Saturday, September 19, 2009
Apologies for being wordy!
Sorry to all for the long posts! I've got a lot to say and I'll try to keep it shorter in the future. Joe Rocks, I'm sure, understands! LOL! Sorry for the go at ya, Joe!
The Pied Rottweilian Piper of Long Branch
I can't seem to shake them Rottweilers! Everywhere I go I just happen upon one and wind up talking to the owners. I know we all have our favorite breeds and I am fond of several types of dogs (all the Schnauzers, poodles, pugs, labs and GSPs to name a few) but the Rottweiler just holds a special place in my heart. Even the most casual of comments results in a protracted conversation with complete strangers.
Case in point, while taking my son for a much needed run on the Long Branch Promenade, I saw a couple walking a beautiful female adolescent. Unable to help myself, I called over, "She's lovely! I own two." While this is not entirely true as I lost my big boy Buster to bone cancer a year and a half ago, I still occasionally say I have two Rotties before thinking about it. I do miss Buster desperately as he was a fantastic dog to the end. After a few strides toward Pier Village I heard the couple calling after me. Entering in a conversation about their beautiful Bella, they explained to me that they were having issues with the year old pup with children. I laughed and sheepishly told them I am a semi-retired dog trainer. They explained that they are taking her to Philly for a behaviorist evaluation as she recently bit two people during and interaction with a child. I gave the pup the briefest of evaluations and even witnessed the owner accidentally pour water on the pup's back and head. Bella had nerves of steel, was delightful and behaved exactly as a year old Rott pup with marginal training should. I recommended they follow through with the Philly evaluation, admitted my regret that I couldn't offer my own services as a trainer as I cannot promise to be as attentive to a heavy training case as I felt they would need and referred them to a well seasoned local trainer for advanced work. Then I took a good-natured ribbing from my friend Shannon who happened by us and asked if I had taken to just pulling dogs off the street to satisfy my own training needs.
Having cut my training teeth on Rotties, I know a fair amount about negotiating life with the breed. Firstly, they don't come trained, but they do come smart (pardon the grammar here). It always (in my opinion) holds true that the smarter the dog the more creative they will be in trying to get around your human commands. In addition, the more dominant the dog the more motivated he or she will be to test your leadership. Rottweilers are what some trainers call Make Me dogs. You have to insist upon obedience and for some Rottie owners this can be a long and tiresome prospect. They are not a dog for Everyman and I have talked many a friend out of getting one. They do not respond well to coercive, heavy handed correction; they do need correction but brute force can be met with brute response (more on this in a later post). Lastly, they have a prolonged puppyhood and "act up" sometimes into the third of fourth year.
A Rottie owner must contend not only with the iron will and physical strength of the dog but also the crummy reputation this breed has received. Poor breeding and less than responsible ownership are the primary reasons this breed has taken on such a nasty and frightening veneer. As a trainer, when educated "dangerous" breed owners I have stressed -to the point of annoying my clients- that supreme owner responsibility is critical. Physical fencing, electric fencing and serious, dedicated training are mandatory. Every safeguard must be put in place as any negative event will be blamed on your large breed, dangerous animal. Even if the toy poodle started it!
Despite all the flack this breed has taken, I just can't help but love them Rotties. Bella, I am hopeful, will be fine with more training from her owners and safe exposure to children that shows her precisely what behaviors will and will not be accepted. Few dogs are rotten beyond repair. Rottweilers in particular are just demanding of their owners and need to have firm leadership and guidance. In return, Rottie owners will have a dedicated canine companion willing to jump through flaming hoops or take a bullet for their families.
As for me, I will continue to blurt out praise for good looking and well behaved Rottweilers. Perhaps some of you will see me, leading a pack of majestic black and tan dogs toward West End and, hopefully, breed redemption. Until then, good day and good training to you all!
Case in point, while taking my son for a much needed run on the Long Branch Promenade, I saw a couple walking a beautiful female adolescent. Unable to help myself, I called over, "She's lovely! I own two." While this is not entirely true as I lost my big boy Buster to bone cancer a year and a half ago, I still occasionally say I have two Rotties before thinking about it. I do miss Buster desperately as he was a fantastic dog to the end. After a few strides toward Pier Village I heard the couple calling after me. Entering in a conversation about their beautiful Bella, they explained to me that they were having issues with the year old pup with children. I laughed and sheepishly told them I am a semi-retired dog trainer. They explained that they are taking her to Philly for a behaviorist evaluation as she recently bit two people during and interaction with a child. I gave the pup the briefest of evaluations and even witnessed the owner accidentally pour water on the pup's back and head. Bella had nerves of steel, was delightful and behaved exactly as a year old Rott pup with marginal training should. I recommended they follow through with the Philly evaluation, admitted my regret that I couldn't offer my own services as a trainer as I cannot promise to be as attentive to a heavy training case as I felt they would need and referred them to a well seasoned local trainer for advanced work. Then I took a good-natured ribbing from my friend Shannon who happened by us and asked if I had taken to just pulling dogs off the street to satisfy my own training needs.
Having cut my training teeth on Rotties, I know a fair amount about negotiating life with the breed. Firstly, they don't come trained, but they do come smart (pardon the grammar here). It always (in my opinion) holds true that the smarter the dog the more creative they will be in trying to get around your human commands. In addition, the more dominant the dog the more motivated he or she will be to test your leadership. Rottweilers are what some trainers call Make Me dogs. You have to insist upon obedience and for some Rottie owners this can be a long and tiresome prospect. They are not a dog for Everyman and I have talked many a friend out of getting one. They do not respond well to coercive, heavy handed correction; they do need correction but brute force can be met with brute response (more on this in a later post). Lastly, they have a prolonged puppyhood and "act up" sometimes into the third of fourth year.
