h
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Posted 07/06/12 at 10:59 PM
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#1
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We took Bess to town tonight. We kept her away from other dogs, trees, boulders, poles, benches, etc.
There were hundreds and hundreds of people out and almost as many dogs. there was a really good band playing in the park as well. The conditions were great for socializing.
As expected from an 8.5 week old pup, Bess was a little distracted on the leash and needed to be coaxed to move forward. She was much happier to sit and watch the people and the other dogs. She got lots of love, but, again, she really just wanted to watch the other dogs.
She spent most of her time focusing on the other dogs while sitting quietly.
When it was time to go, she stayed on my left and walked briskly and with purpose all the way to the car, which was about 1,000 yards away. She walked like a trained adult.
Here's my question. Is it possible that she was watching those other dogs, learning from them and mimicking their behavior? It sure seemed like that was what she did. Do puppies do this? I have not seen this in any of my other pups.
On a side note, a couple in their early 50's came over to us to say hi. The husband was crying pretty good and kept wiping the tears from his eyes. They lost their Mastiff 7 years ago and have not yet replaced him. Bess really touched them. It was a moment I'll never forget.
I appreciate any input on my question.
H
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Tracy
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Posted 07/06/12 at 11:05 PM
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#2
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Has she been walking on a leash at your house??? If so I would think she is watching other dogs with interest because all these sights and sounds are new to her. If she has been walking on a leash at home, then returning to the car is a natural reaction to wanting to go hoYou has have taken her in the ar before, rides are a good thing I go home. She is a smart confident little girl, watching the other people without reacting to them tells me she is confident, and walking back to the car ESP if you are using the phrases time to go, go home ect, she remembers the words to go home with. To me my girls have always trained faster and picked up things quicker like social cues than my boys.
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Tracy
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Posted 07/06/12 at 11:05 PM
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#3
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Dam keyboard
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If you dont rescue, Dont Breed.
We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
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owenspride
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Registered: 07/24/07
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Posted 07/06/12 at 11:06 PM
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I don't know whether I think she eas mimicking..or whether she was just more comfortable walking towards the car ( home!) then walking away from home...which was what she was doing all of the time prior to turing and walking home.
All of my mastiffs as babies were reluctant to walk AWAY but always walked fine and dandy HOME.
They all walk normally both ways now, FWIW!
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owenspride
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Posted 07/06/12 at 11:07 PM
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#5
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and yeah, Girls ARE smarter and better.
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CH. Sherwood's Anticipatience RE CGC; B.O.B. Bucks, 2007
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dixierockstarr
Registered: 11/28/11
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Posted 07/06/12 at 11:08 PM
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#6
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H, it sounds like you have a little puppy genius on your hands!
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h
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Posted 07/06/12 at 11:30 PM
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She had no idea that she was leaving or walking to the car. She just walked like a champ out of nowhere.
As far as boys vs girls, she is definitely more curious and observant than Teddy or Dudley were. They wanted to pee on the entire world where she seems to want to learn about the world.
H
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erikam
Registered: 01/21/12
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Posted 07/07/12 at 07:43 AM
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#8
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I would guess that your Bess is so interested because she is 8 weeks old, and her window of socialization is still wide open, her little brain is making note of what is safe and acceptable. This is the store of experiences she will draw on as an adolescent and adult to determine if something/someone is ok and "in the files" (been there, seen/done that) or novel and perhaps something to wary of.
As to the walking, I would encourage anyone with a pup that is in a busy/novel/interesting situation to let them look all they can. Puppy socialization is building up a store of experiences, it is a lot of work for a puppy and takes a lot of concentration LOL. She walked nicely when she was done checking things out - right now those experiences are much more important than walking on a leash - that can be taught any time, the calm acceptance of busy and chaotic scenes, the ability to handle new and novel experiences with ease can only really be achieved now. This is the exact reason pups need to be out and about before 12 or 16 weeks, especially mastiffs. When this opportunity passes, and the window closes and the brain stops being so plastic Bess will have such an exposure to stuff that nothing is going to phase her.
What a good dad you are H !
