Alice’s first weekend with me happened to also be a trial weekend — I packed up all the dogs and headed to the UKI Midwest Cup. My results were nothing to write home about (I was still running on fumes from my bodybuilding competition less than a week prior, honestly), but for Alice it was a big deal. Hotel stay, long drive, busy trial environment — a lot of new all at once.
Because she’s so new to the world — and to me — I kept it simple. She only went inside the trial building twice the whole weekend. Both times, we just found a chair, sat down, ate some food, and watched the world go by. That’s it. No introductions, no “socializing,” no agenda. I just wanted to see how she’d take it, and I wanted her first experience of that environment to be a calm one.
We had a great shady parking spot, and in between I ran some short sessions out at the car — working on ‘yes’ and ‘good,’ a little clicker work, some nose touches to hand. Short, positive, and low pressure.
This is what early exposure actually looks like when you do it right. Not pushing, not flooding, not trying to tick boxes. Just letting her absorb the world at a pace that sets her up to succeed.
The video and full write-up from the weekend are in the Alice in Wonderland — Puppy Development Blog. Members have full access, and if you’re not a member, grab the free 3-month preview here:
Alice is growing fast! Check out what’s in the puppy blog so far, there’s a TON, and I’m adding new stuff every day! And, feel free to pass along this email if somebody you know has a puppy and could benefit from watching!
Yours,
Daisy
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