A Rottie owner must contend not only with the iron will and physical strength of the dog but also the crummy reputation this breed has received. Poor breeding and less than responsible ownership are the primary reasons this breed has taken on such a nasty and frightening veneer. As a trainer, when educated "dangerous" breed owners I have stressed -to the point of annoying my clients- that supreme owner responsibility is critical. Physical fencing, electric fencing and serious, dedicated training are mandatory. Every safeguard must be put in place as any negative event will be blamed on your large breed, dangerous animal. Even if the toy poodle started it!
Despite all the flack this breed has taken, I just can't help but love them Rotties. Bella, I am hopeful, will be fine with more training from her owners and safe exposure to children that shows her precisely what behaviors will and will not be accepted. Few dogs are rotten beyond repair. Rottweilers in particular are just demanding of their owners and need to have firm leadership and guidance. In return, Rottie owners will have a dedicated canine companion willing to jump through flaming hoops or take a bullet for their families.
As for me, I will continue to blurt out praise for good looking and well behaved Rottweilers. Perhaps some of you will see me, leading a pack of majestic black and tan dogs toward West End and, hopefully, breed redemption. Until then, good day and good training to you all!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Oh, baby! Oh, baby! Oh, baby! How to Have Dogs and a Baby 101
My friend Ed is expecting a baby. Well, his beautiful wife, Michele, is expecting a baby. Ed is just living vicariously through her! When my Aunt suggested I start this blog Ed and Michele came to mind as they have two toy breeds that pretty much think they are the masters of the universe. No offense to Ed and Michele, of course! Their dogs are not rotten or extremely unruly but exhibit the garden variety impish behavior I would expect from most dogs under 30 or so pounds. I warned Ed in advance that I would be mentioning his family in the blog and he responded with a good starting point for me. He said he knew that you should bring the baby's blanket home from the hospital for the dogs to smell and get to know the baby before he/she comes home and asked what else he should do.
I used to volunteer a free class at the Area's Biggest Baby Shower in New Brusnwick, NJ with my dog Buffy to demo how a dog should behave around small babies. Joe and I also offered a 2 hour Pre-Baby Class at Camp K-911. We highly recommended that expectant parents start preparing all pets in the family for a new baby as soon as they find out they are having a baby. When I found out I was having my daughter my own mother reacted with, "What are you going to do about those Rottweilers?" At the time I had two, Buster and Buffy, and they were just about as well trained as you could ask two dogs to be. They were both shining examples of the genius, precision and gregariousness that is often overlooked in their particular breed. I told my mother they would have to adjust to the changes in our family but that they would be staying no matter what. I told her they were family and they would learn to love and protect our newest and littlest member just as they had me. This is the same thing I would tell my clients: as your pack/family evolves and grows, your dog should be included in those changes. Having a baby does NOT mean the dog has to go, but change and evolve he must and this is done only with your guidance and leadership.
(Just to note, Lopey was a puppy at this time, but Lopey's story will have its own post... probably in several parts! Buckle up for THAT, readers!)
I break the process of Baby Training into trimesters to keep it congruent with the development of the pregnancy.
First Trimester:
1. Make a plan: Yeah, I know. You pretty much need to make one more plan while growing a baby! However, logistics are fairly important and the plan should be set early and enacted. Decide if the dog will be allowed to continue to sleep in your bed, on the couch, etc. If you start early enough in the pregnancy you will have plenty of time to make these changes slowly and kindly and create alternatives for your dog. (ie. a soft, luxurious dog bed instead of the couch, etc.). I do recommend that the dog be excluded from the nursery unless escorted by an full-grown human with a leash. Trust me on this one: mother-in-laws will go mad at the site of dog hair in the nursery and will probably call a HAZMAT team as well as DYFS the first minute you leave the room. You may feel that installing a doggie door and fence will give your dog a bit more freedom. You may want to incorporate a crate so your dog has his own room to get away from all the excitement. Discuss the logistics calmly and rationally. The important thing is to set a plan and put it into action.
2. Assess your level of obedience: No, this is not directed at the expectant father (though it would serve you well to brush up on following your lady's hints, subtle suggestions and outright demands!). Run down the list of basic commands for any dog: sit, stay, down, stay, come, stay, heel, stay. Notice some thing here? Stay (and I mean STAY PUT AND DON'T YOU DARE MOVE) is a vital command when expecting a new baby. You want to be able to put your dog in a place and not have him second guess you and tra-la-la over to you changing a dirty diaper as he will probably (worst case scenario) grab it and run around the house "redecorating" if you will. You'll also want to be able to answer the door with your sweet baby in one arm to receive the lovely -and daily- bunch of roses from the new daddy (fellas, THAT'S a hint!) without the dog bolting out of the door and creating a whole rescue drama that is not fun, amusing or exhilarating at all. If your dog is woefully lacking in these vital command, call a trainer and get a crash course. Remember, at this point you still have months to prepare.
Second Trimester:
1. Time to get moving: At this point expectant Mom should be feeling pretty good and still have some agility in her. Not that I'd have her jumping over double jumps or walking balance beams, but her center of balance typically has not taken a weird turn. I myself didn't feel awkward with my first pregnancy until about month 8 when I got stuck on the floor in a puppy class and Joe had to help me up and immediately put me on forced maternity leave after the class. with my second pregnancy, I was pretty uncoordinated at month 4. Using eating utensils was even a juggling act!
