Your having a baby! 

This is a really exciting time for your family but can also be a really confusing time for your dog. 

Your dog was your first kid and has been the center of your world for quite some time. 

Follow these tips and adding a new baby will be a smooth, enjoyable transition for you and your dog too. 

Having a baby makes for some drastic lifestyle changes for everyone, and you want to teach or brush up on your dogs commands AND make these changes to daily life BEFORE the baby arrives.

Often people have good intentions and feel bad that the dog is getting less time so when the baby goes down for a nap they smother the dog with attention, play or go for a walk and when baby is awake the dog gets less attention or WORSE! Gets put away 😱. This is the exact OPPOSITE of what you want to do, in fact this is the exact behavior on your part that will cause you problems. You do not want your dog to associate the baby not being around as fun, or that they get put away and less attention when your engaged with the baby. Above all else you want to avoid creating negative associations with the baby.

There are a few commands you’ll want to teach BEFORE your baby arrives. 

CRATE : Make sure that your dog is comfortable in the crate for extended periods of time. That your dog will wait when the crate door is opened and come out calmly when invited. Also work on sending your dog to the crate and that your dog can go to the crate and wait there. When your baby is here I recommend Crating your dog at the same time that you put your baby down for a nap. When baby wakes up I let the dog out too. But controlled of course so that you can associate the baby with freedom, fun and enjoyment. BEFORE baby start crating your dog when your home for an hour or 2 at a time daily.

When the baby is up that is when you want to bring the dog out of the crate. At this point they can down or go to place and maybe that’s when they get their favorite bone or treat. Baby means amazing things. 

PLACE: You can send him/her to their place to hang out in the same room where you are with the baby. Or in a down at your feet. 

You will also want to work on being able to send your dog to a place from a distance and having your dog hold a place command for extended periods of time and while you go out of sight and come back.

I recommend having multiple places in the house for your convenience, one in the main living space, one in the baby’s room and one near the front door.

WAIT: Teaching your dog not to dart through the front door. With a new baby it is likely that you will have lots of friends and family coming and going more than normal and you will have enough to deal with you want to feel confident that your dog won't dart out the front door at the 1st chance they get.

Another place you’ll want to teach your dog to automatically wait is the doorway to the baby’s room. When you have a baby in your arms it’ll be so convenient to just walk into that room and your dog pauses and waits at the doorway because you took the time before baby to teach them this. Then you can decide to invite them and have them place, or they can remain in their wait command and not cross the threshold and are free to walk around the rest of the house.

DOWN on just a verbal cue: There will be many times where you will find yourself with your arms full with baby and babies things and you need your dog to stay in one spot until released. A solid down command that your dog will perform without you pointing to the ground could really come in handy. 

Heel : Teaching your dog to Heel, and practicing with them heeling next to a stroller will make for a much more enjoyable walk when baby is also in the stroller in the future. 

Have you been allowing your dog on the couch and your bed?
The good news is you don’t have to give that up. However 
I recommend making furniture by invitation only and having a reliable “OFF” command so they will get off when you ask. If your dog sleeps on the bed you’ll want to periodically start having the dog sleep on the floor or in their crate. 

OUT / LEAVE IT: Start making the house feel like a baby NOW! Practice leaving a baby bottle with milk out on the coffee table. Leave a baby blanket on the floor in the middle of your living room and teach your dog to not step there.  Buy baby toys... and binkies... and leave them all over just like it will be when you have a baby. Make sure your dog really understands which toys are theirs and which one are the babies long before baby even arrives.

Buy a doll baby that makes noise and cries and start carrying it around everywhere with you. When you start showing this doll all kinds of attention your pup will be interested. Teach them to keep a respectful distance. You want to treat this doll as if it is your babies 1st day at home. 

I would start giving less attention weeks before as soon you will be busy with a baby and you don't want the dog to feel like the baby is the reason. If I start making changes now it will help make it more normal for the dog when the baby arrives.

Meal & Walk times: Baby will become the priority and if your dog is used to set meal times or even walk times now would be a great time to get them used to eating or walking at random times. This can be after you eat, or before, but starting to make life a bit more of a random schedule. 

Babies 1st day home, don’t be in a rush to have dog and baby meet. I recommend spending several days with your dog smelling babies presence and go about life having your dog keep a respectful distance with baby in your arms just like you’ve practiced with a doll. Wear a treat pouch and heavily reward for your dogs compliance to commands around baby.  

