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Dogs with Babies:Unleashed Potential’s 10 Tips For Introducing A Baby To A Dog

April 21, 2015 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

Dogs with Babies

Unleashed Potential’s 10 Tips For Introducing A Baby To A Dog And Getting Prepared:

So, Your expecting! Congratulations!! This is very exciting news! 🙂 Soooo……….Now what are you going to do with the dog? How will he/she take the baby coming?

Does your dog have any behavior problems that need to be addressed? Jumping? chewing or destructive behaviour? excessive barking? Running away or pulling on the leash? What about housebreaking or anxiety?

Does he dog growl around its food or toys? These are all issues and need to be addressed.

Even if you have good o’l faithful as a dog, you still should prepare for when baby comes home.

No worries!! you now have 9 months to prepare for success. 🙂 I suggest getting started now. With out to much detail I am going to list a number of tips and thing to take care of before baby comes.

1. LEADERSHIP. Make sure you have the right relationship with your dog. Leadership is important, just like a child with a parent, an employee with a boss, a team with a coach and so on…. If you have this bonded relationship then your dog is probably well behaved with little to no issues. The dog will look to you most often and work for things it wants instead of just demanding or taking what it wants. The dog will know its place in your family, trust you and most often be less anxious or fearful of things. Any training will be relatively easy and quick. If you don’t have the proper relationship and your dog is unruly, with behavior problems or shy and fearful then Implementing leadership skills or a nothing in life is free policy or doggy boot camp is important to start TODAY!

Lets put it this way. You work for a living right??? So why does your dog not? LOL! 🙂

2. OBEDIENCE TRAINING and Behavior Modification is most important while implementing the no free lunch policy. This teaches the dog how to work for you and will help build confidence, self control, and enhance your relationship. Seek out an educated, experienced, well balanced trainer to help you with this. Private training is much better to begin with than just a dog training group class. Educating you is the key. Do your research properly before hiring a trainer as they are a dime a dozen!! Talk is cheap, get several references, see their dog ,and assess the trainer and dog, meet with the trainer if possible don’t just talk on the phone to hire. Once you start training, work with your dog daily….even after baby comes. Work with any issues that still exist if any. Food bowl or resource guarding needs to be addressed asap.

3. ENERGY BURN OFF!!! A Tired dog is a good dog. 🙂 Most often a lot of behaviors go away when you start obedience training, running, swimming or other activities. The dog will be working both body and brain daily and this will satisfy its needs. Fetching and searching for toys is a life saver. Keep this up even after baby comes.

4. SPAY or NEUTER. If possible spay or neuter your dog. This is not a must but I highly suggest it unless you are a breeder.

5.CRATE TRAINING. With many dogs you might consider crate training in early stages of the no free lunch policy. This gives the dog a place to go, like a safe haven if they feel like getting some personal space. Like a baby needing a play pen when you cant supervise. ( PREVENTION).

6. SOCIALIZATION Get your dog socialized or desensitized to other baby’s and children as much as you can and make it positive. Depending on your dogs personality and issues you can even buy a baby doll and have the dog get used to you holding it and doing things you will soon be doing when baby comes. Teach the dog to be calm and obedient and attentive to you around the baby doll then around the real baby when it comes. Get the dog used to baby noises in the house if possible. After your baby is born and prior to baby coming home from the hospital dress the baby doll at home with the real baby’s clothing or blanket so the dog will get used to the scent. This makes for a smooth transition. Also desensitize the dog to being grabbed, poked,hugged and pinched, this is bound to happen when little one is around.

7. BOUNDARIES. no matter how good your dog is, boundary train the dog to stay out of the baby’s room. This should be off limits. Safety and prevention.