Nonetheless, Mom should get moving with the dog in baby-style. What I mean by this is you should incorporate the baby equipment into your life NOW. Push a stroller while walking the dog, start playing baby cries on the computer (there are a number of web sites that have these screaming infant recordings exactly for this purpose), set up a playpen, crib, etc. and get the dog used to seeing and negotiating all this new stuff. Some folks have a tradition of not bringing any baby items into the house until the baby is born. If this is the case find a trainer that offers baby classes. I had a whole spectrum of strollers, blankets, playpens and the like for this purpose. Clients could come to the school, train the dog with the equipment and go home. The benefits are not as good as having a real-life experience in the home. If your dog reacts negatively to the addition of all the accessories that come with a new little one you still have time to correct it.
2. Step up your training: Even if your dog's behavior is spectacular, you should make an effort to advance his training or add in some fun events, tricks, skills for him to master. The reality is your dog's grip on your attention is slipping and he may already know it. Engineering creative ways for him to continue to participate in the family will be super beneficial for his well-being. Retrieving the newspaper, learning to fetch the mail (this is a bit advanced but still possible) or helping to close doors (a fairly simple learning process) all help to incorporate your dog into the new family dynamic. A dog that has a clear set of rules and a simple, comprehensive job description is a happy dog. If advanced trick training is simply beyond you, establishing a regular and daily walk or fetch game. This should preserve a healthy dose of daily, private human and dog interactive time. Keep it Dog Time and be sure to leave the new baby out of it.
Third Trimester:
1. Adopt a needy, plastic baby: I know. You want the real baby. You are dying to meet him or her. So is your dog. His acute senses have him fully aware that there is massive hormonal changes in the air. My own dog Buffy actually started to act quite odd around me before I learned I was pregnant with my daughter. She was so odd, uncharacteristically gentle and steadfastly refusing to do any bite work that I actually took her to the vet thinking there was something physically wrong with her. It was only in later weeks when I found out I was expecting that I realized the cause for her odd change of spirit. It continued throughout my first pregnancy and recurred in my second. Trust me, your dog knows something is coming and he needs your help to navigate the pack change.
So get yourself a Fake Baby. Find one at a garage sale, borrow one from a family member or purchase one. Ideally I would recommend one that cries. While I was pregnant with my daughter I had a Fake Baby that would laugh and cry at random (she cost about $20 and was worth every penny). In order to get her to stop crying you would have to pat her on the back or rock her. The Fake Baby was pretty tricky to console and one day my Mother visited during a significant training session with Buster and Buffy. I just couldn't get the Fake Baby to settle down; the dogs were doing great in patient down and stays. So I flipped the Fake Baby over and flipped the shut off switch. My Mother said, "Uh, Anna, you know, the real baby won't have a shut off switch." Touche, Mom, touche! Live with your Fake Baby! If your dog is going to make mistakes you want him to make mistakes with the Fake Baby! Carry the Fake Baby around. Put the Fake Baby to bed and tell your dog it is Quiet Time (aka. down and stay time). Put small amounts of baby powder, cleanser, wipes and lotion on the exposed plastic bits so your dog can become accustomed to the new product smells in the house. Basically, treat the Fake Baby like your real baby and command obedience from your dog. Again, at this point you still have time
2.Practice the Homecoming ritual: When Mom goes to the hospital, her absence, Dad's tension then elation will not go unnoticed by your dog. Anticipate a reactive dog when she returns. Rather than have Mom and new baby pawed when they arrive home, practice the following Homecoming ritual with a fake baby and stick with it when you come home.
Firstly, Mom should not, should not have the baby when she comes home from the hospital. Mom will be sorely missed for the 3-7 days she has gone "missing." Upon her arrival at home Mom should be sure to dedicate a lavish greeting to the household dogs sans baby. I cannot stress this enough. A new parent's reaction when a dog jumps up at a baby is to pull the baby out of harm's way. This will cause your dog to jump and this may teach your dog to jump at the baby to investigate. Remember that dog is just as interested in meeting this new person as you are. You can't fault him for that, but you can manage his behavior and manners. After a sufficient greeting, Mom (or a third party if Mom is in pain or excessively stitched or there is a significant difference in Mom/dog size) should leash the dog and Dad should bring in the new baby. As quickly as possible the baby should be placed in a bouncy seat, crib or similar sleeping apparatus. Be sure to keep baby at an elevated level. Don't put the baby, bouncer, etc. on the floor. Now, Mom and Dad should let the dog sniff about and investigate the new pack member. You don't have to let the dog get very close. No slobbering on the crib or baby. NOTE: YOUR DOG WILL GET EXCITED. When he does start to unhinge with excitement, start throwing him commands in near proximity to the baby. This will teach your dog that your commands still count, your rules still hold even though there is a new member disrupting the order of your pack and that his unswerving obedience is non-negotiable. Use your stay command. Down and stay around the baby's stations are critical.
3. Come to terms with the animal in your dog: My apologies to all of you that dress your dogs in Bark Avenue duds, have Poochi fur-trimmed carriers and the like, but the reality is your darling overly-bred, allegedly-domesticated pet is really an animal. I know you have loved him and raised him as if he came from your own loins, but the truth is he is a dog and every dog has the potential to "let the wolf out." I recommend that parents not allow children to be unsupervised with dogs regardless of the size of the dog until the children are between 10-13 years old. I will be discussing this further in another post but for now do not leave the dog with the baby. Be smart and err on the side of caution.
