Everything I Needed To Know About Socialization I Learned In Puppy Kindergarten

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“Ancora Imparo. I’m still learning.” – Michaelangelo

Okay, not everything but a few key things. Cooper has started puppy kindergarten and has been kind enough to take us along with him. Here are some of the things I learned.

It takes training to become best friends.

We listen better when treats are involved.

Gifted dog people are not necessarily people people or business people
If you’re good enough at what you do, the people who love their dogs will pay you anyway.

Enthusiasm can’t be fenced in.

We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and combinations.

There are some breeds that will be judged harshly based on their appearance. The people that love them feel that they have to train them to be perfect to overcome bias.

We can learn things through positive reinforcement, but it takes a plan and a lot of practice.

Learning is exhausting. Set aside time to nap afterwards.

Our attention goes where the treats are; this can be used to great effect.

It’s great to practice for emergency situations. But preparing for it all the time is counter-productive.

Be consistent and those around you will benefit from knowing your cues.

Use your words. Even non-verbal beings can’t tell what you want without words.

Tell people to take their sh!t home with them.

Suggesting what we SHOULD do is more effective than just telling others what NOT to do.

Our natural desire to please and be social will drive a lot of behavior, good and bad.

Loyalty is a two-way street. When you find a creature that will turn to you upon hearing their name, treasure it.

This fits well with the post I wrote for Heart of the Matter today. I think we all deserve a Congratulations for Staying In the Game.

55 thoughts on “Everything I Needed To Know About Socialization I Learned In Puppy Kindergarten”

  1. Pingback: Congratulations for Staying In The Game – The Heart of the Matter

    2. Yes, Professor Cooper has inspired some great lessons! Love these!

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  4. the story of Miss O’s rejection at school hit home. It is something we would never wish on our children. My father sat my friends and I down on my 16th birthday to tell us that friendships were the most important things we would accomplish in our lives. His relaying of this message stayed with all of us (many are still friends). Relationships take work, but I can’t help but think they are the reason we are here.

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  5. Oh….the “listening better when treats are involved” truth. Speaking of which…Coop looks ready to munch. He must be the shining star at puppy school if he’s working on table manners and how to use (abuse?) a fork. Such a pic! 🥰🥰🥰

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  6. What a wonderful list, Wynne. You are a true student of life, finding valuable learning in all that you experience and like a true student, you share with others. Thank you.

    And yes, a treat helps always! Or as I call it with T, bribery. 😆

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    1. Ha! Very observant reading, Todd. Let’s just say there are 4 puppies at kindergarten and she has the equivalent fencing used at a pro football game. It’s a lot to manage but they can still amp each other up from their side of the fence. 🙂

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  11. Who knew that there could be so many life lessons from furry friends we bring into our lives 🙂 These two stand out for me:

    “There are some breeds that will be judged harshly based on their appearance. The people that love them feel that they have to train them to be perfect to overcome bias.”

    “Learning is exhausting. Set aside time to nap afterwards.”

    Profound I would say, in many ways.

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    1. Oh, I love that those resonated with you. The guy with the pit bull next to me really impressed me. The dog was really sweet and the man was working so hard to make sure he had great training. It stuck with me how much of a bias breeds face — and the parallels for humans.

      And yes, learning is exhausting, isn’t it? 🙂

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  20. Our newspaper (yes, we have a local paper that is delivered) reruns old “Peanuts” comic strips. Last week, there was a storyline about Peppermint Patty inadvertently enrolling in obedience school without realizing it was for dogs. She was so thrilled to graduate, until Marcie told her to “heel.”

    They don’t make ’em like that anymore.

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  21. I’ve never had a dog. I’ve had cats. They may have more attitude, but at least with them there’s not much training. Well, there’s training, as in they train humans but humans don’t train them.

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