Puppy imprinting question

Your home for general discussion. Don't know where to post? Try here first.
Post Reply
DSworkingdad
Just Whelped
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:00 pm
Tell us about yourself: New to DSs, but not to high-drive dogs, here to learn like everyone else.

Puppy imprinting question

Post by DSworkingdad »

How long did it take you to have your dogs love and attention? I’m feeding (working) her for every every bit of kibble, tether her to me through out the day when we aren’t training, of course I let her off to explore every now and then once work is done. I know it’s a patient game, just curious with this breed. My previous GSD was about 6-8 months before I had her attention, trust and affection.
User avatar
Dutchringgirl
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5692
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
Location: Ct, USA

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by Dutchringgirl »

Sadie is 9 so I dont remember. Plus her attention was really more on THalie since sadie was a rescue and was taken away from her mother. Maybe someone else who recently had a pup will chime in. But I would not worry too much or go by time, just do what you are doing with your pup and it will all come together. Its like having the first kid, watching what they are doing and having a timeline , by the second you could care less.
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT
ImageImage
oddbird
Green Dog
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:18 pm
Tell us about yourself: I recently adopted a rescue that we have been told is a shepherd of some sort. He has totally disrupted our lives and I am loving every minute of it!

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by oddbird »

My first pup (different breed) imprinted immediately, which is how I ended up with him. I didn’t realize Henry had imprinted on me until he was about 8 months old and we went for a swim lesson and our trainer said I needed to get in because he was focused on me and looking to me for guidance. He was almost 4 months when I rescued him.
Last edited by oddbird on Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bird & Henry (Long-hair DS): Figuring out this working dog life together
User avatar
Dutchringgirl
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5692
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
Location: Ct, USA

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by Dutchringgirl »

That is something you want to balance, Sadie was way too bonded to thalie, she could not do anything alone. You want to balance that bond, they should be independent but look to you for instructions. Good training will help with that.
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT
ImageImage
User avatar
borellar15
Training Dog
Posts: 390
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 11:28 pm
Tell us about yourself: Living in Austin, Texas with our dogs Zoey(DS), Henry (DS) and Tripper(labX). In college, I worked as a Handler and Assistant Manager of a training and daycare facility for 3 years where I've handled many working dogs. For the past 2 years I have been training Zoey and Henry and we have made some tremendous progress together.
Location: Austin, Texas

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by borellar15 »

We got Zoey at 9 weeks old. She seemed to be unsure of us for the first day or two and then immediately began following us around. We didn’t even put a leash on her for a while because she wouldn’t stray away from us. I used to walk from our old apartment to the grocery store that connected to the parking lot maybe .5 a mile away and then just walk right in the store and get my things and she would just follow me everywhere. It was the cutest thing. I mean I would just walk and every few seconds look back and she’d be right there just following me.

I don’t think you need to tether her to you it’s good to let them explore. Soon you’ll notice she’ll want to be in whatever room you’re in etc.
I think what you’re doing is good. If she’s interested in her food just see if you can get her to target your hand and just lure her into basic positions. this video shows a pretty good demonstration of what I’m talking about.

The more you interact with her through food and toys etc the more she will bond with you.
Image Image
Alex - Zoey(DS), Henry (DS), Tripper Lab mix. Austin, Texas
User avatar
Dutchringgirl
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5692
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
Location: Ct, USA

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by Dutchringgirl »

really good video, he shows different pups and quiet vs more animated, plus it was fun to just watch puppies
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT
ImageImage
User avatar
borellar15
Training Dog
Posts: 390
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 11:28 pm
Tell us about yourself: Living in Austin, Texas with our dogs Zoey(DS), Henry (DS) and Tripper(labX). In college, I worked as a Handler and Assistant Manager of a training and daycare facility for 3 years where I've handled many working dogs. For the past 2 years I have been training Zoey and Henry and we have made some tremendous progress together.
Location: Austin, Texas

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by borellar15 »

We also have our older dog tripper. She loved being around him too and trip loves being around us (Especially when we allowed him to be on the couch still). But tripper helped tromendously as much as he probably didn’t enjoy her biting on his face and everything. But she would take puppy naps with us all the time. I think there’s something to say about one animal trusting another animal to be around it while it sleeps too. It’s something people don’t think about but that’s when an animal is most vulnerable. I would say just continue to engage with her as much as possible. Engagement engagement engagement. Can’t say it enough. And just for fun here’s some photos of Zoey with us as a pup.

