I have put a great deal of emphasis on the Desna training program to wake the instincts up in the pups and to begin the procedure to enhance the instinctive ability of the pup by careful work early on in life.
Bonding In Elkhounds
Kamia Kennels Elkhounds Bond At Any Age
I want to dispel a myth that is featured all over the place, literally the same verbiage in every article with little to no basis in actual fact. That myth is that pups only bond at 8 weeks. I know this to be non factual now after many pups going through the Desna program and each of those pups bonding so well with the new handlers it is crazy.
In fact, I actually believe the pups that go through the Desna have almost an easier time bonding and moving into the new home as they are a bit older, more experienced, have some social skills and behavior already shown to them by the mentor dogs.
Quite honestly for me, what ever was said about dogs, dog behavior, pups, pup behavior, training methods and techniques I pretty much threw all of that nonsense out the window years ago. Over the next few years now that my excellent co-breeders have taken some of the work load I am going to put some new, real accurate intel out. Stuff that actually fits the Elkhounds. I am not going to try to make stuff for other dogs, that makes no sense.
Anyone writing about how to train pups and talking about any breed, well that is useless. So for my very first initial area I am going to talk about the bonding. I’ll put together over the next while some great stuff, or at least I will think it’s great, haha, but I will put things together on bonding.
One of the areas is going to be 8 week old pups and how to increase the bond and Desna pups and how to increase the bond. I have placed many pups all the way to mature dogs, I mean look at Tupac, I trained him for 2 years, best pup ever. Bonded like crazy with the handlers, they are coming now to get another pup so that Tupac can train that pup. Jenny and Josh have had a wonderful experience with Tupac.
Handler focused lines have the “Instincts” to bond with the handler. Most folks haven’t even heard of handler focus instincts, let alone understand how they work. But “instincts” are what are bred in the dog from centuries and if maintained, which in our lines they are, then it’s Instinctive for the dog to bond with the handler.
You have all seen the photos of the Elkhound barking the Moose, you have seen the Bird Dogs pointing, you have seen the sheep dogs herding sheep, all instinctive behavior. Bonding is an instinctive behavior.
The old Vikings and Scandinavian settlers knew they had to keep the dogs with the bonding ability, or the dogs were simply gone, not to be found. Selection was determined on many early dogs of course, by nature. The dogs that stayed, well, they had the instincts. Mate them with other breeders who had dogs that bond, walla, the instinctive behavior was started and continued for generations. We continue it today, generation after generation of our dogs.
So if I will, I will say this, bonding in our lines in our genetics, it’s “Instinctive”, it’s not age related. So, short version of this, I have seen great bonding in almost any age of dog I have placed. Let’s face it Letta was mature, had many litters of pups when she went to Greg and Kathy, she bonded so close to them you would think she was attached physically.
“Hi Merv!
Here is a photo of Letta with Greg’s 2 sisters, Carol and Elaine. Letta is such a happy dog! She is a little sweetheart! She has also graduated from the floor to the couch with my Mom! It is so amazing the love she has for my Mom and my Mom for her. My mom actually wanted to sit on the floor with Letta and I told her Letta can sit on the couch with her. I never saw my mom sit on a floor, never. Hercules will go to my mom and she’ll pet his head, and then, he’ll walk away or come to me. Hercules will sit on my foot or press his body against my legs…he can’t get any closer and I love it! He’s my boy! He lets me hug him, squeeze him and kiss his head…he’s such a good boy!
Hercules will jump upon the couch and sleep with Letta & Greg. Greg & I are so grateful, blessed and appreciative to have Letta & Hercie, we would be so lost without them. Both of them know this is their home and both are so happy and give us so much love. Needless to say, we love them very much! If we had to choose one over the other, we can’t. Both are so wonderful in their own unique way and we thank God we have both of them!
We hope all is well with you and we’ll write soon.
Greg, Kathy, Letta & Hercules”
I Thank Greg and Kathy and their Mom and Sisters for the love they show Letta and Hercules. It’s so awesome! So, personally I have seen some serious bonds made at any age, not just dogs at 8 weeks. I have example after example too.
If you are considering have the pup started in our Desna program, or if you wish for an 8 week so you can enjoy the pup stage more, either way the instincts are in the pup, no matter the age. So the bond is going to be awesome.
I’ll go more in detail on this bonding but my main message is, bonding is instinctive, so time does not matter.
Michael and Sarah have some incredible 8 week old coming soon and some incredible Desna pups, you’ll find the behavior of bonding to be the same.
