Kids & Dogs – Good Sense Tips

ByLilianAkin,FamilyDogTrainingProfessional

We all know the great relationships that people form with their dogs, and many had their start when we were just kids. Doesn’t everyone have a memory of their first dog, playing in the yard together or sneaking them into bed? Watching TV on the floor, trying to feed vegetables under the table or long summer walk are some of the sweet reminders of the bond between us and our first childhood fur-friend. As today’s lifestyles have changed, so has the advice and information we have about our furry friends and how to build the best relationships.

There are things parents can do to help get things off on the right foot. For example, “The dogs should be exposed to changes coming before they happen,” says Lilian Akin, local family dog trainer. You can push a stroller around, play sounds of babies crying and let the dog smell or experience what’s going to be happening in their world before the actual baby comes home. Many shelters offer a “Baby Ready Pets” course which goes over a list of situations and how to handle them that new parents might not have thought of. And there are online resources such as www.FamilyPaws.com that offer a lot of information and suggestions.

Little babies should always have a person between them and the dog, as they are at the most risk for damage from even a small incident because of their size. “Dogs should never come in direct contact with small babies” says Lilian. “You can sit on the couch with your baby on one side and your dog on your other. Or let the dog smell the baby through a baby gate. It’s also important to see things from the dog’s point of view.” Most dogs are going to be interested in a new baby, but you want to avoid encouraging bad behavior from the dog when doing the introductions. “Some people hold the baby down to the dog’s level, then pick them up and away in their arms, which can encourage the dog to jump or try to get at the baby as if it were a toy,” Akin explains.

Along with general manners, dogs can be taught extra commands such as “back-up” or “go” so they have a cue to escape or leave the situation if it becomes uncomfortable for them. Lilian teaches other baby specific things such as not stepping on the baby blanket so your pet can know what is expected of them. You can also teach the dog to lay down and be calm when the baby is on the floor, so they can share that special time together.

“And even small children can be taught to be gentle and respectful of animals. Teaching children not to lay on the dog’s bed or go in its crate shows them how to be respectful of the dog’s space,” encourages Lilian. Most people know not to let the child go near the dog when its eating, as that makes some dogs uncomfortable, but don’t always extend that courtesy to other things the dog might view as theirs. And toddles can be scary to dogs. They walk funny, more quickly and fall and dogs don’t understand what’s going on. One of the ways to help them understand kids are good is to throw treats to the dog while the toddle is coming towards them. Or teaching the dog to lay by the highchair and reap the food that falls from the sky.

Lilian states that the number one thing people usually do that she would change is holding or trapping the dog while the child comes close to it. “Some people hold the dog by the collar or pin it down in an effort to restrain it while kids come close, and that can be very frightening experience for the dog. If it is afraid, that feeling of not being able to escape could make the dog react in a fearful way, as he has no choice. Yelling at the dog or swatting at the dog may make the dog resent the child, rather than teach him how he should act or what is good manners,” she says. And don’t punish the dog if it growls! Those growls are the dog’s way of saying “Hey, I’m uncomfortable here!” Listen to the dog and be thankful he was able to let you know so you can make good choices about how to handle things. Dogs want to be our friends and we can help show them the way with a little preparation.

YoucancontactLiliandirectlyforadviceby email: laakin@verizon.net or call 412-977-7690 https://www.thinkingoutsidethecage. org/get-involved/events/

LilianAkin,3510GerberAvenue,Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania15212 CPDT-KA,CBCC-KAgotherstarttraining dogsbyvolunteeringatshelters.Shehasworked, volunteeredand/ortaughtclassesinallthreeofthe majorPittsburghshelters,AnimalFriends,theWestern Pa.HumaneSociety,andtheAnimalRescueLeague. Shestartedoutbyworkingwithshelterdogsunderthe guidanceofvolunteertrainers.

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ByPaulaShimkoKPACTP

Training the mind of a dog, and his body position are equally important. Training should always be fun, think about how little people learn. Why would a dog that has the cognitive ability as that of a 2-3-year-old toddler not learn the same way? After all they are both mammals, just different species. If one thinks about their dogs in this context it will take the pressure off both the dog and the human as they are learning together as a team.

