The Drake Center is thrilled to announce that our autism facility dog, Drake, is finally here!
Very soon, she will begin her first phase of training, which includes leash training, crate training, learning her name and commands “sit” and “come.” She will also begin socialization and desensitization, which is an important component of her service work training.
In a few short weeks, Drake will also have her first visit with us for veterinary care…but that’s another blog post.
Here’s more about puppy development at this life stage and the importance of socialization and desensitization training:
New puppies are full of energy, love, spirit and silliness—and they grow and learn at an astonishing rate. Before we know it, Drake will be fully grown and we’ll wonder where our little puppy went!
The first three to four months of life are the peak socialization time for puppies. They need to be exposed to a wide variety of situations at this age so they do not develop fears or phobias later in life.
A puppy being trained for service work needs to know not to fear other dogs, cats, children, men, women, tall people, people of differing ethnicity, umbrellas, strollers, stairs, ceiling fans, fireworks, busy streets and more. By exposing the puppy to these things early on, the trainer is assuring the dog will be confident and calm in all environments.
Read more...
Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 10 Weeks
Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 12 Weeks
Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 14 Weeks