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GinaG
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Posted 07/07/12 at 07:48 AM
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The best socialization for a Mastiff pup is to sit, watch and take in all the sights and sounds they can. Many novice owners (NOT YOU HERB) don't realize how much this means to a Mastiff. Our breed is particular, nosy, steadfast and true. They need to observe their surroundings to decipher the good, the bad and the ugly. You did the right thing letting her sit and watch the others at play. She is too young to participate actively without consequences to her health and bones, but certainly playing with her own group is best.
hugs to family Herb...
Gina
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Dixie
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Posted 07/07/12 at 07:57 AM
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#10
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I love hearing about Bess! She looks so sweet. I think the girls are smart and nurturing..
The females I have owned (2) have both been so dainty about going potty. They learned fast and even when they were fully grown would go somewhere
in the yard where they could sort of have privacy Boys just seem to have to pee on everything!
I am surprised that Teddy isn't interested in her. He'll probably warm up to her in a few days.
My boy learned quickly from his mother. He would watch what she did and try to imitate her. She had the habit of immediately jumping up and standing beside me if anyone rang our door bell. He does the same thing now. He learned it from her.
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Simba1016
Registered: 12/11/09
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Posted 07/07/12 at 11:03 AM
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#11
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sounds like she was just observing her environment and reading the other dogs behavior. socializing is always good at a young age.
just be careful taking her to dog parks or areas where theirs alot of dogs she very young and is susceptible to catching diseases(parvo)
I like using the entrance of a supermarket
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Jeanine
Registered: 06/09/12
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Posted 07/07/12 at 11:20 AM
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#12
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Herb- Yes. Bess could have learned from watching...BUT, girls are more tractable than boys as puppies. They're easier to housebreak and generally get the hang of things faster. I don't exactly know why. Raising both male and female puppies for many years here, we've been through them all. The watch and learn is excellent for Bess. Gina has it right about watching but not participating. We've been careful with Dozer and will wait until after next week to bring him to the parks, even downtown by the band shell. I worry about illness. Another round of vaccines will do him good.
My friend Mark has a female mastiff who watched their yorkie use the training pad and the day after they got her the mastiff female went to the pad and used it. The only time she had seen a pad was to watch the other dog. SMART puppy! Of course they had to change everything because a mastiff on a wee wee pad is useless once they hit 40 lbs and pee a gallon!!! Ha ha.
Anyway, Bess is SMART! Face it, you've got a genius! The more you walk her the better she'll get.
I love her...she's soooooo cute. We need a playdate for the puppies and the grown dogs! Keep up the good work.
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SteveOifer
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Posted 07/07/12 at 12:20 PM
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#13
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Quote: She spent most of her time focusing on the other dogs while sitting quietly.
Pups must be cognizant of other dogs and body language. They are helpless at these early stages and as a survival mechanism, studying other dogs is essential to their well being.
Pups learn early on that other pups & older dogs can be aggressive, take their resources, or just want to play. Studying & observing will imprint these silent languages on the pup and enable them to become more reasonable and less impulsive in their adult years.
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dirtpoor
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Posted 07/07/12 at 06:20 PM
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#14
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What Erika said. I think she wanted to sit and seethe things happening before her, hear the different noises, smell the different smells, and enjoy the fact that she had the chance to do so She seems very introspective
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dirtpoor
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Posted 07/07/12 at 06:20 PM
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#15
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*see the*
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Kristie in Texas
Proud mom of Daisy and Gunnar who live in Heaven with God and my daddy, Grace my silly clown who makes me laugh when I cry and every opportunity she thinks she can, Oliver who beat the odds and survived the impossible, Chigger, he's an a$$ but he's my little A$$....
And my new boy Elah!!!!!!
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alwcm4
Registered: 03/11/10
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Posted 07/07/12 at 08:25 PM
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#16
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You just described Brinkley to a T when she was a puppy. She was the observer. Even in puppy class when they would let all the puppies play she would just watch them, then she would make a circle around the room making sure to get attention from each person. My breeder even commented to me that the reason she wanted to keep her was because she was always aware of what was happening around her. Now at almost 2 that she is definately the first to notice anything out of place and is the guard dog of the family. It was very different from the rambunctious excitable puppy Boone was. If someone were to break into the house now he would like them and want to go for a car ride while they murdered me. Brinkley would be the one to do something about it. I don't know for sure if the puppy traits are correlated with the adult behaviors I see, but in my opinion they do.
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