You can even mark “yes” and reward for the dogs attentiveness when baby cries etc, to make baby noises have positive association. 

Please take the time to train your dog before your baby arrives and don't wait until there is a problem.

I recommend utilizing these commands in the beginning for at minimum the 1st month of baby being home. Then when your dog has the habit of being more controlled and calm in the house around the baby then you can start allowing more freedom. 

Just make sure to remember a few things NEVER leave dogs unsupervised with kids EVER no matter how good they seem together.

Make sure your dog can get away and have breaks from the new baby as it grows into a toddler.

Picture of Tahoe, a client dog and their new baby.

Be like Tahoe’s owners and put in the work early so the dog won’t be a concern and instead can just be apart of the family.

Your fluffy bff is indeed a dog and Dogs are predatory animals.

While I'm not going to suggest our house pets and couch potatoes are wild, or very closely related to wolves, they are still an animal and if left to their own devices would spend most of their time searching and hunting for food for survival.

When we deprive them of working for a meal we are missing out on so many opportunities for your dog to have more fulfillment and enrichment in their lives. 

Ways you can add more to your dogs day by using their meals constructively:

• Feed by Hand throughout the day as rewards for behaviors you want to see more of
  • Notice the things your dog already does well and reward them!

 

• Teach a new behavior, or a trick and reward by hand while your dog thinks and works with you

 

• Have them perform a command before releasing to their food.
  • Sit, you set bowl down - release

       You can up the difficulty by....
Sit, you set bowl down and walk around the room before releasing them

• Sit, you set bowl down and walk behind them - call them to you - then release to food
• Put bowl down, heel with them around the food -then release them

                                                                           The options are endless....

• Use a Slow Feeder Bowl, so they have to work a bit to get to their food.
  • I've tried many of the licki mats and i'm personally not a fan... every dog has lost interest quickly or chewed a hole in a matter of moments and I prefer something more durable for their safety.

 

• Use a Food / Puzzle Toy that your dog has to move around and play with to get the food out.
  • Some of my personal favorites ....

Making the choice to get a dog is a 10+ year commitment and can greatly impact your lifestyle.

Choosing the right dog for you will help it to be a smoother, simpler and more enjoyable experience for both of you.

I meet lots of dogs and owners who I would call a mismatch.

An elderly couple with a young hunting lines overly active lab pup is not an ideal match.

A young active couple who wants a hiking buddy probably shouldn’t get a French Bulldog.

A busy family with lots of children in and out who adopt a fear reactive dog that nips at people is going to be a lot of work and a lifetime of management on some level for everyones safety.

These owners could all own these dogs but are going to need to go above and beyond to find appropriate outlets, training, care and help for that dog to do well in their homes and lifestyles.

Almost any match of dog and owner can work IF the owner is committed and dedicated enough.

This can result in a very lengthy, difficult, and often expensive path if you didn’t plan ahead and get a dog that matches your current lifestyle.

I will note though that it can also be the most rewarding because in my experience its these owners who didn’t know what they were getting into but are 100% committed to the dog that wind up with the most incredible relationships with their dogs due to the time and growth involved together with them.

For example a young couple who got a Coonhound because its the breed they grew up with on property - but were in for a shock when they realized what raising it in the city & working full time would be like.

They now are one amazing happy family. But, its been a lot of hard work and daily ongoing dedication for them to appropriately meet the dogs daily exercise, training and mental stimulation needs. And these needs will continue on throughout this dogs life.

Not all dogs are so lucky to have owners who are willing to rearrange their time and resources to make the dog a priority and commit to them at this level.

Remember the dog doesn’t get much of a say in the matter - It’s YOU deciding to adopt or buy  that particular dog or puppy.

So what dog is right for ME?

So before we even THINK about the dog we want - Let’s look inward for a moment.

Why are you seeking out a dog?

What traits are you hoping for?

Cuddly? Play? Exercise Partner? Protection? Companionship?

What activities do you plan to partake in with your dog?
Daily walks? Once or Twice a day?
Hikes?
Running?
Biking?
Join a dog sport? And Commit to attending a class or club for several hours once or twice a week?

What are non-negotiable things that are important to YOU and your lifestyle?
Good with children?
Already crate trained?
Housebroken?
Good with cats?
Good with other dogs?

