Positive reinforcement classes should be fear-free and force-free. Your dog should enjoy learning and you should enjoy teaching. I have been teaching fun and successful dog training for twenty-six years. Join us!
Odin’s family took time before their new baby came home to learn how to and what to train Odin to do to keep their family happy and safe together.
Odin’s family wanted their dog to be ready for their first baby.
Odin settled near his new baby girl’s automated swing.
Odin the dog prepares for his family’s new baby by doing a settle command while the baby swing goes back and forth.
This allowed Odin to learn how to be calm around baby gizmos like this. He also prepares by learning that these items are not scary things.
It is important to see how our dogs behave around new baby gizmos before baby arrives because:
There won’t be a lot of time when baby comes home
If we wait until baby is actually in the swing or vibrating Pack-n-Play or other moving and/or sound making device, we won’t know if our dog is reacting uncomfortably because of the gizmo or the baby
And, if we know ahead of time that our dog is not as comfortable with the baby gizmos, we can desensitize
For more details on desensitizing your dog to baby gizmos see the Excerpt chapter one – ‘The Ruff Wait for Baby’ from Please Don’t Bite the Baby here.
Odin’s family took time before their new baby came home to learn how to and what to train Odin to do to keep their family happy and safe together.
For more details on how to keep your baby and dog(s) safe and happy together, see more exerpts here.
A family adopted a six-month-old puppy who was anxious and afraid. When she was introduced to the family’s young cousins (four-years and eleven-months — TODDLERS) she seemed curious. But then barked and lunged at them when they made sudden movements. They had expected their toddlers and dogs to be safe together.
The family tried to ‘firmly correct’ their dog’s behavior, but it didn’t work.
Correcting the dog will NOT teach the dog the right thing to do. Nor will it teach the dog to love the child, it will probably do the opposite.
It is not uncommon for a rescue dog to have no positive experiences with small children. Even dogs who have had good experiences with kids, will still be triggered by the movements of a toddler.
Regardless of new-rescue-dog or dog you’ve had for years, all toddlers and dogs need to be supervised and taught how to be safe around each other. For some dogs this is a quick lesson but for others with fears and anxiety, this can move at a slower pace.
Slow and steady made Pinball safe around Indy
This process will include desensitization and counterconditioning when a dog already has some anxiety around children. Or good socialization when a dog is simply unfamiliar with small children.
What is it about toddlers that gets to so many dogs? This question should be asked more often. But because many people feel their good dog can or should withstand anything their child has to throw at her (literally and figuratively), the question is not asked, and without questions there can be no help in the form of answers.
I knew even before having a toddler that they are bundles of energy with quick, unsteady bursts of movement. The literature about toddlers is filled with buzzwords that should scare the dick- ens out of anyone approaching this milestone: defiance, pitching fits, tantrums, and getting into everything. From the dog’s perspective many, if not all, of those can be difficult to process.
Quick, unsteady movements are triggers for your dog’s predatory or flight instincts.
Dogs have been honed by nature to react to quick movements for survival. Such movements signal that their dinner awaits. Your dog may not be looking at your toddler as a prey animal, but they are still programmed to chase anything that moves quickly and erratically. Think squirrels, bunnies, and even darting deer, and then ask if your toddler’s play movements resemble any of these animals. In this stage your toddler is triggering a very primal instinct in your dog. Some dogs learn not to chase the child, but they are in the minority. Most homes with toddlers and dogs report multiple nippings of ankles, pants legs, and hands as children move through the house.
So, what can you do?
Brody learning his little boy L is fun and not dangerous
Teach your dog to love your child.
While you are training, keep them separated by baby gates to prevent mistakes. Give your dog Super High Value Treats when they are watching your child. You can set your dog up with great toys, or durable chews they like. All of these will help your dog make the association that when the child appears, they will have great fun!
Don’t let you child grab at or run towards the dog. This can scare your dog and they will then have to choose how to respond to that fear. Fight is one of the first choices a dog can make when afraid.
Train your dog to know an escape route so you can quickly and easily send them out of the way of the toddler.
Teach your dog how to settle near your child and PAY your dog WELL for all the little zany things your child might do.
Pinball settling on the other side of a baby gate while my son behaves like a traditional toddler doing zany things. Note that Pinball is unconcerned and gets treats for his troubles.
If you take your time and do this right, your dog and baby can grow old together safely.
Brody is safe and content with his little boy L – and L even has a stuffed version of his favorite dog!!
Please Don’t Bite the Baby, and Please Don’t Chase the Dog has more suggestions than I can fit a blog.
For more helpful tips, on keeping baby safe around dogs, pick up a copy here or…
I offer both Remote or In-person behavior consultations.
For either remote or in-person sessions:
You will fill out a behavioral questionnaire prior to any scheduled appointment.
In our dog behavior consultation we work together to change your dog’s behavior for the better. We employ data driven force-free behavior modification protocols. And our processes will scaffold exercises that support the long-term welfare of your dog and the dog-human relationship.
You can find more details on current research and protocols for behavior modification on the following websites.
Both Remote and In-person Sessions offer great instruction and sometimes one is more effective than the other.
There are times when a remote session is a necessary alternative to an in-person meeting. If your dog has stranger phobias/aggression, resource guarding, or other issues that could make an initial in-person session very stressful for them, we would begin remotely. This jump starts training by allowing me to get more details, view videos, and set up protocols without stressing your dog. We then have a strategy before we continue in-person.
I will also need some video which usually shows me what I might not be able to see in person because your dog is in their natural setting without a stranger looming.
If a situation is dangerous, I don’t need unsafe video. I just need to see your dog in action vis-a-vis family, other dogs, and etc. – safely.
Here is a video that demonstrates how sometimes when we observe in real time, we miss a lot of signals that can help us help our dogs.
In-person sessions allow me to physically interact and demonstrate with your dog and if necessary work with you and your dog in an environment specific to your dog’s issues.
Regardless of remote or in-person sessions, I send notes to help you follow the stratagies we go over in our session. And our ultimate goal is to make your life with your dog happier and safer.
Toilet paper hooliganDrunken dogHead ChefLibrarian
While we might not be able to turn your dog from a holligan to a librarian, we can make everyone happier and more at ease.
To set up a private session or get more information, email me.