8. INTRODUCE. There are several ways to do this I will explain one basic way. When you do come home from the hospital make sure that you have the dogs energy burnt off prior to. Have the dog in another room or in its kennel resting. Bring baby in to the home and then when the environment is settled take the dog out to meet baby. Having the dog on a leash might need to be required depending on your dog and how much work you put in to preparing. Don’t make a big issue of the baby to prevent exciting the dog. Stay calm and relaxed. Don’t let the dog jump up or bump the baby or be pushy and invade the baby’s space. Make sure you are holding the baby to prevent this and maintain a personal space boundary. Continue teaching the dog to be calm around the baby by laying down or sitting quietly near you and the baby. As Baby gets older ….2..3..4 years old have him/her involved in training with you and the dog. I will post a video of a toddler training a german shepherd. Keep an eye out for this on my next blog post. 🙂

9. SPEND THE TIME. You have a big change in your life but don’t let this be an excuse to not spend the same amount of attention to your dog. Every day keep up working and playing with your dog. Burn off the energy and keep the obedience fresh. If you don’t think you have the time, make it!! No matter how much time the baby takes. It does not have to be long periods of time a day….frequent 10- 15 minute intervals here and there at random are effective. One on one time every day with the dog is important.

10. NEVER LEAVE THE DOG UNSUPERVISED WITH THE BABY!! Not for 1 second and it does not matter the size of your dog or how good your dog is. Do not leave the dog unsupervised with the baby.

Need Help? Find a trainer in your area. See Below

Duke Ferguson, ABDT, MT

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Mastering the Art of Attention

April 21, 2015 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

No matter what age or breed of dog we can help you too MASTER the art of attention with your dog! Below is a video shot with a young pup just 17wks of age. In one week we mastered attention! So that being said….

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

Have you been told you can’t train a dog until 6 months of age? Do you have trouble getting your dog to pay attention to you? If you answer YES, then watch this video. You will get to know the truth and see a mini dog training session and learn some quick tips. If you like this and want to see more educational and/or entertaining videos, subscribe today!!

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member CLICK HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

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It’s OK, He’s Friendly

April 21, 2015 By Guy Lapierre Leave a Comment

“It’s okay….he’s friendly!!”

Let’s discuss the importance of Off-Leash Recall. How many times have you heard an owner yelling that out to you from afar as his off leash dog runs towards you full tilt while ignoring all his owners attempts to call him back? Often the dogs name is repeated over and over and over, the word “treat” is thrown in for good measure and there’s a hint of desperation in the tone as their dog gets closer and closer.

If you are walking a dog with on leash reactivity or on leash aggression, you already know what is horribly wrong with this picture. You also probably know full well that at this point, it really doesn’t matter if the dog is friendly or not.

If you are “that guy yelling at your dog as he charges towards me and my on leash dog”, let me explain why this is totally unacceptable. Sure, accidents happen, dogs get out and go for a runabout around the neighbourhood…this isn’t the type of scenario I’m referring to. This isn’t a loose dog that someone is trying to catch,…I’m referring to the person who purposely un-clips that leash and allows their dog off leash when they don’t have reliable recall. I’m sure you’ve seen them at the park, I know I have run into my fair share walking through Point Pleasant. This post also isn’t about where you can legally let your dog off leash,…you are responsible for your dog whether the area is designated off leash or not. This is about being in control of your dog if you allow them off leash. Even in designated off leash areas you must be in control of your dog at all times. It is the law. The off leash areas are not “anything goes” areas (although judging by what I’ve witnessed on different occasions you’d think they were). You should be able to call your dog back to you, and leash them, if necessary. If you can’t, your dog should not be off leash and the reason being is that the on leash dog that your dog is running towards may not react well to an unleashed dog coming into their space.

Dogs have 3 options when approached by another dog…

they can submit (accept the dog in their space and sometimes put up with socially awkward or forced greetings). Not all dogs know how to properly meet other dogs.
they can fight. If a dog feels threatened, they are likely to choose this option. (for dogs that have already had a bad on leash experience with another dog, they may have already developed on-leash reactivity or even on-leash aggression)
or then can flee (i.e. avoidance, run away from the dog that is making them uncomfortable) This is not an option for an on leash dog.