As a trainer, I found that the families that were most concerned about Pre-Baby Training were the families that had the least to worry about. Conversely, the more cavalier and casual the family, the more potential danger was apparent. I had one family that called me a few days after the new baby had come home and when I arrived for the class I was greeted by FIVE 100+lbs Rottweilers (two of which were un-neutered males), all unleashed and a five day old infant in a car seat on the floor. Loving the Rottie breed as I do but also having a profound respect for what they are capable of, I froze in the threshold of the front door. Frankly, I wasn't sure if the totally excited dogs would knock the baby over and injure her or attack me for intruding. out of the corner of my mouth I asked the family members to carefully and calmly leash up all five dogs so we could address them one at a time and reduce the Disaster Potential significantly. After some serious evaluation, I'm glad to say I convinced the family to crash course the dogs and we put a number of safety plans in effect until the dogs were fully and reliably trained. Fortunately, the dogs were all good-spirited and very stable and trained well and this story has a very happy ending with a satisfied family, well-adjusted dogs and, most importantly, a safe newborn.
This outline of training and expectation is merely a sampling of the creative methods that can be employed to incorporate. Obedience is the core of maintaining a good family pack in which no one has to go live with Aunt Edna. I must stress that if you have any doubts about your dog's ability to handle the new addition, if you have aggression issues the you have ignored or if you are simply unwilling to train your dog at all, you are courting disaster. Enlist a good, reliable trainer for a clear and dog-specific evaluation. Please keep in mind that there is no educational requirement or licensing for dog trainers in many states, nor is there a doctrine standards and practices. It is best to locate a certified trainer and most trade schools have a search engine on their sites. National K-9 School for Dog Trainers, the school from which I received my certifications, is an excellent school and turns out well-educated trainers who are instructed to use a variety of techniques to teach owners and dogs the basics of obedience and beyond. Ask for references and be sure they are experienced in teaching Pre-Baby courses. This is the most important training you and your dog will do, so don't slack off on it and certainly don't blow it off!
And remember, at this point you still have time. But get to work!!!
I used to volunteer a free class at the Area's Biggest Baby Shower in New Brusnwick, NJ with my dog Buffy to demo how a dog should behave around small babies. Joe and I also offered a 2 hour Pre-Baby Class at Camp K-911. We highly recommended that expectant parents start preparing all pets in the family for a new baby as soon as they find out they are having a baby. When I found out I was having my daughter my own mother reacted with, "What are you going to do about those Rottweilers?" At the time I had two, Buster and Buffy, and they were just about as well trained as you could ask two dogs to be. They were both shining examples of the genius, precision and gregariousness that is often overlooked in their particular breed. I told my mother they would have to adjust to the changes in our family but that they would be staying no matter what. I told her they were family and they would learn to love and protect our newest and littlest member just as they had me. This is the same thing I would tell my clients: as your pack/family evolves and grows, your dog should be included in those changes. Having a baby does NOT mean the dog has to go, but change and evolve he must and this is done only with your guidance and leadership.
(Just to note, Lopey was a puppy at this time, but Lopey's story will have its own post... probably in several parts! Buckle up for THAT, readers!)
I break the process of Baby Training into trimesters to keep it congruent with the development of the pregnancy.
First Trimester:
1. Make a plan: Yeah, I know. You pretty much need to make one more plan while growing a baby! However, logistics are fairly important and the plan should be set early and enacted. Decide if the dog will be allowed to continue to sleep in your bed, on the couch, etc. If you start early enough in the pregnancy you will have plenty of time to make these changes slowly and kindly and create alternatives for your dog. (ie. a soft, luxurious dog bed instead of the couch, etc.). I do recommend that the dog be excluded from the nursery unless escorted by an full-grown human with a leash. Trust me on this one: mother-in-laws will go mad at the site of dog hair in the nursery and will probably call a HAZMAT team as well as DYFS the first minute you leave the room. You may feel that installing a doggie door and fence will give your dog a bit more freedom. You may want to incorporate a crate so your dog has his own room to get away from all the excitement. Discuss the logistics calmly and rationally. The important thing is to set a plan and put it into action.
2. Assess your level of obedience: No, this is not directed at the expectant father (though it would serve you well to brush up on following your lady's hints, subtle suggestions and outright demands!). Run down the list of basic commands for any dog: sit, stay, down, stay, come, stay, heel, stay. Notice some thing here? Stay (and I mean STAY PUT AND DON'T YOU DARE MOVE) is a vital command when expecting a new baby. You want to be able to put your dog in a place and not have him second guess you and tra-la-la over to you changing a dirty diaper as he will probably (worst case scenario) grab it and run around the house "redecorating" if you will. You'll also want to be able to answer the door with your sweet baby in one arm to receive the lovely -and daily- bunch of roses from the new daddy (fellas, THAT'S a hint!) without the dog bolting out of the door and creating a whole rescue drama that is not fun, amusing or exhilarating at all. If your dog is woefully lacking in these vital command, call a trainer and get a crash course. Remember, at this point you still have months to prepare.
Second Trimester:
1. Time to get moving: At this point expectant Mom should be feeling pretty good and still have some agility in her. Not that I'd have her jumping over double jumps or walking balance beams, but her center of balance typically has not taken a weird turn. I myself didn't feel awkward with my first pregnancy until about month 8 when I got stuck on the floor in a puppy class and Joe had to help me up and immediately put me on forced maternity leave after the class. with my second pregnancy, I was pretty uncoordinated at month 4. Using eating utensils was even a juggling act!
