Parents, it is important that you remember, you are ALWAYS modeling behavior for your child to learn. The way that your child sees you behaving around others is very likely to be repeated. When you do things to or around your dog (or other non-human animal), your son or daughter may end up doing that too. To help your child be someone who your dog will want to spend time around, model and teach your child instead what he/she can do that will give your dog reason to feel comfortable, safe and happy. (Please keep reading to learn how you can see that your dog is or is not feeling that way.) [Read more…] about Parents: You Are Always Modeling Behavior
children and dogs
Train Your Child As You Train Your Dog
I had a first appointment the other day with a family that includes two young girls (ages 6 and 10) and a new puppy. Whenever I work with families like this one, part of helping them get off to the right start is about teaching the parents how to supervise and manage their kids and their puppy, how to teach their puppy appropriate behaviors, and how to teach their kids to be positive dog teachers and friends. [Read more…] about Train Your Child As You Train Your Dog
Fair Pair In Dog Training
Whenever we share our lives with another being (whether a person or non-human companion), there are going to be behaviors come up that we don’t like. It is just a fact of life. [Read more…] about Fair Pair In Dog Training
Prevent Resource Guarding In Your Dog
The other day I made the mistake of placing my iPhone ear buds too close to the edge of my dining room table, and when Dawson was looking for something fun to play with, they looked like a pretty good option from his perspective. I did not happen to agree with him.
In that split second, I could have tried to get them from him. That probably would have resulted in a game of keep-away – me chasing him until I finally got him, and then Dawson not willingly giving them up. Instead, I called Dawson to me and when he got to me, I had a yummy treat and another fun toy waiting for him. He dropped the ear buds and forgot about them, choosing his other high value options instead, and I later went back and picked up the ear buds when he wasn’t thinking about it. [Read more…] about Prevent Resource Guarding In Your Dog
A Lesson On Dog Training For Kids
The other day my client’s granddaughter was with us during our training, and, as I enjoy doing, I included her in our lesson – sometimes as the distraction (since she is a distraction to their dog in real life, after all) and sometimes learning how to use positive reinforcement to teach Sassy how to do behaviors. [Read more…] about A Lesson On Dog Training For Kids
Kids – No Dog Headlocks Please
Parents, a reminder that dogs – like all animals – learn positive or negative associations based on past experience.
To strengthen your child’s relationship with your dog and help to prevent dog bites, please teach your child that instead of giving headlocks and big bear hugs that can make dogs uncomfortable, to be a dog Super Hero, they can sit next to their dog, give him a rub on his neck and give him a treat from their open palm. [Read more…] about Kids – No Dog Headlocks Please