If the dog that your off leash dog is running up to is on leash, they now only have 2 choices on how to handle the situation because the leash prevents the flight option. They can either fight or they can submit. Chances are good that you’ve seen a totally submissive dog before….they’re the dog that drops to the ground and rolls over the second a new dog approaches it. In this situation I really hope that the “friendly dog” really is friendly, because a bad experience can change that submissive dog into a reactive dog in a heartbeat.

For dogs that have already had a bad on leash experience with another dog (i.e. leash reactive/on leash aggressive dogs), this scenario can go terribly wrong. A dog that feels threatened while on leash may not wait to see if the approaching dog is going to hurt them, they may defend themselves right away and lash out. This is when fights happen…. totally unavoidable fights between two dogs that should have never met.
This is why it is so important to establish reliable recall before un-clipping that leash and allowing your dog to run.

We’ll assume for the purpose of this post that only “friendly dogs” are being let off lead (although I know for a fact that it is not always the case).

You should be able to call your dog away from an on leash dog that is walking with it’s owner. If you can’t, your dog shouldn’t be off leash.
If you cannot keep your dog in sight and under control, they should not be off leash. (We’ve encountered many “ownerless” dogs in the park).
If you cannot keep track of your dog because you are deep in conversation, (either on or off the phone), your dog shouldn’t be off leash.

This all applies to dogs running up to people without dogs as well. A lot of people enjoy walking in public parks, but that doesn’t mean that they have to put up with being accosted by off leash dogs jumping all over them. This may be common place in actual dog parks, but parks with off leash areas are not “dog parks”, they are for everyone’s enjoyment. It boils down to being respectful of other people and other dogs and doing your part to ensure that your dog and the other dogs you may encounter can be safely exercised whether they are on leash or off leash.

Please….be a responsible dog owner, because even a “friendly dog” can get himself into trouble.

If you want complete off leash control with your dog, including reliable recall, contact me today to discuss your training options.

Guy Lapierre

Unleashed Potential Halifax

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

To find a Unleashed Potential Trainer near you or to Book your FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member CLICK HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

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Dogs With Kids – Free Tips From Unleashed Potential K9

April 18, 2015 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

Dogs With Kids – Free Tips From Unleashed Potential K9

I am often asked what is the best breed of dogs for children. My answer is plain and simple. “There is no Perfect Breed of dog for children”. You can have 10 dogs of the same breed and the all have different temperaments.Some will be suitable and some will not. A Pit Bull can make just as good of a companion pet as a Golden Retriever or a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel so this is not a breed specific issue.

Keep one thing in mind as it is very important to know, There is no such thing as a dog that will not bite All dogs can and will. Some dogs have short fuses and some are very tolerant but All DOGS CAN BITE! Some can bite harder than others but ALL DOGS CAN BITE!

Now that you have this understood , I’m going to list some tips you should look at when looking for a dog for kids and when you have a dog with kids.

1. What is the best age for a child to have a dog ? This is a personal preference. There is no best age just like there is no best breed, I have had a variety of dogs before I had children so I have brought my babies home with the presence of dogs already there, as well as having new dogs young and old coming and going from our house where I have 3 children. The kids were at all stages of life when this was happening with all kinds of breeds.

First consider this, your time commitment, how active your family is, and your child’s demeanor. Ask yourself: How much time can you commit to a dog at the moment and how would your child be with a dog? Is your child quiet and calm or a energetic, wild, rough, tumble weed? This is important to think about and will help you make an educated decision not an emotional one that you might regret later. Pick your dog by its temperament according to your child’s temperament. A hyper, rough child should not have a soft timid dog. A calm, shy child should not have a energetic, pushy dog.

I can suggest from experience, like a human baby, dogs are a lot of work. It is much easier to get a dog when the children are past the baby stage and they can take direction from you while safely interacting with a dog and be of some help in training and looking after a dog.