Nonetheless, Mom should get moving with the dog in baby-style. What I mean by this is you should incorporate the baby equipment into your life NOW. Push a stroller while walking the dog, start playing baby cries on the computer (there are a number of web sites that have these screaming infant recordings exactly for this purpose), set up a playpen, crib, etc. and get the dog used to seeing and negotiating all this new stuff. Some folks have a tradition of not bringing any baby items into the house until the baby is born. If this is the case find a trainer that offers baby classes. I had a whole spectrum of strollers, blankets, playpens and the like for this purpose. Clients could come to the school, train the dog with the equipment and go home. The benefits are not as good as having a real-life experience in the home. If your dog reacts negatively to the addition of all the accessories that come with a new little one you still have time to correct it.
2. Step up your training: Even if your dog's behavior is spectacular, you should make an effort to advance his training or add in some fun events, tricks, skills for him to master. The reality is your dog's grip on your attention is slipping and he may already know it. Engineering creative ways for him to continue to participate in the family will be super beneficial for his well-being. Retrieving the newspaper, learning to fetch the mail (this is a bit advanced but still possible) or helping to close doors (a fairly simple learning process) all help to incorporate your dog into the new family dynamic. A dog that has a clear set of rules and a simple, comprehensive job description is a happy dog. If advanced trick training is simply beyond you, establishing a regular and daily walk or fetch game. This should preserve a healthy dose of daily, private human and dog interactive time. Keep it Dog Time and be sure to leave the new baby out of it.
Third Trimester:
1. Adopt a needy, plastic baby: I know. You want the real baby. You are dying to meet him or her. So is your dog. His acute senses have him fully aware that there is massive hormonal changes in the air. My own dog Buffy actually started to act quite odd around me before I learned I was pregnant with my daughter. She was so odd, uncharacteristically gentle and steadfastly refusing to do any bite work that I actually took her to the vet thinking there was something physically wrong with her. It was only in later weeks when I found out I was expecting that I realized the cause for her odd change of spirit. It continued throughout my first pregnancy and recurred in my second. Trust me, your dog knows something is coming and he needs your help to navigate the pack change.
So get yourself a Fake Baby. Find one at a garage sale, borrow one from a family member or purchase one. Ideally I would recommend one that cries. While I was pregnant with my daughter I had a Fake Baby that would laugh and cry at random (she cost about $20 and was worth every penny). In order to get her to stop crying you would have to pat her on the back or rock her. The Fake Baby was pretty tricky to console and one day my Mother visited during a significant training session with Buster and Buffy. I just couldn't get the Fake Baby to settle down; the dogs were doing great in patient down and stays. So I flipped the Fake Baby over and flipped the shut off switch. My Mother said, "Uh, Anna, you know, the real baby won't have a shut off switch." Touche, Mom, touche! Live with your Fake Baby! If your dog is going to make mistakes you want him to make mistakes with the Fake Baby! Carry the Fake Baby around. Put the Fake Baby to bed and tell your dog it is Quiet Time (aka. down and stay time). Put small amounts of baby powder, cleanser, wipes and lotion on the exposed plastic bits so your dog can become accustomed to the new product smells in the house. Basically, treat the Fake Baby like your real baby and command obedience from your dog. Again, at this point you still have time
2.Practice the Homecoming ritual: When Mom goes to the hospital, her absence, Dad's tension then elation will not go unnoticed by your dog. Anticipate a reactive dog when she returns. Rather than have Mom and new baby pawed when they arrive home, practice the following Homecoming ritual with a fake baby and stick with it when you come home.
Firstly, Mom should not, should not have the baby when she comes home from the hospital. Mom will be sorely missed for the 3-7 days she has gone "missing." Upon her arrival at home Mom should be sure to dedicate a lavish greeting to the household dogs sans baby. I cannot stress this enough. A new parent's reaction when a dog jumps up at a baby is to pull the baby out of harm's way. This will cause your dog to jump and this may teach your dog to jump at the baby to investigate. Remember that dog is just as interested in meeting this new person as you are. You can't fault him for that, but you can manage his behavior and manners. After a sufficient greeting, Mom (or a third party if Mom is in pain or excessively stitched or there is a significant difference in Mom/dog size) should leash the dog and Dad should bring in the new baby. As quickly as possible the baby should be placed in a bouncy seat, crib or similar sleeping apparatus. Be sure to keep baby at an elevated level. Don't put the baby, bouncer, etc. on the floor. Now, Mom and Dad should let the dog sniff about and investigate the new pack member. You don't have to let the dog get very close. No slobbering on the crib or baby. NOTE: YOUR DOG WILL GET EXCITED. When he does start to unhinge with excitement, start throwing him commands in near proximity to the baby. This will teach your dog that your commands still count, your rules still hold even though there is a new member disrupting the order of your pack and that his unswerving obedience is non-negotiable. Use your stay command. Down and stay around the baby's stations are critical.
3. Come to terms with the animal in your dog: My apologies to all of you that dress your dogs in Bark Avenue duds, have Poochi fur-trimmed carriers and the like, but the reality is your darling overly-bred, allegedly-domesticated pet is really an animal. I know you have loved him and raised him as if he came from your own loins, but the truth is he is a dog and every dog has the potential to "let the wolf out." I recommend that parents not allow children to be unsupervised with dogs regardless of the size of the dog until the children are between 10-13 years old. I will be discussing this further in another post but for now do not leave the dog with the baby. Be smart and err on the side of caution.
