Thanks Caroline I will do my best! :-) I watched a couple of clips on Youtube and seem to be able to understand her ok.

One thing people may be able to tell me before the DVD turns up. I have noticed Lola doing a number of these calming techniques when she is just chilling on the sofa. Lip lick and yawning in particular. Does this mean she is telling me she is calm? or is she doing these things to calm herself down? or are they a warning to me that she is mildly stressed? I get that they are calming signals but they could still be miss interpreted.

Thanks for your help
Hannah

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Walter - Whippet
Lola- American cocker x Jack Russell
Ruby-Exotic Long hair
Pepper- Persian

I really like Turid Rugaas and I have the calming signals DVD. However I don't agree with everything she says, for instance she doesn't believe in socialising puppies (stresses them too much) and a lot of exercise. Although I do believe dogs should have quiet time, I do think they should be exercised for condition and introduced to things when young.

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Check out my English Shepherds
http://www.edenvillage.co.uk

Breed for a useful dog and you often get a beautiful, useful dog... breed only for a beautiful dog and you are on your own in the useful department.

i am not familiar with Turid's thoughts / recommendations re pups, but this sounds very sensible.

i think all pups should be thoroughly socialized, but socialization needs to be a happy experience - not just exposure.
the pups need to feel relaxed, even pleased at the prospect of humans approaching, or other living-creatures [cats, chickens,
any species] that they're expected to live with tolerantly.

just like habituation - getting accustomed to non-living things & settings: the vet, a bath, traffic...
it needs to be done so that the pup is not exhausted & stressed, but curious & relaxed - 'ooh, what's that?'...
& that turns out to be mildly stressful, but not scary or overwhelming.

if they've missed it as young pups [human handling in the nest, being in a home with all the sounds, sights
& smells, the rapid movement of traffic, city noises, livestock...] it's really hard once they're past 12
to 16-WO to make much headway re socialization; that time literally never comes again. the window closes.

luckily, habituation to new contexts is more flexible & can be done over a dog's lifetime; a country dog
can become a city-dweller, & vice versa, with good support.

& exercise to maintain fitness & add enrichment is a must, lifelong; we moderate it for young pups
& for seniors, but they still need physical activity to be healthy & happy, IMO.

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terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

Having experience of my dogs litter mate, who missed out; the difference was very noticeable, one relaxed and the other suffering much fear, axiety and high stress, despite bonding easily with us; so I agree with luvmydog's point.

As for amount of play time, mixing with older dogs, and exercise; doesn't that vary hugely between individual puppies (and breeds). My guy really benefitted from mixing with stranger people, pups & dogs; before we could take him out he was going cabin crazy.

What is the exact wording and context of Turid's statement?

Incidentally I heard Dunbar clip (who developed the Sirius Puppy programme) suggest that dog socialisation could be caught up on rapidly "in a day", with right early puppy litter mate play. But that seems not to be the reality of the situation, from many of the pups & dogs seen out and about. Including those with rescues who've consulted behaviourists (but perhaps not right ones with resource of steady stooge dogs). But that clip, does not imply (I think) that he thinks it's wise to isolate your young pup and leave it to young adolescence.

Perhaps that's a key part of problems ppl have, very often they're just rushing things so much. They hit Wollaton Park for example and then take pup on first walk, on a 2 1/2 mile trip round the lake, not realising how far it is.

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For eager & reliable recall, be fun for the dog to come back to! Then often send them off right away to do what they wanted!
DT&B - Glossary of acronyms & jargon terms.
Encouraging good behaviours, whilst consistently avoiding practise of bad alternatives leads to extinction of the bad. So if dog sits 6/10 times it doesn't sit 4/10 times, encouraging with the right rewards (positively-reinforcing) enough for 9/10 times means it now fails to sit only 1/10 times, sit 10/10 means...

don't know Wollaton Park, but i think i've got the gist. too many ppl, too much activity,
visual & aural overload... Overwhelmed puppy, plus pooped from the long hike.

many, happy, short = watchwords - for training lessons, habituation to new places / sights / sounds,
socialization to any species; any new experiences should be brief & happy, & get repeated.

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terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

Wollaton Park in Wikipedia with aerial photo, you can see it "contains" a golf course; the scale of the place deceives ppl.

__________________
For eager & reliable recall, be fun for the dog to come back to! Then often send them off right away to do what they wanted!
DT&B - Glossary of acronyms & jargon terms.
Encouraging good behaviours, whilst consistently avoiding practise of bad alternatives leads to extinction of the bad. So if dog sits 6/10 times it doesn't sit 4/10 times, encouraging with the right rewards (positively-reinforcing) enough for 9/10 times means it now fails to sit only 1/10 times, sit 10/10 means...

holy Hannah! i should say, the place is massive - look at the teeny-weeny houses & roads,
to the left - my WORD. Looks very nice, altho golf-courses to me are a waste - all those fussy lawns
with herbicide, etc. Give me a nice meadow, with native grasses, any day - knee-high grass, a few native
flowers or herbs scattered thru it, no poisons; mow or scythe it once or twice a season to prevent woody growth...
lovely.

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terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

Yep, and on an atrocious weather day it's more like "Border Collie Park"
What irks me is one BC rescue would not place a dog with me (not in country), when it'd actually have access to such land and live in a quieter spot than most country houses which have traffic passing by.

To go back to thread point, the puppy owners are excited and treat the newly allowed out pup with an excursion; but they get carried away and wind up walking miles, when the pup really wanted some fun, playing in a field with other pups and meet other dogs.

__________________
For eager & reliable recall, be fun for the dog to come back to! Then often send them off right away to do what they wanted!
DT&B - Glossary of acronyms & jargon terms.
Encouraging good behaviours, whilst consistently avoiding practise of bad alternatives leads to extinction of the bad. So if dog sits 6/10 times it doesn't sit 4/10 times, encouraging with the right rewards (positively-reinforcing) enough for 9/10 times means it now fails to sit only 1/10 times, sit 10/10 means...