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Kuvasz Quarterly
- Summer 1995
Becoming Pack Leader To Your Kuvasz
Puppy
by Kathleen Dahmer
When you first bring
home that adorable puppy with those big, innocent brown
eyes, he is quite willing to let you make the decisions
in his life for him. He is willing to go along with
your ideas. He accepts your leadership. Then everything
changes. Your sweet puppy starts to say "I don't want
to". You discover that his hearing has become selective.
He begins to push you to get his way. It is to be expected
that your Kuvasz will try to become pack leader in
your family hierarchy. If he is successful, however,
your puppy will grow to be a dog that is difficult,
if not impossible, to live with.
What does the dog pack
leader do? The pack leader does everything first. He
is first to go anywhere. He eats first. The pack leader
gives all food to the rest of the pack members. He
always takes what he wants first. All permissions come
from him. It is easy to put these practices into action
with your puppy. Several simple ways follow that will
show your puppy that YOU are the pack leader:
Teach your puppy to sit.
There is no excuse that your puppy is too young to
learn. Even an eight week old can learn to sit. Just
be very gentle as you are placing him into a sit. Every
time before your puppy goes outside, make him sit at
the door for a few seconds, release him with an "OK" and
then let him go through the door. You (the pack leader)
have just given your puppy permission to go out into
YOUR yard. Not into his yard but into your yard. Repeat
the sit and release before your puppy comes into YOUR
house or gets into YOUR car. If your puppy jumps up
before you have given him the "OK", simply put him
back into a sit and then release him. If your puppy
is having a hard time sitting for even a few seconds,
just hold him gently in place (one of your hands on
his collar should do the trick). You are teaching your
puppy that you, the pack leader, give him permission.
He does not decide on his own. Everyone in the family
should follow the same routine. It only takes a few
seconds but it will teach your puppy that his place
in the family hierarchy is at the bottom; after Mom,
Dad and the kids. How can something that is so simple
be so effective? It will work, but only if all in the
house are consistent and firm. The puppy that is told
to sit and allowed to get up on his own without being
released, will quickly learn that you do not mean what
you say. This will encourage him to test you even more,
because he knows that you do not always make him do
what you have told him to do.
The pack leader walks
wherever he wants to. Teach your puppy that he gets
out of your way whenever you (the pack leader) need
to walk where he is laying. He moves; you do not step
over him. It is YOUR door way or YOUR room, not his.
Teach the command "up" by tapping your toes gently
on your puppy's toes. If he does not get up, tap on
his toes gently at first but then harder until he moves.
The pack leader does
not tolerate a biting puppy and neither should you.
From the day you bring your puppy home, he should be
corrected by everyone in your family every time he
nips or tries to chew on anyone. Simply pinch the puppy's
lip and very firmly tell him "no bite". (Firm does
not mean loud). Every time he nips the pinch becomes
a little harder. Always make sure that the puppy has
several appropriate toys to chew on because puppies
do need to chew, just not on humans.
Nothing tells your puppy
that he is your equal faster than letting him get up
on your level whenever he wants. Puppies should not
be allowed on your bed or furniture. Sit on the floor
when you want to play with your puppy. Again, you,
the pack leader are making the decision to come down
to your puppy's level. You are controlling the situation.
Your puppy is not making the decision. Does this mean
that your Kuvasz can never join you in bed or on your
furniture? Of course not. But, do not give this privilege
to your young dog. Teach him a command such as "on
the bed" that again reinforces that you, the pack leader,
are giving your dog permission to be up off the floor.
The pack leader eats
first and provides the food. Feed your puppy after
you eat. Put his food bowl down for a set time and
then pick it up. If he always has food available you
will lose the opportunity to be the pack leader who
supplies the food.
Dogs understand body
language. It is more effective than words or commands,
to communicate to your puppy what is acceptable or
not acceptable behavior. Watch the dog pack leader.