Do you Rent or Own your home?
Does your home owners insurance have breed restrictions?
Does your landlord have breed or size restrictions?
Do you have any plans to move in the foreseeable future?

Who will care for the dog when you are out of town?
Friend? Family? Have you already checked with them?
Have you researched cost of boarding?

Do you work from home?
Or long hours?
Is there a pet sitter locally that could walk the dog midday on long work days?

Awesome!

Now we have a better idea of what dog is going to be a good fit for YOU.

Here is a list of Things your dog will NEED!

Please be honest with yourself about your ability to provide them with the following, and if you slip up or make mistakes - because were human and that happens - are you prepared to pay a professional for help you? 

Vet Care includes basic Shots, Heartworm prevenative, flea and tick prevention, and money available for unknown visits most ranging from $300-$2000 for typical emergency or last minute visits.

Grooming (By Yourself or a professional)
Do you have time for a full brush out every day? every other day? weekly?
Do you plan on hiking - how will having a long coated dog affect the things you want to do with them?
Have you budgeted for sending a longer coated dog to the groomer every other week or once a month?

Safety
Securely fenced yard? Does the dog have the ability to jump a fence?
Collar that fits snuggly.

Using confinement when unsupervised initially to keep them safe from chewing electrical chords or things that could harm them

Exercise
(All dogs will have different levels of needs in this department, but you've done your homework so you know which dog your looking for that fits for you)

Training (By yourself or with help from a professional)
Dogs need structure in their life and want to feel safe knowing someone else is the leader.
Do you know how to fill that role?
It's important to set basic household rules.

One thing that I’ve noticed that EVERY client that calls for help and has behavioral issues, when I ask them what kind of household rules they have - Their answer is They don’t have any.

THIS alone can go along way in helping you have the right relationship and prevent problems. Start from day 1.

When your dogs training and exercise needs aren’t met, behavior problems are likely to arise.

And Obviously Food, Water and Shelter. But, if your reading this I know you already care about the dog your getting and it will have a spot in your cozy home so i’m not going to dive into that too deeply.

Now you have a pretty solid idea of your dogs needs as well as what you want and are able to provide for him/her to fit your lifestyle.

1st decision before you go looking for your new friend is what Age dog will fit best for you? 

Each has their pros and cons and it comes down to whats right for YOU and YOUR family.

Each of these AGES can be found at the following: Shelter, Rescues, Private Party (Owner Surrenders and even breeders.

Please see my 2 Articles on Purpose Bred Dogs and Adopting a dog to help you in your decision of which route is better for you.

Next is Age..

​Puppy (Under 16 weeks)
Pros: 
Your starting from Scratch and have a Clean slate
Know exactly what your likely to get if from a breeder

Cons: 
Housebreaking can be messy and time consuming
Waking up in the middle of the night to take puppy out
Chewing on things, family members and yourself

Adult
Pros: 
Likely housebroken
Likely to have had some training
You already know what their going to be like - fairly predictable
Not quite as high energy but likely still active depending on the dog

Cons: 
May have some bad habits

Senior 
Pros:
Calm
Likely housebroken 
Requires less exercise
Rewarding to give them the best in their golden years

Cons: 
Time with you shorter
May have more vet bills as they age


Now that your pondering age, know the needs AND have a good idea of what your looking for where to go from here?

You might already have some breeds in mind that interest you - because of looks, a friend had one or a breed you grew up with.

It’s valuable to research the breed and learn more about what they “TEND” to be like. I put that in quotes because there are things that are typical for a breed but its also REALLY important to know that each dog is an individual and you need to evaluate the dog in front of you and not just pick a dog out because they are supposed to be like “x”.

I can't encourage you enough to TALK to people experienced in the breeds your interested in. Most people involved in Breed Specific Rescue or a Breeder are very passionate about their love for the breed and will be more than happy to share a plethora of information about the breed with you. Pick up the phone and CALL! 

You might find that your drawn to a specific collar, markings, or a look of one dog compared to another. I’m personally drawn to black and tan dogs via looks its just something I like and I think we all have an eye for something wether its black v.s. yellow labs. Red v.s. white golden retrievers or you really like the parti-color standard poodles instead of the brown.

Whatever catches your eye is ok, just don’t let color override what the dogs temperament is like when it comes down to make the decision.

If you are dead set on wanting a black lab and the litter you look at has 2 black labs, 3 yellows, and a brown. But temperament wise 2 of the yellows really are a better fit for you.