As a trainer, I found that the families that were most concerned about Pre-Baby Training were the families that had the least to worry about. Conversely, the more cavalier and casual the family, the more potential danger was apparent. I had one family that called me a few days after the new baby had come home and when I arrived for the class I was greeted by FIVE 100+lbs Rottweilers (two of which were un-neutered males), all unleashed and a five day old infant in a car seat on the floor. Loving the Rottie breed as I do but also having a profound respect for what they are capable of, I froze in the threshold of the front door. Frankly, I wasn't sure if the totally excited dogs would knock the baby over and injure her or attack me for intruding. out of the corner of my mouth I asked the family members to carefully and calmly leash up all five dogs so we could address them one at a time and reduce the Disaster Potential significantly. After some serious evaluation, I'm glad to say I convinced the family to crash course the dogs and we put a number of safety plans in effect until the dogs were fully and reliably trained. Fortunately, the dogs were all good-spirited and very stable and trained well and this story has a very happy ending with a satisfied family, well-adjusted dogs and, most importantly, a safe newborn.
This outline of training and expectation is merely a sampling of the creative methods that can be employed to incorporate. Obedience is the core of maintaining a good family pack in which no one has to go live with Aunt Edna. I must stress that if you have any doubts about your dog's ability to handle the new addition, if you have aggression issues the you have ignored or if you are simply unwilling to train your dog at all, you are courting disaster. Enlist a good, reliable trainer for a clear and dog-specific evaluation. Please keep in mind that there is no educational requirement or licensing for dog trainers in many states, nor is there a doctrine standards and practices. It is best to locate a certified trainer and most trade schools have a search engine on their sites. National K-9 School for Dog Trainers, the school from which I received my certifications, is an excellent school and turns out well-educated trainers who are instructed to use a variety of techniques to teach owners and dogs the basics of obedience and beyond. Ask for references and be sure they are experienced in teaching Pre-Baby courses. This is the most important training you and your dog will do, so don't slack off on it and certainly don't blow it off!
And remember, at this point you still have time. But get to work!!!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Sorry for the Ray Bradbury reference but I couldn't help myself given the wild and wicked weather we have had in the North East the last two days.
Well, as you may or may not know from scrolling down and reading my first post, my Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Dave recently got a Yorkie pup named Charlie. Charlie is 4 months old and super cute in the pics (I should be meeting him at some point this weekend). Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Dave have one 22 year old daughter home finishing her last year of college, two sons just starting college in Pennsylvania, one female Jack Russel mix named Jackie and three cats Penny, Tony and Sammy (aka White Strips, for her super white teeth). Uncle Dave has a knack for finding perfect dogs in perfect needs and this was the case with Charlie. Aunt Marilyn was a bit uncertain about this new addition but I assured her that two dogs are certainly better than one as they benefit from canine companionship and tend to occupy each other when you are unable to pay undivided attention to your pet.
Day 2 Aunt Marilyn said Charlie was a bit frantic when she brought him out to go potty. Now, anyone who has ever raised a puppy knows they have to go out about 8,000 times a day until about 6-7 months old, longer if you have a large or giant breed as they pretty much poop all day long! He would go on a paper station she set up for him but it was indoors and she didn't want to set up a paper habit that would be hard to break (Side note: if you do choose to paper train a pup and you have and adult dog in the house, buckle up! The adult dog is GOING to start house soiling too.).
So far this sounds like a housetraining problem, right? Well, it's not. This is actually a sensory problem. For those of you that don't live at the Jersey Shore (Sho-Wa if you're from North Jersey!) our weather has been quite a spectacle the last few days. We had a low pressure system meet a high pressure system and BLAM we had lovely stormy weather with nearly 50 mph gusts of wind.
Dogs react very strongly to weather and the reason is hardly supernatural. Snow and rain will intensify old and new scents. However, dogs can discriminate between old and new scents. They will sniff the spot and go, Oh, a large male peed here some time ago but he's long gone now so I may as well mark it with a P myself! The world is a carcophany (if you will) of scents and dogs tend to negotiate it gracefully and thoughtfully, but certainly not dramatically.
Enter 50 mph wind into the equation. What happens now is all sorts fresh, NEW scents are kicked up toward your dog. Your dog has already taken inventory of the local dogstock: a mini-poodle lives three blocks away, a bulldog lives across the river, a minipin is a few houses away. When the wind kicks up now your dog is recognizing the scent of a huge Italian Mastiff that magically was transported to your back yard! He can't see it, but it's there! It's there! It's there! For humans, it would be akin to hearing voices in the next room but instead of barking and going in circles we would either call the cops, the Vatican or the liquor store!
My advice to Aunt Marilyn was to cut the little guy a bit of slack during wild weather. Charlie has a bit working against him at the moment. Firstly, he's 4 months old and completely clueless how to behave with humans in a human household. Secondly, he JUST moved in with them and has a whole bunch of animal roommates to get to know. The wind storm was probably ill-timed for his induction in to my Aunt and Uncle's family but there is no perfect time to get a dog. Life will alway interfere and create variables that make it impossible to create the perfect puppy-rearing environment. So far they are doing just great, but we'll keep an eye (or a nose, if you will) on them!
More to come...
