Written by Laurie Yost, owner of Playful Pups Retreat
Tuesdays are a joy for Mosha, and for me because I know she is thriving and having fun at Puppy Daycare. The program is so beneficial for young puppies and has truly allowed Mosha to begin her transformation from a shy puppy to a slightly more confident 4-month-old pup. We still have a lot of work to do, each day we learn, and we work on basic puppy manners through a method called “free shaping” where I reward her throughout the day whenever she gives me positive behaviors, especially for not losing her mind during feeding time. If you have not seen a growing Great Dane puppy when it’s time to eat, it is something like a shark feeding frenzy!
I mentioned in Part One of this blog article that Puppy daycare was a huge benefit to help Mosha develop greater confidence, not to mention burning off some of that crazy puppy energy. She joined puppy daycare when she was about 11 weeks old and shortly after we began attending a Puppy Manners class, a group training class taught by our friend, Maria at Full Potential Dog Training. The group class helped to enhance my bond with Mosha by dedicating this one-hour time frame to her and the class environment allowed her to meet new dogs and people, which is important for young puppies. Although it takes a commitment of time, a Puppy Manners group training class is a wonderful way to add to your puppy’s list of valuable social experiences that help them become well-mannered and outgoing adult dogs. The Puppy Manners Class at Playful Pups Retreat is an amazing way to instill the foundational training skills needed to start a pup off on the right path.
In my efforts to create an outgoing and social “little” butterfly Mosha and I go everywhere together we are able. Over the past couple months, we have had adventures at several dog friendly businesses where she has gotten to meet and get special treats from many dog loving strangers…places like our local Home Depot, Home Goods, Yah Brew, a local dog friendly brewery in Hershey, and we have even made a few trips to the bank. My friend Tami, and Mosha’s brother, Newman, have joined us at several dog friendly restaurants including Hidden Still in Hershey and Molly’s Courtyard Café in Marietta. If you are looking for nice places with outdoor seating where your pup can be part of the fun, Mosha and I strongly recommend both places!
Although it will be an ongoing process to build her confidence to the level I desire, I am happy to share that Mosha is making amazing progress. Stay tuned for more updates on all the fun Mosha and I are having in her confidence and socialization journey!
Read Part 1 of Mosha’s Journey here!
