Welcome to umbrella desensitization day with our ‘Magic 9’ (Litter C)!
They were introduced to a snapping umbrella, complete with a micro-climate of falling water drops. This exercise serves as a textbook example of early puppy desensitization. Watch the YT video below to see their outstanding reaction!
Basically, we ran several consecutive tests to ensure the puppies’ reactions were stable and consistent. They still for a while, tilted heads and barked playfully at the falling drops. Then advanced forward with high confidence, wagged tails and actively jumped to grab at the framework.
Zero fear, stress or avoidance. You will even see several puppies totally ignoring the umbrella!
An umbrella is an excellent tool for training because it combines multiple triggers: a sudden visual expansion, a distinct “snapping” sound and unpredictable movement. To elevate the test, we used an umbrella that was actively wet, letting small drops of water fall right over the puppies to simulate a real-world rainy walk.
At Nerium House Kennel FCI Romania, we are proud to follow many of the principles set out by the Puppy Culture guidelines.