So, I gave him to a K9 police officer who lived alone. This is important, even if you have no reason to believe that she’ll react poorly to the baby. To make things go as smoothly as possible for everyone, it’s important to take some time to prepare your dog for the arrival of your new addition. Then take her by the collar and lead her away from the crib. Everyone in the family should participate in this exercise. I have this young dog in my daycare (I get anywhere from 5-7 a day), and I don't believe he is neutered based off of his behavior. At first, just stand a step away when you say “Go to your spot.” Then, during your next training session, try standing two steps away. Leave it and drop it: These two behaviors can help you teach your dog to leave the baby’s things alone. Young children can’t understand that they should leave the dog’s things alone. Young children can’t understand that they should leave the dog’s things alone. The next week, approach, reach into your dog’s bowl with your empty hand and touch her kibble with your fingers. You can use the doll to teach your dog to gently give kisses. A child’s failure to heed such warnings can have disastrous consequences. She won’t eat with our other beagle and I have to feed her in a room at the other end of the house, and I have to leave the room. So touch your dog first, and then give her a treat. This practice will allow your dog to enjoy time with you and the baby but prevent her from jumping up or pawing at you. Once your dog has mastered this skill, you’ll be able to use it in other situations, too. It’s actually much better to do the opposite. When you see your child crawling toward your dog, you can start using the “Go to your spot” cue if you see your dog become nervous about being close to him. Likewise, if you want your dog to sleep in another room when the baby arrives, establish this habit well in advance. This is natural for dogs when communicating with each other—but it’s clearly undesirable if such behavior is directed toward your child. For example, you can teach your dog to lie down and stay whenever you sit in your nursing chair. If a dog feels very insecure, he may seem excessively clingy. If you can predict how your schedule will change when the baby comes, begin a slow transition toward that new schedule now. When the baby comes home, some of your dog’s privileges will likely change. 1. All in all, Labradoodles are dogs of a poodle-intelligence and labrador-friendliness that won’t leave anyone indifferent. (Training sessions can be short—about five minutes long). Puppies should never spend a full day in a crate. It may be a difficult time for her, especially if she’s been the “only child” for a while. Whenever you play the recording, give your dog plenty of attention, treats and anything else she likes. Schedule your sessions randomly so that your dog doesn’t come to expect attention at any particular time. The instant she does, say “Yes!” Then give her a few extra treats. Not even for a second to turn your head and answer the phone. Any fear or stressor that may pop up while you’re away can affect your dog’s eating behavior — even if these concerns don’t seem that disturbing to you. This can manifest in a variety of ways, including sticking to your side like glue when you are at home and even following you when you leave the room, or barking and crying when left alone, or becoming destructive and soiling within the home. After a week or two of daily repetition during each meal, do the same thing, but reach into your dog’s bowl and place the tasty treat right on top of her kibble. Continue to slowly increase your distance from the safe zone, just a step or two at a time. Later, when your toddler touches her in an uncomfortable way, you can say the same thing to let your dog know that a tasty treat is coming. When bringing your baby home from the hospital, send everyone else into the house first so your dog can express her usual excitement to see people. A wonderful thing about babies is that they start out not doing much at all and then become more active and mobile as they develop. Take your dog to work with you, if possible. Training your dog to "leave it" takes patience, but it's worth it. Clinginess can frustrate pet parents. As your child develops, teach him to respect your dog’s body, safe zones and belongings. Some dogs are nervous about babies or even a bit afraid of them and go out of their way to avoid contact. If your dog won’t stop barking at passers-by, try putting up wooden slats or plastic film so they can’t see out. After some repetition, your dog will learn that when she’s uncomfortable, she doesn’t have to rely on aggression to relieve her distress. If she’s elderly or frail, you may need to keep your dog in a safe area when the baby starts crawling around. He won't play in his room or in the basement unless someone else is there. And may only wake up if a favorite person comes to the door. Try varying the time you feed your dog. Praise may be enough to maintain your dog’s new friendly behavior, but it’s a good idea to keep periodically rewarding her with treats, too. Photo: StockSnap How long can you leave a dog in a crate? If you can, borrow clothes and blankets that smell like a baby to get the dog used to that smell, too. Punishment. Many dogs don’t realize that they can move away from a baby when they feel tired or nervous about interacting. If your dog shows aggressive behavior around your toddler—or if you think she might—keep her away from him and immediately contact an animal behavior expert. The following week, start reaching down to feed your dog the delicious morsel from your hand, right next to the bowl. Allowing your dog to help you clean up these tasty experiments may convince her that having a baby in the house is a very good thing! But before you know it, your baby will be a poking, grabbing, crawling machine! Of course, your dog will quickly discover that the doll isn’t a real baby, but her initial reactions to it may help you determine which obedience skills you should focus on before the baby’s arrival. Again, it’s crucial to seek professional guidance. Pinch your dog, and then give her a treat. Repeat until your dog happily looks for her treat right after you pull her ear. A child’s failure to heed such warnings can have disastrous consequences. At this point, start pointing to your baby instead of presenting your hand after you say your cue. Reading this reminds me to not take my dog to a dog day care. When you encounter friendly children who would like to interact with your dog, take advantage of the situation. If you suspect a dog doesn't like you , don't stress — it's probably something you can fix. We added another dog to our family recently. Levels of cortisol in the blood increase, and sometimes spike, the entire time the dog is alone. The type of relationship we see on TV between children and dogs is a fantasy, and not a reflection of what real dogs can be like with children. Part of this variation in behavior is down to personality and even breed. If your dog is used to sleeping in bed with you and you want that to change with the baby’s arrival, provide a comfortable dog bed that she can use instead. