 Socializing in the Dark
#308229 - 12/21/2010 07:41 AM |
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I have been meaning to post this for about a month or 2:
Winter is here and my puppy is almost 6 months of age.. I realized I have not been socializing my puppy in the dark.. For the last several weeks going out walking at night and training in my front and back yard have been a brand new experience. Never really thought about it before.. But even leaves blowing across the driveway in the dark is something new to him again.. In the dark he pays a lot more attention to people, so when people walk by I am trying to stop and do some marker training to get his attention.
Unrelated but:
I live in VA and the temperature seems to be between 25-40 degrees these days. Is there a way to continue to socialize him to water? Or do I need to wait for summer?
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 Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: John Lister ]
#308242 - 12/21/2010 09:32 AM |
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John--where in VA?
I live in Reston, and I take my dog on the forest trails at least once a day. He loves it, especially going out on the ice. He got wet a few times while poking around on thinner spots, but was mostly dry by the time we got home.
We also walk A LOT in the dark. He knows his way around now.
Seems like our guys are around the same age. I hope I'm not doing anything terribly wrong here.
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: Ross Rapoport ]
#308262 - 12/21/2010 11:06 AM |
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Ross - I live in Sterling VA.. the O&D trail is close to my house and there are some wooded areas that I go to.. with steams, but I have not let him get into the icy water yet.. Maybe I should..
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: John Lister ]
#308267 - 12/21/2010 11:36 AM |
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I don't know how much ice you guys have down there, but ice in these parts of the world is very dangerous.
Some places will break through but all you have is a hole that the edges won't break away for the dog to make their way back to the shore and they can't get back out because it's too slippery and they may be fighting a current to boot.......gone just like that.
If you go out after them for rescue you face the same perils plus hypothermia when/if(!) you get back out of the water. You won't believe how fast you'll lose your core temperature in wet clothes in 25 degree air.
Of perhaps lesser concern is slipping around falling even going going spread eagle gets to be really hard on old and young joints. That frigg ice is hard!
Be careful playing around with ice guys.
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: randy allen ]
#308270 - 12/21/2010 11:49 AM |
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This is Jethro's first winter, and first time out in the dark for evening walks, time on the field, etc. He is definitely more alert, and more reactive. We have been working hard to get him to let things go. His reactivity got much, much worse at 6 months, and combined with winter darkness, he has been a handful!
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: John Lister ]
#308299 - 12/21/2010 01:32 PM |
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I'd wait for summer for water. I'd start dark-walking in my own yard and then my own driveway and then just around my own block, only gradually venturing farther out.
Have I ever mentioned how much I love these?  Really? NEVER?
https://leerburg.com/1201.htm
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#308311 - 12/21/2010 02:01 PM |
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that's great LOL..
Yep, I am just going to wait for summer for the water... But the night time is most interesting..
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: John Lister ]
#308314 - 12/21/2010 02:09 PM |
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Sometimes I see both dogs stop and put their noses in the air. Just as they do this, the scent of snow drifts over us, sliding down off the mountains across the inlet. In the dark, it seems their other senses are heightened. I have learned Connie's wisdom the hard way. Start close to home and calm the reactions to unseen scents. I have started 'patrolling' the neighbourhood with Jethro, which means he is on Watch. When he is Watching, he is allowed to observe things as long as he stays calm. It is an amazing feeling to be out with him after dark. He is getting much, much better at hearing or smelling something of interest and then staying put, no pulling, even as he craves to give chase.
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: Jenny Arntzen ]
#308322 - 12/21/2010 02:56 PM |
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Even my flat-face guys join in that air-scenting at night!
This big GSD nose pointed up, nostrils quivering, and a foot lower these flat little Pug noses doing exactly the same thing!
You know there is so much information coming into those noses that we will never ever experience ....
eta
I find that out-in-the-dark-with-dog time to be almost where the human watches the dog be a dog (and even briefly "go" where the human can't go). If you start it in your own safe yard, then the human isn't sending that atavistic fear of the dark down the leash. But obviously, at night, containment is even more crucial because of our own crappy night vision. And the Spot Lit is a huge reassurance to me (and obviously nothing to the dogs). :-)
Edited by Connie Sutherland (12/21/2010 03:05 PM)
Edit reason: eta
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Re: Socializing in the Dark
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#308329 - 12/21/2010 04:18 PM |
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My pup was not all that keen on the dark when we first got him. Same goes for things like windy days and garbage days (where the heck did those come from!?!)
We just kept at it...remained calm, chose routes that were familiar to him at first, gradually expanded out our routes.
He is now almost 7 months and has made great progress. Watching the Michael Ellis video's on this site about fear periods in young dogs was very helpful too.
P.S. I, too, feel the pressure of socialization and winter with my pup. Unfortunately, he HATES the pet store because of the floors...working on that now so we have somewhere that is indoors to head to.
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