Fine Dining Preparation (optional)This week we will be preparing for the “fine dining” portion of our protocol.The Fine Dining concept comes from the wonderful recall training protocol designed by Leslie Nelson, and we will be adapting it here.One thing our puppies will experience when they leave our home and transition to their new home is being separated from their litter and being crated in new places, first the crate in the car, or carry on, then the crate in the new home. Since we know behavior is always related to the environment in which it occurs, we want to condition our puppies that being crated away from their litter, and in a different and unexpected locations (versus just the puppy pen, near litter mates) is even better than being crated with the litter.This can also be easily used for conditioning puppies to a soft sided under seat style airline carrier, if your puppy is going to be flying home in cabin.The Fine Dining Crate is also important for any puppy that may be flying home in cargo, via pet transporter, and also for puppies who will be traveling home via car, showing, going to trials and etc. Conditioning our puppies that different locations are normal and part of life is very helpful in the new home. We are also doing a huge favor to our new puppy owner, who won’t have to deal with a scared puppy who has never been crated away from their litter before send home day. You can use any puppy safe crate that’s easy to move around, and even use crates you already have set up in other areas of your home.Think about the Fine Dining crate from your puppy’s point of view, the PPOV. The instinctive response a puppy has to being separated from the litter is to fuss and cry until reunited. We want to bypass this natural response, by using classical conditioning to create a positive conditioned emotional response to being crated away from the litter.

You will need.1. An easily moveable crate (small is fine).

2. An assortment of highest value pacifiers (for chew sessions) and/or supplies for dressing up meals (for Fine Dining Meal).Optional:3. A familiar bed (at first) scented from the litter.4. A freshly laundered bed (for the last week)5.Dog Appeasing Pheromone Spray (I use Adaptal, optional). I like the DAP spray because it’s calming to the puppies and the new owners can get some to use for the drive home and first weeks in the new home. The spray is “familiar” since the breeder was using it too. The experience we want our Fine Dining puppy to have is feeling delighted that it’s been taking away from the litter and place in this crate.We want a wonderful treat and pacifier to await the puppy in the Fine Dining crate. So you will load the crate with delights before you put the puppy inside. If you are doing a Fine Dining Meal the crate will be preloaded with a dressed up meal.We want to remove the puppy from the Fine Dining crate BEFORE the puppy wants out, we want the puppy just a little disappointed Fine Dining time is over.We will start using the Fine Dining crate when we are building duration in the other crates, not before.

Separation is Great: Fine Dining Preparation (Elective)