Why You SHOULD Let Your Puppy Jump Up: The Missing Link - Unconditional Period.
"Let your puppy jump up?" It might sound surprising, especially in a world where consistent training is emphasized. But what if there's a crucial missing piece to the puzzle?
Today, we'll explore the often-overlooked unconditional period in puppy development from a neurological and natural perspective. Before you reach for the comments section, hear me out! Im not saying you can’t teach your dog not to jump up but The key is understanding when they learn this behavior, not just the "how."
Let's dive deeper and explore why the first few months might be more about building a bond than enforcing strict rules.
What is the Unconditional Stage?
Simply put, the unconditional stage is a time when you offer your puppy emotional support regardless of their behaviour. Our focus shifts from correcting actions to addressing the underlying emotions that trigger them.
This might sound counterintuitive, but it's important to remember that puppies are still developing their emotional regulation skills. Corrections or being ignored can be confusing and even scary for them, as well as damaging your pups attachment to you.
By providing a safe and supportive environment, you're helping your puppy feel secure and loved. This sense of security allows them to explore their world confidently and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Later, when they're developmentally ready, you can gradually introduce rules and expectations in a positive and effective way.
So yes, you can teach your dog they have to keep all four feet on the floor. Just at the right developmental time.
Puppies need to know that you, their human, are a secure base they can rely on in times of stress or fear.
Think about it this way: Imagine you're in a training session when a spider appears. You panic and call out, but everyone ignores you. This wouldn't make you feel safe or supported. Similarly, constant corrections can have the unintended consequence of pushing your puppy away. Again imagine you’re scared of the spider and I meet you with a firm “no”.
Now consider a different scenario. The spider appears, and again you cry out. But this time I gently remove the spider while reassuring you. This doesn't reinforce your disruptive behaviour but shows you that you can rely on me to handle stressful situations, promoting a sense of security.
By becoming your puppy's "secure base" during the unconditional stage, you're laying the groundwork for a successful training journey in the future. With a strong foundation of trust and understanding, your puppy will be more receptive to learning and less likely to react impulsively.
Building the Right Foundation: Nurturing Your Puppy's Brain
During those early developmental stages, our focus should be on supporting the brain development we desire in our puppies. Think of it like building a house – we're laying the groundwork for strong executive function (impulse control, nervous system, regulation) later in life.
The Care System: A Foundation for Wellbeing
Drawing on research by neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp, we understand the importance of the care system within the developing brain. This system is crucial for fostering a sense of security and attachment, which in turn lays the foundation for future emotional regulation and impulse control.
Just like a 4-month-old baby exploring the world by putting things in their mouth, your 8-week-old puppy's jumping or biting isn't necessarily a bad behavior that needs immediate correction. These are simply normal puppy behaviors at this stage.
The key lies in addressing the emotion behind the behavior, not just the behavior itself. Are they feeling playful, frustrated, or maybe a little scared? Understanding the underlying emotion allows us to provide the right kind of support, fostering a healthy emotional foundation.
The actual "teaching" of specific behaviors can wait until your puppy's brain is more developed and receptive to learning. This ensures that training is not only effective but also builds a strong bond of trust and understanding between you and your pup.
The Power of Connection: Learning from Mother Nature
Nature provides a powerful example of the importance of the unconditional stage. In the wild, wolf pups experience an extended period of unconditional support from their mothers and pack members. No matter what the pups do, the mothers remain patient and supportive, guiding them through new experiences without resorting to disconnection, ignoring, or harsh corrections.
This focus on connection is crucial for mammalian development. Research suggests that mammals, including dogs, are biologically wired to seek connection. In the wild, they are rarely isolated, and their sense of security and well-being thrives on this constant social connection.
With this understanding, let's reframe the way we view our pup’s "attention-seeking" behaviour. Perhaps it's more accurate to see it as a fundamental need for connection. This doesn't mean their every whim should be indulged, but it does mean prioritizing building a strong bond based on trust and understanding over just stopping behaviours.
By addressing their emotional needs for connection during the unconditional stage, we lay the groundwork for a future where training becomes easier and more effective. A dog who feels secure and loved is far more receptive to learning and less likely to resort to unwanted behaviors.
The Long-Term Impact of the Unconditional Stage
Failing to nurture a puppy during the unconditional stage can have significant consequences down the line. Here are some key areas where incomplete development might manifest:
Lack of Regulation Ability: This crucial skill, learned through co-regulation with their human, allows dogs to manage their emotions and impulses. Without this foundation, they may struggle with self-control. If we are ignoring our pup every time they get ramped up we are doing the equivalent of getting up and leaving the room when a toddler starts to cry. You wouldn’t do that because the toddler doesn’t have the ability to calm down on their own, well ,It’s the same for your pup.
Reactive Behaviors: The difference between a dog who seeks help when overwhelmed and one who reacts aggressively is often rooted in this early stage. Puppies who see their humans as a secure base learn to trust in our guidance and seek support when needed. Conversely, if this bond isn't established, they may resort to barking or fighting because when they jumped up and asked for help as a pup, you turned away or told them off, so they learn they are on there own and have to deal with things by themselves.
Nervous System Development: A dog's autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary responses like heart rate and breathing, is forming during this stage. The experiences they have shape how often they access their "survival mode." Hyperactive or nervous dogs often exhibit the effects of an incomplete unconditional stage.
Building Trust: A Lifelong Journey: While trust can be built throughout life, a strong foundation laid during the unconditional stage creates a powerful safety net for your dog. If this initial connection is missing, it can be more challenging to address these issues later on. However, the good news is that the human-dog bond is remarkably resilient. By providing a safe and supportive environment, we can work to repair these early gaps and build a trusting relationship over time.