He will curl his lip or stretch his neck before he
barks or growls. Be careful not to send a mixed message
to your puppy. For example, if your puppy goes crazy
when someone rings your doorbell and you discipline
him by using words that express your displeasure, but
at the same time you have a smile on your face or a
twinkle in your eyes because deep down you are excited
that your puppy is becoming such a good guard dog,
what have your mixed signals taught your puppy? (Your
words say this is not acceptable behavior but your
eyes and smile are reinforcing your dog's going crazy
whenever someone comes to your door.) Body language
sends the stronger message. To be effective as pack
leader, always make sure that your words and body language
match.
The Kuvasz is a very
independent, strong-willed dog. He wants to be in charge.
He wants to make decisions. By using these simple methods
you will be teaching your puppy that YOU are the pack
leader. Notice that there is no yelling or harsh handling
involved. You do not have to use force to be effective.
ALL family members should implement these ideas on
a consistent basis. They will help you raise a Kuvasz
that is a well-behaved family member. |
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Kuvasz
Quarterly - Winter 1995
There's More To Playing Than Meets The Eye
by Janis Kidd
While your Kuvasz puppy
is growing up, keep in mind that playing isn't just
playing - it's behavior shaping. Play should not
just be fun, it should show your puppy what is and
what isn't allowed or expected. Each time you play,
think about "What, when and where".
WHAT: Any form of play
done often enough will turn into a habit. You need
to look beyond the simple game of "tug of war" and
see the game through your puppy's eyes. When you
play tug, you are allowing your growing pup to pit
his strength against yours. If your puppy has not
yet fully acknowledged you as pack leader, this game
sets a poor example. Justifying the game by saying, "I
always make sure I win the last round" does not help
unless you win in a way the pup understands is winning.
You know what you are doing, but does the pup? Simply
stopping the game by walking away or refusing to
continue tells the pup that you cannot keep up with
him. Roughly snatching the tug object from the pup
merely tells him that he is not yet ready to overpower
his owner. The pup must learn to release on command
no matter how intense the game gets. This is the
only way to show the puppy that you, and not he,
is in charge. All puppies should learn a "give",
a "take" and a "mine" command. Give must be responded
to immediately, or a correction follows. Mine means
do not touch this object unless I tell you otherwise.
Take means it is fine to take the object and play
with it. If you play tug with your puppy or chase
the puppy around as a game, don't be surprised when
he grabs your expensive leather boot and runs through
the house daring you to catch him. Once the pup is
mentally mature and is acknowledging you as pack
leader in all situations, then you can play these
types of games.
WHEN: That adorable
puppy brings you a toy and drops it on your lap.
It's obvious he wants to play. Don't do it. If you
allow the puppy to decide when to play, you are serving
his need upon his demand. This is not a good idea
to plant in a Kuvasz's head! Instead, tell the puppy "not
now" and do not play. Never say "no" to the pup as
this word should mean the behavior is forbidden at
all times. Wait until the pup settles down and is
quiet for at least five minutes. Then pick up a toy
and tell him "let's go play" or another such phrase.
Now it's your decision, not his. Remember, if you
wait until the pup has settled down for at least
five minutes, he will have forgotten he had the idea
originally.
WHERE: So, you think
it's cute to watch your three month old Kuvasz tear
through the house in big circles, leaping over the
family cat with a single bound? Yes, it is. But it
won't be funny when he's full grown and you have
a house full of guests. Your house should not be
your dog's romper room. Take the puppy outside to
play where you would never object to his running
around and letting off steam when he's full grown.
If it's too hot, too cold or too wet, go into the
basement or garage.
Remember, what you
allow your puppy to do now will stay with him the
rest of his life. The Kuvasz is not a "pushover" breed.
They are strong willed and independent. If you want
a companion in the truest sense of the word, it is
important that YOU set the rules, not the dog. Don't
wait until your dog is full grown to decide to do
this.
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Kuvasz
Quarterly Winter 1996
Be A Good Dance Partner
by Kathleen Dahmer
It is always easy to
spot the couple on the dance floor that are really
good dancers. They are "in synch". They know what each
other is going to do. They have practiced. So we too
should be a good dance partner with our dog if we are
going to be successful in competitive obedience.
A good understanding
of the obedience regulations BEFORE you step into the
ring will eliminate deductions from your score for
handler errors. Get a copy of the rules from the A.K.C..
