Introducing Your Pup to Your Scent Before You Pick it Up
To ease Quest’s transition from living with his puppy litter to me, I sent his breeder a towel with my scent on it so that he would be familiar with my smell before I even arrived.
His breeder would put the towel down on the floor when Quest was away from his littermates and each time he sniffed it, she would mark it with a good boy, then give him a treat. She did this for about 15 treats, 2-3 times a day for the 7 days before I arrived to pick him up.
This puppy introduction secret worked wonders. When I first met Quest in person, he was with his 11 brothers and sisters. Quest instantly recognized my scent and lingered; licking and snuggling with me after his siblings had their fill and lost interest. This really helped set us up to bond together on a deep level.
Scent is the dominant sense for dogs. Its is how they meet and remember people, things and other animals so introducing your scent early on can really help your dog bond to you quickly. This will help it not be as anxious when separated from his or her litter mates.
If you have a good breeder who is willing to help you with this trick, send them a link to this page. Then 10 days before you are scheudled to pick your puppy up, send a towel you rub over your body before going to bed along with some good treats.
It seems like a small thing, but it had a big impact on Quest and my cleints who have used this trick to meet their pup before they got there.
Tags: introducing your scent to your puppy, puppy socialization, QuestEdDal, Scent training