Puppy Mentality – A Trait for Life?

Mentally, puppies are like a sponge in that they soak up everything, and if they’ve been properly raised will approach almost anything without a preconceived attitude. As they mature, some of this predisposition to “I wonder what that is, it might be interesting” attitude wears off, and the “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” concept leads most owners to treat the dog in just that manner. To keep or develop the puppy-like interest in life, we need to change the owner attitude about the dog’s mental development. Doing both can contribute to the enjoyment and productivity of the companionship enjoyed by the dog, and the owner.

Some training approaches seek to erase the puppy traits for a number of reasons. It seems that this is most commonly done because it overtly demonstrates a human dominance over the dog, and/or from a different semantic description, the dog is “well behaved”. For pointing breeds I like to train them while maintaining a lot of the puppy mentality. It is more difficult to accomplish this with family pets because the owners don’t generally have a clear image of what their dog’s job is, or what the dog will become as it gets older. First time owners seem to be especially clue less, and that’s why they seek a quite (intimidated?), obedient (submissive?), possession (dog?), that is only in their lives (little to no daily effort?) when it’s convenient to them (quality time?). First time owners are especially clue less that the playful puppy can/will turn into a grouch, and that an older grouch with ailments may become actively antisocial. A puppy mentality is part of preventing this.

Admittedly, I’m a spoiled dog trainer. Primarily training pointing breeds for hunting, I get less of the problems faced by other trainers. And importantly, the owners generally understand what the dog’s job is – or are very likely to accept my definition of it. By asking, “Is there any reason you wouldn’t want a dog that’s fun to be with at home as well as when you’re hunting?”, I can get a positive lead into the following points about the desirability for a state of puppy mentality.

  1. Thinking every new thing I want to do will be interesting.
  2. A happy personality.
  3. Trusting of everyone and every other dog.
  4. Never getting tired of looking for “something new”.
  5. Complete trust in me and every other human not to intentionally hurt it.
  6. Know when it’s time for business and when it’s time for fun.

There are of course jobs that dogs have which make all or some of my above desires unacceptable (e.g. guard dogs), and then my (rather utopian?) approach may be inappropriate. I guess that’s why I love the hunting dog and pet work best.

I don’t see rapid and correct obedience to commands of mannerly control (here, sit, down, off, heel, etc.) to be in conflict with business/hunting and training/maintaining for the 6 items above. I require proper deportment in the appropriate settings. (Children may race around the house at home, but know darn well not to do it when isiting.)

  1. Correcting a dog that intentionally disobeys a trained command does not bring resentment if the correction is appropriate in the dogs mind.
  2. Demanding training and high standards are not punishment.

From the view point of a pointing dog trainer, here are some thoughts on how to accomplish my six points of puppy mentality in work and play.

  1. Make training required tasks interesting when possible. b. Find new interesting things to do.
  2. Read the dog during training and don’t train a “down” dog. b. If you aren’t having fun when “playing” then the dog isn’t either.
  3. Give the dog things to do which require it to be trusting of you: teeter board, high board walk, jump off a high place into water — be imaginative and look to every dog for what challenges it. b. Don’t allow aggressive behavior and don’t be around dogs that are aggressive.
  4. Find something that “looks interesting”, and be interested while encouraging the dog to do so. I take my personal dogs on walks around the farm, and will sometimes stop at a mouse hole and encourage them to help me “find it”. Their tails get to moving at warp speed and we all dig and scuff about trying to find it. THEY KNOW this is a “permissive” behavior and isn’t appropriate when business (hunting) is being conducted.
  5. Don’t hurt the dog and don’t permit others to be hostile to it. I’ve got acquaintances that are just not dog people, and I don’t let them around my dogs. Their manner of petting and other actions just scream to the dog “I don’t really like dogs and you are a pain in the @#$ . If I liked dogs I’d have one and I don’t!” Remember that dogs read even subtle body language VERY well. If you want a people friendly dog, then people need to be friendly to the dog.
  6. Give the dog cues for start and stop, and business versus play.
  1. a. I never just turn out my dogs from the truck when hunting. They get out, are put at sit while I put the beeper collars on, and then are put at down until I’m ready. Then I give them a “go pee” (I’m not too socially sensitive in my language except around ladies), and recall to heel before leaving the truck. They are released to hunt by whistle.
  2. Field training is done from standing, and water work done from sitting.
  3. Play is initiated with “OK, lets do some stuff!”, and stopped with “Enough” and a heel.

I also spit into my dogs mouths: a very senior-to-subordinate action in the canine world. This is not to be done if you can’t read a dog’s willingness to be voluntarily subordinate: you can get badly hurt. Spit serves me as a top reward to the dogs for doing something very well, or as a reassurance. My dogs actually seek for me to do this. Try it with your own dog, or perhaps one that isn’t, and be prepared for one of three general reactions:

  1. Dog doesn’t reject the action, may be a bit puzzled at first or immediately ask for more. In any case, the dog will readily continue to accept the action.
  2. Dog acts offended and retreats, but does not become unfriendly. Will return if called, but clearly indicates it is unsure of its status.
  3. Dog rejects the action, hackles may rise, and you need a new nose and lots of stitches. The first reaction is the most indicative of existing puppy mentality. Always be cautious and prepared for the third.

Any one that believes money can’t buy happiness has never bought a puppy. Perhaps we can keep some of that for the life of our dogs.