Post by muskyhusky on Oct 18, 2008 18:32:11 GMT -6
When puppies are born, mother dog behaves much like mother wolf. She tries to find a private place to give birth. She tries to clean up the afterbirth to keep her "den" clean. She stimulates the pups to urinate and defecate by licking their tummies and cleans the puppies to remove waste materials.
As the puppies grow, she disciplines with stares, wuffs, growls, and, if these don't work, by scruff shakes and cuffing.
Puppies practice dominance and submission within the litter from the fifth to the eighth week, which makes it important for them to remain with mom for at least seven weeks.
Once the puppies are weaned, the similarities with wolves are not as obvious. Some puppies will approach adult dogs and solicit food in the manner of wolf cubs, and some adult dogs will regurgitate in response, but unless the pup goes into a home with another dog, much of the wolf-like behavior is muted.
However, owners can use the principles of pack behavior to train their dogs. Crates are simulated dens, and puppies will seldom foul their den, so crates can be used as housetraining aids. A den is also a safe place, and the crate can be the dog's safe place in the home. [More on Crates] --->www.canismajor.com/dog/crate1.html
Establishment of the humans in the family as alpha is important in training the dog. Alpha is achieved by wise use of power, not by punishment; it is earned when the pup learns to respect limits imposed on its activities, not by bribing the pup to be "good." Wolves tolerate no deviation from behavior that will ensure survival of the pack and their justice is swift. Human dog owners must be just as quick to deal with transgressions with a response that is as firm as necessary.
As the puppies grow, she disciplines with stares, wuffs, growls, and, if these don't work, by scruff shakes and cuffing.
Puppies practice dominance and submission within the litter from the fifth to the eighth week, which makes it important for them to remain with mom for at least seven weeks.
Once the puppies are weaned, the similarities with wolves are not as obvious. Some puppies will approach adult dogs and solicit food in the manner of wolf cubs, and some adult dogs will regurgitate in response, but unless the pup goes into a home with another dog, much of the wolf-like behavior is muted.
However, owners can use the principles of pack behavior to train their dogs. Crates are simulated dens, and puppies will seldom foul their den, so crates can be used as housetraining aids. A den is also a safe place, and the crate can be the dog's safe place in the home. [More on Crates] --->www.canismajor.com/dog/crate1.html
Establishment of the humans in the family as alpha is important in training the dog. Alpha is achieved by wise use of power, not by punishment; it is earned when the pup learns to respect limits imposed on its activities, not by bribing the pup to be "good." Wolves tolerate no deviation from behavior that will ensure survival of the pack and their justice is swift. Human dog owners must be just as quick to deal with transgressions with a response that is as firm as necessary.