ImageImageImageImage
Last edited by borellar15 on Sun Oct 21, 2018 4:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Image Image
Alex - Zoey(DS), Henry (DS), Tripper Lab mix. Austin, Texas
User avatar
borellar15
Training Dog
Posts: 390
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 11:28 pm
Tell us about yourself: Living in Austin, Texas with our dogs Zoey(DS), Henry (DS) and Tripper(labX). In college, I worked as a Handler and Assistant Manager of a training and daycare facility for 3 years where I've handled many working dogs. For the past 2 years I have been training Zoey and Henry and we have made some tremendous progress together.
Location: Austin, Texas

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by borellar15 »

Dutchringgirl wrote: Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:41 pm really good video, he shows different pups and quiet vs more animated, plus it was fun to just watch puppies
Yea I like that guy haha he has other videos of all the puppies biting his carthart onesie and just walking around with them all attached to him. It’s quite entertaining
Image Image
Alex - Zoey(DS), Henry (DS), Tripper Lab mix. Austin, Texas
TimL_168
Working Dog
Posts: 1371
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 2:11 pm
Tell us about yourself: I am: a father of 2 boys, a carpenter, hunter, runner. We have extensive experience with sled dogs, shepherd mixes, a wolf hybrid, and our current dog a 95# long haired Shiloh Shepherd. We added Endeavor in April 2016. She was not working out in HRD. I train for game recovery and general utility.
Location: central MD

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by TimL_168 »

I can't speak to puppyhood exactly, but I'll tell ya my experience with Endeavor. I got her at a spastic 15 months old. She had zero issues adjusting to taking my lead- WE WORKED A LOT, FROM THE MOMENT SHE WAS DROPPED OFF. As everyone else has said, work to encourage engagement, and it will come.
Also, it's an ongoing task. When I have complications that prevent me from training for a few days, En becomes more self fulfilling in her mindset
Tim L.
Aurora(Shiloh) Endeavor
Joxgirl
Working Dog
Posts: 1634
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2017 1:38 pm
Tell us about yourself: Loving every crazy day with my DS in CA and UT.
Location: Southern California

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by Joxgirl »

I don’t remember when Rogue bonded exactly. She was pretty independent when I got her at 8 weeks old. It happened naturally. I agree with Lisa, happens
like with children. I worried about when it would happen with my daughter, I adopted her. In a natural time, it happened. Maybe that’s why I didn’t think about it with Rogue.
Saralee
Rogue (Dutch Shepherd) 2 years old
Joachimstaler @ IG
DSworkingdad
Just Whelped
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:00 pm
Tell us about yourself: New to DSs, but not to high-drive dogs, here to learn like everyone else.

Re: Puppy imprinting question

Post by DSworkingdad »

So an update, after many training "dates", walks and just overall interaction. She has given up a small amount of her independence and has chosen me to be her protector and likewise. It took about 3 and 1/2 weeks for her to really come around. Now wherever I go, she naturally follows. I let her off-leash, sure she explores a bit, but the slightest inkling that I'm moving or leaving and she is there. She also enjoys laying on the bed with me now and is beginning to really trust coming to me when called. What I mean by trusting me is, and I'm not sure others went through this or not. But she is/was about as wary of me as she was strangers at first when called she would just sit back and observe me. If I tried to close in on her, she would retreat back. Now when called with some enthusiasm, she comes running with tail wagging and jumps right into "I love dad lets have fun mode". Truly a beautiful feeling.
Post Reply