Hi,
It was another very busy day with my trainer/behaviorist here for most of it assessing the pups. Overall, the litter did very well.
One of the big 'experiences' for the pups is that they must go into a room they have never been in, with a total stranger and go through multiple handling techniques. You will all get a copy of the test and its results in your puppy packet. After the indoor tests, they go out to the front of my house where trucks, cars, ambulances, etc. go by. It is their first exposure from the comfort of the puppy room and can be a scary place for them. They are assessed on how they handle this 'stress'.
Three of the nine pups showed excessive shyness at this time and have softer natures. This means that I have to work harder to expose these pups to be 'brave' and embrace their world more. This is why I believe it is so very important to have them tested twice. Each pup will develop in their own time frame, much like children. So many pups who have tested ' shy or soft' in the first series have completely turned around by the second one with more time, effort and positive exposure. What I find so interesting is that these three 'shy' ones are SUCH little love bugs and adore being held and coddled. Those of you who were here this weekend saw for yourselves how playful and friendly the whole group is. I will continue to work with them over the next weeks to help them gain the confidence they need.
Having a trainer here to give me her professional, objective viewpoint is exactly what I need to be sure that I can intervene early enough so the pup you get has been given the proper start to be the best he or she can become.
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