2. Education… It is most important that your children be taught how to safely interact with dogs to prevent stressing a dog or pushing the limits and challenging a dog just as dogs need to learn how to interact around children. The older the child is the better they will be at interacting with the dog and being able to build the proper relation ship as well as training and care.

3. Obedience training your dog is essential. Get advice from a certified and experienced canine professional or trainer like an Unleashed Potential K9 trainer. Don’t just pick the first trainer or behaviorist you call. Meet with a few and interview them and ask for references. Talk to your vet on who they recommend. Have your children involved in the training while you supervise.

4. SUPERVISE CHILDREN AND DOGS AT ALL TIMES NO MATTER WHAT!! This is a must for the safety of the dog and the child and is your responsibility.

Duke Ferguson, ABDT, MT

Here is a video of my son Austin when he is almost 2 years old. He is training a 5 month old German Shepherd.

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Duke Ferguson, ABDT, MT

Training Small Breed Dogs like Jake the Shih-Tzu

April 18, 2015 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

Recently I noticed that all of my clients are large breed dogs; does that mean that there are more large breed dogs with behavioral issues than there are small breed dogs? I don’t believe so. I feel that many people see small breed dogs as being easier to manage than large breed dogs, so often times they get tucked away, picked up off the ground, left at home, and have excuses made for their behavior, rather than actually dealing with it.

Jake is a 7 year old Shih-Tzu who came to me as an owner surrender. He had an extensive bite history, having bit every adult and child in his home on multiple occasions, and was going to be euthanized before the new baby arrived. He was human aggressive, biting on contact, and dog aggressive, reacting at the sound of another dog. Jake lived a very sheltered life in the past, never being socialized or even walked; he was allowed on the furniture, was fed for free, had no boundaries, and ran the entire home, demanding things when he wanted them and biting when he didn’t.

Like many small breed dogs, Jake was a tough little cookie! I taught him to work for his food, gave him boundaries, exercised him on a daily basis, socialized him with other dogs, taught him obedience, and taught him respect for humans. He now gets along great with other dogs, fitting well into my pack of pitbulls. In fact, he is the toughest out of all of them! He meets new dogs and new people on a regular basis, and has spent some time with children.

Will Jake ever bite again? He certainly has it in him; he spent the first 7 years of his life biting and it is going to take a lot longer than 5 weeks to teach him not to, but he now enjoys being patted, getting belly rubs, being picked up, laying on his back, and above all else, living a balanced life style. Jake needed a home with a strong leader, because he is a strong dog himself. He needed someone that would continue to socialize him and exercise him on a daily basis. He needed someone that would continue to train him and make him work for his food so that he would continue to respect his humans. Above all else, Jake needed boundaries. What did Jake not need? Someone that would allow him to take over the furniture, or sleep in their bed. Jake did not need someone to carry him around, feed him treats all day, and love him to death. For Jake’s rehabilitation to be successful, he needed a leader, so when he was fully trained and ready to go home, I trained his owners too!

What we must remember is that small breed dogs are dogs too, and they require everything a large breed dog does; exercise, mental stimulation, socialization, leadership, boundaries, and guidance. I encourage everyone with a small breed dog to keep this in mind, and if you are having issues with your little ones, do not hesitate to contact one of our family of upk9 trainers who can help you solve the problems; a dog with behavioral issues is not a happy dog, and all dogs, regardless of breed or size, deserve to live a balanced lifestyle.

Are you at your wits end with your dog’s behavior and would like to have control, sanity, and above all else, safety? No matter the age or breed, please contact me, because I promise you, I can help you!

Book your FREE consultation and demonstration with me today! Send me an email at camellias@upk9.ca Like me on Facebook! Not in The Valley, NS? Find a trainer near you ! Be sure to sign up for Duke’s Free mini video series HERE

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Dogs with Babies

Unleashed Potential’s 10 Tips For Introducing A Baby To A Dog And Getting Prepared:

Dogs With Kids – Free Tips From Unleashed Potential K9

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