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Even if your dog seems curious and calm, you may feel a little nervous about letting her get close to the infant. After your dog learns how to target your hand, you can even teach her to gently touch the baby with her nose! This will only set her up for a bigger letdown when the baby comes and takes center stage. Make sure that your dog is thoroughly evaluated by her veterinarian annually so that you’re aware of any medical conditions that might impact her behavior with your child. Pull furniture a couple of feet away from the walls to create convenient escape routes. Greet people politely: A jumping dog can be annoying at best—and dangerous at worst—when you’re holding the baby. When your baby comes and your dog is completely comfortable with this new game, incorporate the baby into the picture, too. Before your baby starts to crawl, start teaching your dog that when someone approaches her and a valued resource, wonderful things happen—and she gets to keep her stuff. If your dog is great with your own child but nervous, fearful or aggressive around other children, seek assistance from a qualified professional as soon as possible. If you seem nervous and jumpy, your dog will pick up on your feelings and may become nervous as well, thinking that the bundle in your arms is something to worry about. Start with very gentle pinches. As soon as she lifts her head to look at you, pet her and give her treats. Dogs who show aggression toward a toddler in the home often do so because they have not been well socialized to children and find them foreign and frightening. Here’s how to teach your dog this invaluable skill: Many dogs experience anxiety when their lifestyles are drastically altered. To prevent this unfortunate cycle of events, teach your dog that she doesn’t have to defend herself—she can choose to move away instead. If your dog tries to bite the doll (knowing that it’s not a real baby, she might think it’s a toy), say “No.” Then immediately redirect her attention to an appropriate toy, and praise her enthusiastically if she plays with that instead. (Aim for two or three 5- to 10-minute training sessions per day). Once your dog will touch your hand on cue, you can transfer this behavior to the baby. Even if your dog has never behaved aggressively when someone approaches one of her favorite things, it’s a good idea to do some resource guarding prevention anyway. She absolutely hates it and has started to respond aggressively. If they hadn’t be spayed/neutered and vaccinated they couldn’t attend daycare. If you’re really ambitious, you can practice getting up in the middle of the night with your dog. Maybe alternate play times so the poor old lady can get away from him and still get her play time in as well as him? Once your dog is trained, crating them all day should be a last resort. Luckily, this period coincides with the time when babies start learning about gravity by throwing finger foods from the high chair onto the floor. /r/dogs is a discussion-based subreddit, meant for asking questions, sharing information, and learning about our beloved canine companions and related dog-centric topics. ... First Dog on the Moon. After withdrawing your hand, reach down again to give her the wonderful treat. When your baby starts to crawl, for example, you can use the cue to teach your dog to move away from him when she feels uncomfortable. That way, she’ll learn to look forward to it! When it’s time to nurse or give him a bottle, provide something tasty for your dog, too. Please see our article on Finding Professional Behavior Help to locate a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or Associate CAAB), a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB) or a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) in your area. Then start to gradually increase the forcefulness of your tugs. So it’s a good idea to help your dog get used to crawling before your baby starts to become mobile. Be sure you have time to … Some dogs are nervous about toddlers or even a bit afraid of them and go out of their way to avoid contact. Then gently interrupt her investigation by praising her and asking her to sit or lie down. Each time you leave the house, your dog is learning how to cope. Accomplishing this is easy! Dogs who show aggression toward a toddler in the home often do so because they have not been well socialized to children and find them foreign and frightening. After another week, approach your dog, pat her on her back and then reach down to feed her the treat. The officer knew what the dog was like, wanted a protection dog, and he was fine with the idea the dog was only going to bond to him. Alternatively, you can plan to take your dog to friends’ or family members’ houses once or twice a week for some quality time with people she knows and likes. And part is down to confidence and how secure the dog feels. If your dog seems a little worried about your child, use the tools described above to prevent tense situations and focus on teaching her to associate him with things she loves. Later on, she can discover them on her own. When your dog moves in the direction of your gesture, even if she only takes one step, say “Yes!” Then immediately toss a treat four or five feet away, in the direction your dog started to move. Gently tug on a handful of your dog’s fur, and then give her a treat. Though they do well in many households—with or without children—they tend to be stubborn, so training may be a little more complicated than with other breeds. Repeat until your dog looks for her treat right after you tug on her fur. After she’s had a minute or two of greeting time and expends some of her energy, have someone leash her. Put a dog bed in an out-of-the-way spot in the baby’s room, and keep a container of dog treats in the room. Dogs are great. Consider hiring a dog walker to take over the responsibility of exercising your dog, at least for the first few weeks after the baby arrives. While some dogs are comfortable with the idea of spending a few hours alone, others are more sensitive.They can have difficulty relaxing in solitude and spend most of the time alarmed from every noise, no matter how small. If she approaches the crib and spends more than a few seconds investigating it, simply call her to come to you.