Here are some simple rules to follow to train a healthy animal. Your dog’s emotional wellbeing is crucial to your dog’s feeling of safety. The hierarchy of your dog’s needs starts with safety and then food and water. In other words, if one doesn’t start training behaviors that the animal feels safe doing, then one can poison the dogs desire to learn. Training with fear and force free methods will help the dog to become a happy and wellstructured dog.

1. Positive Reinforcement is reinforcing a desired behavior with a value. The dog’s value not yours.

2. A dog is likely to repeat behaviors that are rewarded.

3. Learning does not occur if the dog does not feel safe.

4. A simple rule is that behaviors resulting in pleasant consequences will be repeated. A consequence drives behavior. Humans and dogs learn the same way. Association.

5. Rewards can be toys, food or praise. What does your dog value above all else?

6. Plan to set your dog up for success. Fear stops the learning process in both animals and people.

7. Ask yourself, what relationship do you have with your learner, what is your history of reinforcement?

8. Set your dog up for success by using management (crates, leashes, tethering to door knobs, mats or beds).

9. You are your dog’s advocate, be alert to your dogs’ body language. Your dog communicates with his body. When your dog is nervous, he will hold his breath. Be aware of your dog’s stress signals. If it doesn’t feel right, then it is not right. A good handler always keeps their dog’s wellbeing in mind.

10. When training behaviors use a happy voice, smile. Keep your body language soft. Keep your body still. Talk less, talking less allows the dog to think about what he needs to offer to earn a reward. Try not to disrupt patterns of thought.

11. Keep your dog’s arousal level as low as possible. Teach go to mat and settle games, be creative.

12. Teach your dog to relax, rub their ears softly, body and face. Massages may help to settle your dog.

13. A conditioned reinforcer is any signal an animal can perceive. The most popular are a clicker or a verbal marker such as” YES”. Mark the behavior as it is occurring. Do not rush to get the food in the dog’s mouth after the mark. Using the marker gives the handler time to get the reward to the dog. 1-2 seconds is longer than you think. Keep the clicker hand and the reward hand separate motions. These signals can be more powerful than the delivery of the value. The dog gets a hormonal rush with the mark. The mark creates the anticipation for the delivery of the value. It means to the dog “yes, you are correct give me a second and I will give you your reinforcement”.

14. A behavior an animal learns by way of shaping, (teaching in very small steps) is a very powerful way of teaching a behavior. These behaviors stick forever.

15. Always make sure you have your dog’s attention before you give a cue. Use a kissy sound to help the dog focus on you. It is important that the dog is connected to the handler before giving a cue.

16. What happens when a dog doesn’t perform a behavior when cued…nothing… This is a phrase you may want to use. “Try again”. This is called a “no reward marker”. You are saying to the dog “that’s not right try again, and you can earn that reward.” Keep in mind the behavior may not be strong enough.

17. How to get rid of unwanted behaviors is tough. For example, turning your back on a jumping dog causes frustration. Giving a cue for an alternate behavior such as sit, gets a reward. The behavior jump gets nothing (no verbalization please!) Be careful, make sure you pause in between behaviors so as not to teach a jump/sit.

18. Keep verbal cues one syllable (dogs are not VERBAL). Keep the cue as simple as possible. A cue is a green light for the dog to earn a reward.

19. Call your dog and reinforce him for a full 60 seconds for coming to you. This may be the most important behavior you will ever train. The dog that comes on recall is a safe dog.

20. The clicker is used to teach a behavior and then once the behavior is learned we attach a verbal cue. We then put the cue on a variable reinforcement schedule. Sometimes the dog is rewarded when cued and sometimes not. Maintaining behavior needs rewarded every now and then.

Training and modifying behavior are like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. It is our job to help the animal put the pieces together. When I am training an animal, I am watching everything about him. Through training I am having a conversation with the dog in front of me. Many times, they will tell me immediately what they are all about. Other times the animal makes me work harder to establish a conversation. The most important message I hope you have received from this article is that kindness goes a very long way. Keep these three things in mind when teaching your dog. Be kind, be consistent, and be patient. You are doing one of the hardest things there is, communicating with your dog.

Happy Training