Well, as you may or may not know from scrolling down and reading my first post, my Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Dave recently got a Yorkie pup named Charlie. Charlie is 4 months old and super cute in the pics (I should be meeting him at some point this weekend). Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Dave have one 22 year old daughter home finishing her last year of college, two sons just starting college in Pennsylvania, one female Jack Russel mix named Jackie and three cats Penny, Tony and Sammy (aka White Strips, for her super white teeth). Uncle Dave has a knack for finding perfect dogs in perfect needs and this was the case with Charlie. Aunt Marilyn was a bit uncertain about this new addition but I assured her that two dogs are certainly better than one as they benefit from canine companionship and tend to occupy each other when you are unable to pay undivided attention to your pet.
Day 2 Aunt Marilyn said Charlie was a bit frantic when she brought him out to go potty. Now, anyone who has ever raised a puppy knows they have to go out about 8,000 times a day until about 6-7 months old, longer if you have a large or giant breed as they pretty much poop all day long! He would go on a paper station she set up for him but it was indoors and she didn't want to set up a paper habit that would be hard to break (Side note: if you do choose to paper train a pup and you have and adult dog in the house, buckle up! The adult dog is GOING to start house soiling too.).
So far this sounds like a housetraining problem, right? Well, it's not. This is actually a sensory problem. For those of you that don't live at the Jersey Shore (Sho-Wa if you're from North Jersey!) our weather has been quite a spectacle the last few days. We had a low pressure system meet a high pressure system and BLAM we had lovely stormy weather with nearly 50 mph gusts of wind.
Dogs react very strongly to weather and the reason is hardly supernatural. Snow and rain will intensify old and new scents. However, dogs can discriminate between old and new scents. They will sniff the spot and go, Oh, a large male peed here some time ago but he's long gone now so I may as well mark it with a P myself! The world is a carcophany (if you will) of scents and dogs tend to negotiate it gracefully and thoughtfully, but certainly not dramatically.
Enter 50 mph wind into the equation. What happens now is all sorts fresh, NEW scents are kicked up toward your dog. Your dog has already taken inventory of the local dogstock: a mini-poodle lives three blocks away, a bulldog lives across the river, a minipin is a few houses away. When the wind kicks up now your dog is recognizing the scent of a huge Italian Mastiff that magically was transported to your back yard! He can't see it, but it's there! It's there! It's there! For humans, it would be akin to hearing voices in the next room but instead of barking and going in circles we would either call the cops, the Vatican or the liquor store!
My advice to Aunt Marilyn was to cut the little guy a bit of slack during wild weather. Charlie has a bit working against him at the moment. Firstly, he's 4 months old and completely clueless how to behave with humans in a human household. Secondly, he JUST moved in with them and has a whole bunch of animal roommates to get to know. The wind storm was probably ill-timed for his induction in to my Aunt and Uncle's family but there is no perfect time to get a dog. Life will alway interfere and create variables that make it impossible to create the perfect puppy-rearing environment. So far they are doing just great, but we'll keep an eye (or a nose, if you will) on them!
More to come...
Got questions?
I don't know if this is the smartest way to do this but I posted my email address so questions can be asked and (hopefully) answered. Subscribers feel free to pose questions. I will refrain from using real, names, email addresses, identities, etc. of subscribers I don't know personally as I am anticipating the same questions to be asked by varied sources. If you are family or a friend, I'm sorry but all bets are off and I'll be posting all sorts of embarrassing stories, situations and anecdotes about you and your dogs! Please try to keep a sense of humor and don't take me off the Christmas card list!
Good training to you all!
Good training to you all!
Why not, said the semi-retired dog trainer...
I know a lot about a few things. I know a lot about all kinds of literature. I know WAY too much about the Russian Revolution and the execution of Nicholas II's family. I know a lot about baking bread. I know a lot about training dogs.
I have loved dogs and animals in general for my whole life. I've been training dogs for as long as I can remember. I became a professional, certified trainer after four years of college, much to my parent's dismay. (I did eventually impress them when they got a Westie and a King Charles I think) I have owned terriers, German Sheps, one gloriously fat and fabulous min-pin named Suzie and few Rottweilers. I currently own one super-smart 11 year old female Rottweiler named Buffy that is trained for scent work, bite work, agility, handicapped assistance and anything else a dog can be trained to do. Buff is getting on in years and is a ripe old retired bitch. I also own a disasterous American Bulldog named Lopey. Lopey is about 5 years old, 140 pounds of dopey dog and will probably live to be 25.
Having started a family a few years ago, continuing my dog training business did not seem to be a reality. When I was working full time with dogs I would put approximately a 60-80 hour work with a full time partner each week depending on how many dogs we were boarding. With kids it just didn't seem possible to dedicate myself to my clients and still be fair to my partner Joe. So Joe (the greatest business partner and most natural dog trainer EVER) went off to grad school for engineering and I closed up shop.
I made it a point to stay in touch with some of my clients. (Thank god for chain e-mails and Facebook, right?). I told the vet clinics that referred clients to the business that I would work as a consultant if they needed to refer anyone with dog issues who could not afford a traditional trainer. Out of thanks for the countless referrals, I offered this service free of charge. A few people contacted me, but not many. What I did find was that my old clients and family and friends would pitch me all sorts of good questions about why their dog would do this or what to do about that behavior. I drive my fiance Alan nuts because I could spend an hour on the phone discussing nuisance barking. As he says, I could talk the ear off a donkey.
