There’s not much better in this world that a fat bellied pup with skunk breath, especially when that puppy is a Griffon. However, what most people tend to overlook is how much work goes into a puppy, from building a relationship, potty training, socialization and obedience. Then to take a dog that has been purposefully bred to do a job, such as hunt, you need to start working with the puppy to expose to birds, gunshot, and how to work with the human to bag the bird. Sadly, once the excitement wears off, many people lose interest in the dog, or become daunted by the monster in front of them, peeing in the house, eating shoes and furniture, and interrupting that precious sleep. Below are a few thoughts I have on puppy rearing, hopefully to either remind you about the responsibility you’re about to take on, or to shed some light on things that make you realize you aren’t ready for a puppy at this point in your life.
Bringing your pup home is an exciting time for us humans, but can be pretty scary and overwhelming for the puppy. This is most likely the first time they have been separated from their litter and placed in a new environment. While we want to share our new addition with our friends and extended family, it’s really best to to make the day about bringing home your pup and letting them acclimate and settle into their new home.
Potty training generally is a pretty daunting task, especially with Griffons. Griffs are notoriously hard to potty train, however my female Griffon came to me at 9 weeks old potty trained, because her breeder went above and beyond to potty train the litter. It can be done! There are many schools of thought about how to best potty train, but I find that crate training works best for me. The puppy has a non spacious crate that they sleep in, and any time they wake up in the middle of the night they are leashed and taken outside to a specific spot until they go potty. Griff pups can tend to get distracted by their noses, even though it’s in the middle of the night, so standing in one spot helps. Prepare yourself for your puppy to scream like a banshee when you crate her. Don’t give in! If you pull that puppy out in the middle of a fit, they will learn that all they have to do for some freedom is holler. I promise that if you are consistent in crate training and potty training that it will get easier and better!
Socialization is important. Taking the puppy to as many places as you can and giving them as many positive experiences as you can will help make them more balanced adults. I’m not implying that you let every person that walks by to maul your pup. You are her protector, set her up for success! Ask people that want to pet her to not talk in high pitched tones, to not pet her until she’s quiet, to let her sniff their hand before petting her. Make going out fun, but not socially overwhelming. Each interaction she has is a training opportunity, so make sure you set her up to succeed.
Training a pup is a never ending task. There are always training opportunities! One thing I personally focus on is energy when doing a task. For example, coming out of the crate. The pup doesn’t get to bum rush the crate the second it’s been cracked open. If she does, close the door on her face, then try again. Once she learns to wait, ask her to come out. Same goes with going in and out of doors, gates, cars, etc. What is your energy when you greet the puppy? You should be calm and not give him affection until he is calm and not jumping on you. I go as far as to not even give eye contact until they reach the desired calm state. Every moment with your puppy is a trainable one, and the behaviors you allow as a puppy will continue as an adult, so keep that in mind.
The biggest thing is to love your puppy, but to set boundaries and a pack order. Griffons are smart, albeit some are hard headed, and can catch on quickly as to what’s expected of them in their new home. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy every moment, because while there are days your new puppy will try your patience, the days pass far too quickly, and soon you’ll have a grey faced senior beside you.