Read them. Understand them. Each exercise and its scoring
is explained. The principle feature of each exercise
is the minimum that must be done to receive a qualifying
score. Know what this is. Each term, such as heel position,
is defined. The commands that the judge will give you
in the ring for each exercise are given. The type of
allowable collars and leads are detailed. When you
may or must give a verbal command or hand signal or
when you are permitted to use your dog's name is detailed.
The order that the exercises will be in is given. The
rule book contains a wealth of information that will
help you be a better competitor because you will be
better prepared for competition. Your confidence will
travel down the lead to your Kuvasz.
If you are competing
in another country (for example Canada), be sure to
read their rules. There are differences. And again
by knowing what these differences are, you will help
eliminate the possibility of losing points for handler
error.
Go to matches and obedience
trials and watch the B classes. These classes are where
the more experienced handlers and dogs compete. Watch
their warm up procedure before they compete. Watch
what they do with their hands and their footwork. Watch
how they move their dogs to the next exercise. If you
have questions on any of the rules, this is a good
place to get answers. Most competitors are more than
willing to answer your questions AFTER they compete.
An A.K.C. obedience representative is at many trials.
Another source of information.
Practice your ring procedure
WITHOUT your dog. Have some one run you through the
exercises using the commands that you will get when
competing. Remember this is competition mode not training
mode. No additional aids to the dog, such as slapping
you leg in encouragement, repeatedly using your dog's
name, excessive body english or any corrections, are
allowed. We are all so accustomed to doing these things
when practicing, that it is amazing at how difficult
it is to eliminate them when competing. These are the
types of handler error that are penalized when competing.
By practicing our part of the obedience routine, we
will be able to compete without making these errors.
Attend obedience classes.
While it is not impossible to earn titles by working
on your own, good classes will help keep you motivated.
A good instructor will also explain competition procedure.
Do not let anyone talk
you into entering a match or trial if you are not ready
to compete. If you are not successfully completing
the exercises in your back yard and at the training
hall, a miracle will not happen the day of the match
or the trial. Unfortunately, hoping and wishing will
not make a successful performance happen. A good obedience
team is prepared.
Remember, obedience is
a team effort between you and your dog. Always do your
part to be a good dance partner. |
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Kuvasz
Quarterly - Summer 1997
Competitive Obedience Ramblings
by Kathleen Dahmer
I am often asked what
you should look for when you are selecting a Kuvasz
puppy for the obedience ring. The answer is very simple
- you want all the same attributes in the competitive
obedience dog that a good conformation dog exhibits.
These include: correct structure, good movement, a
dog that enjoys being in the ring and having the crowd
watching, a dog full of confidence and a willingness
to work and keep working for its handler. These are
the traits that will make obedience training and competing
with your Kuvasz easier.
Your dog can sit fast
and square and fronts and finishes are more smoothly
achieved if he is structurally sound. A dog with poor
angulation or bad hips will have a very difficult time
jumping. Good movement can help with the changes of
pace and figure eight exercise. A confident dog will
not be spooked by the judge's coat that flaps in his
face or startled by the young child that runs along
side the ring gates. A willing worker will stay in
place when the only time the hot sun comes out all
day is just as you are leaving your dog for the three
minute sit stay or the five minute down stay. A dog
that enjoys performing will be more fun to work with.
Does that mean that if
your Kuvasz does not fit this description you should
not consider competitive obedience? Of course not.
But by recognizing any differences from the ideal competitive
dog you will be better able to plan a training program
that will maximize your dog's potential.
Set realistic goals for
you and your Kuvasz. I never dance because I have two
left feet. While I practice my footwork over and over
again without my dog, I will never be a perfect or
200 handler (the highest score you can earn). But I
know that we can do well and always train toward that
objective.
Remember that most obedience
judges have never seen a Kuvasz compete or judged one.
They are accustomed to the obedience ring being populated
by Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Shelties and
Labrador Retrievers. Do not be discouraged if a judge,
after observing you doing the entire heeling pattern
by yourself as your dog sat there and watched, says
to you, " Why are you wasting my time?" Kuvasz owners
all know that their dog could do the exercise by himself
if he chooses to. You will also have judges that say " How
wonderful to see a different breed competing." This
makes all the work and effort worthwhile. |
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