Recently my sister Wendy got a new rescued puppy (probably pit-mix, definately cute and bright, bright, BRIGHT) and my Aunt Marilyn, Cat Maven Extrodinare, got a surprise Yorkie puppy from her husband Uncle Dave, Dog Lover Extrodinare. I ran over to meet Wendy's new dog Lilly and had a blast training her. I gave Wendy a STACK of books and told her read what she could and take what works from all the different trainers. I've been on the phone a number of times with Aunt Marilyn just to see how Charlie is adjusting and she's asked about a few of his behaviors. After giving her some protracted answers interspersed with human gossip she probably got sick of being on the phone with me and suggested the idea of a blog for me. So I said, Why not?
I always thought I was too cool to blog but since having "retired" I have only one trainer that I feel comfortable referring serious cases to. Most trainers are ego maniacs and will spend 3/4 of your lesson pitching themselves to you... every time you see them. Forgive me if I fall into this trap on the blog: it is the bane of most dog trainers but at least I'm aware of it. Most trainers stick to one "system" or school of training and claim "a dog is a dog." We have made such advances in behavior research that is truly a discredit to the dog to continue to my "will and stick" as has been done for centuries. Dog training is only as varied as people and dogs are. In other words, possibilities are limitless and it is the creative and open minded dog trainer and owner that will get the best results and develop the best cooperative partnership with their pets. Shaping behavior is a subtle, persistent action, not a bold and aggressive quest.
I hope that this blog will help people understand more about why their dog does this or that. I hope that this blog will help dog owners understand that there is more that one way to train a dog just as there is more that one way to skin a cat (Sorry for the pun, Cat Lovers and Aunt Marilyn!).
In closing this first, virgin blog, please read on with a sense of humor and an open mind. This blog will represent only one trainer's opinion and any given problem has countless solutions and methods. As the old saying goes, The only thing two dog trainers will agree upon is that the other one is wrong (wish I could credit this quote because it's genius).
Read on with humor, good sense and good training to you all!
I have loved dogs and animals in general for my whole life. I've been training dogs for as long as I can remember. I became a professional, certified trainer after four years of college, much to my parent's dismay. (I did eventually impress them when they got a Westie and a King Charles I think) I have owned terriers, German Sheps, one gloriously fat and fabulous min-pin named Suzie and few Rottweilers. I currently own one super-smart 11 year old female Rottweiler named Buffy that is trained for scent work, bite work, agility, handicapped assistance and anything else a dog can be trained to do. Buff is getting on in years and is a ripe old retired bitch. I also own a disasterous American Bulldog named Lopey. Lopey is about 5 years old, 140 pounds of dopey dog and will probably live to be 25.
Having started a family a few years ago, continuing my dog training business did not seem to be a reality. When I was working full time with dogs I would put approximately a 60-80 hour work with a full time partner each week depending on how many dogs we were boarding. With kids it just didn't seem possible to dedicate myself to my clients and still be fair to my partner Joe. So Joe (the greatest business partner and most natural dog trainer EVER) went off to grad school for engineering and I closed up shop.
I made it a point to stay in touch with some of my clients. (Thank god for chain e-mails and Facebook, right?). I told the vet clinics that referred clients to the business that I would work as a consultant if they needed to refer anyone with dog issues who could not afford a traditional trainer. Out of thanks for the countless referrals, I offered this service free of charge. A few people contacted me, but not many. What I did find was that my old clients and family and friends would pitch me all sorts of good questions about why their dog would do this or what to do about that behavior. I drive my fiance Alan nuts because I could spend an hour on the phone discussing nuisance barking. As he says, I could talk the ear off a donkey.
Recently my sister Wendy got a new rescued puppy (probably pit-mix, definately cute and bright, bright, BRIGHT) and my Aunt Marilyn, Cat Maven Extrodinare, got a surprise Yorkie puppy from her husband Uncle Dave, Dog Lover Extrodinare. I ran over to meet Wendy's new dog Lilly and had a blast training her. I gave Wendy a STACK of books and told her read what she could and take what works from all the different trainers. I've been on the phone a number of times with Aunt Marilyn just to see how Charlie is adjusting and she's asked about a few of his behaviors. After giving her some protracted answers interspersed with human gossip she probably got sick of being on the phone with me and suggested the idea of a blog for me. So I said, Why not?
I always thought I was too cool to blog but since having "retired" I have only one trainer that I feel comfortable referring serious cases to. Most trainers are ego maniacs and will spend 3/4 of your lesson pitching themselves to you... every time you see them. Forgive me if I fall into this trap on the blog: it is the bane of most dog trainers but at least I'm aware of it. Most trainers stick to one "system" or school of training and claim "a dog is a dog." We have made such advances in behavior research that is truly a discredit to the dog to continue to my "will and stick" as has been done for centuries. Dog training is only as varied as people and dogs are. In other words, possibilities are limitless and it is the creative and open minded dog trainer and owner that will get the best results and develop the best cooperative partnership with their pets. Shaping behavior is a subtle, persistent action, not a bold and aggressive quest.
I hope that this blog will help people understand more about why their dog does this or that. I hope that this blog will help dog owners understand that there is more that one way to train a dog just as there is more that one way to skin a cat (Sorry for the pun, Cat Lovers and Aunt Marilyn!).
In closing this first, virgin blog, please read on with a sense of humor and an open mind. This blog will represent only one trainer's opinion and any given problem has countless solutions and methods. As the old saying goes, The only thing two dog trainers will agree upon is that the other one is wrong (wish I could credit this quote because it's genius).
Read on with humor, good sense and good training to you all!
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