travelling in the car much safer for passengers. I fed Flash in his crate from day one. He was taught to associate his crate with good food and toys. When we travelled in the car, I covered the crate with a large towel to help him feel safe. Following play or training sessions, Flash would go to his crate to ‘settle’ and sleep. When I go out, he also stays in his crate. There are always interesting chews and toys in his crate, and he is never left in it for hours on end.
- Travelling in the car – Flash was very scared of travelling in the car initially. I took the time to get him to go into his crate (following a piece of a treat) in the car without actually driving anywhere. Then we started going on drives every day, accompanied by yummy treats.
- Wearing a collar and harness – Flash had not worn a collar before coming to me, but he very quickly adapted to wearing one. I bought him a harness too, for walks. Harnesses come in many shapes and brands. Try to stick to a type that is easy to put on and take off your dog, and be sure to measure your dog before purchasing one. An ill-fitting harness can cause muscular damage and be a nuisance for your dog to wear.
When introducing your dog to a harness, do so with distraction. Put the harness on and then go for a walk or play in the garden.
Learning to walk on a lead takes a lot of time and patience. We will deal with this training in future articles.
- Hands – all future training sessions would be much easier if Flash understood taking food from my hand with a ‘marker’ word. I wanted Flash to associate my hand with treats, so that I can lure him with my hand in future. He was also taught that the word ‘nice’ is always followed by a treat (a marker word indicating that he had just performed a desired behaviour).
We are having fun getting to know one another! In our next article, I will be detailing our socialisation journey. Stay tuned!
By Sanjo Rose