Either be willing to compromise and get a yellow OR be willing to wait until you find one in the color of your preference that is ALSO the right temperament for you.

As you go on your search for your new best friend take your time ASK lots of questions and be really forthright in what you are looking for and NEED in your life. 

MOST Rescue organization, Shelters, Breeders and people rehoming dogs want whats best for the dog and will be happy to talk with you and help make sure that the dog they have is a good fit.  

If you feel forced or pressured about a dog, or they don't seem to care if the dog fits your lifestyle GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. 

This should be a fun enjoyable process to find your perfect match and by taking the time to research and plan you are doing whats in the best interest of not only this dogs future but also your own for the next 10+ years. And anyone selling or rehoming a dog with the right intentions should appreciate and be more than willing to support you in your search for the perfect dog. 

The dog doesn't need to be "PERFECT" just Perfect for YOU!

Photo by Vlad Sargu on Unsplash

Planning to adopt a dog?

There are 3 places you can find dogs available for adoption.

• The Shelter

• A Rescue

• An Owner looking to rehome their dog through social media or craigslist. ​

Regardless of where you get your dog it is crucial that you know your dog needs time to acclimate and adjust to their new life with you.

Most dogs typically require up to a week to decompress in a new environment - To just be and take it all in.

Another week or 2 after that to acclimate to schedules

And up to Several months to settle in to a level of comfort.

We often refer to this as the “honeymoon period” : This is when a family adopts a dog, the dog is darn near perfect for weeks even months and then “out of nowhere” behavior issues arise.

The honeymoon period is over and the dog is now comfortable and testing his/her boundaries to establish their role and responsibilities within their new pack.

TIP: Dogs thrive on leadership and structure. In their world someone has to be in control. If we don’t take that role they will even though the vast majority of dogs don’t want that level of responsibility on their shoulders.

Responsibility like: Deciding if new dogs or people are ok or not - etc.

Remember they don’t speak English as their 1st language. Saying “I’ts ok” means nothing to them if our body language and actions say - “You go 1st. Let me Know how it goes”

Creating and enforcing some basic rules and structure starting the day you bring your new BFF home will help ensure a smoother faster acclimation process and less chance for behavior problems after the “honeymoon period”


Adopting a dog from a shelter.

Dogs wind up in the shelter for a number of reasons and I think its valuable for you to know what mix of dogs are available and where they might have come from.

Owner Surrenders:

• Someone couldn’t keep a family pet when they moved
• A vet bill came up that they couldn’t financially afford
• Behavioral Concerns (Often normal puppy behaviors like chewing or digging- but could be more serious)
• A family member dies and no one in the family wants their dog (Happens regularly with the elderly)
• Someone who chooses to have a litter of puppies and realizes how much work it is and surrenders all puppies OR when they get to be 4months and they haven’t been able to find homes or sell them they will dump them on the shelter.

Strays

• Most of these dogs weren’t born strays, they got out of their yard at one point and the owners didn’t care enough to go looking for them, or didn’t want to pay the fees to get them back.
• Could have been on the streets for a couple of hours or several weeks.

Forcible Surrenders

• Situations where Animal Control had to step in due to health and well being of dogs. Chained up without food and water. From hoarding situations etc.

Sometimes the previous reasons are known when the dog arrives at the shelter and sometimes people don’t disclose the history. Even if the shelter knows the history they often don’t disclose it to the adopter. I’m sure it’s a privacy policy of some form.

So you could be getting the sweetest house dog that has been well cared for or a dog who’s lived outside its whole life and hasn’t had any socialization.

Dogs available for adoption through a shelter will have already passed a temperament test.

Before they leave to go home with you they will also have all primary state required vaccines and be spayed and neutered before they leave the shelter.

The cost for a dog in a shelter tends to range from Free - $100 (Most of the time is the most inexpensive place to find a dog)

As you step foot into the shelter you hear dogs barking, and smell the dank wet smell of a kennel environment as they do their best to hose out and clean the runs regularly.

As you begin to walk down the line of kennel runs you see some dogs jumping on the front of their gate to greet you, and others huddled in the back of their kennels.

You just want to hug and take them all home.

The most important thing for adopters to know is that many dogs get what is known as “Kennel Stress”

So what behavior you see as you walk down the line of dogs, may or may not be a good representation to who they really are when they are comfortable and feel safe without the daily frustrations of being trapped behind a barrier with little to no fulfillment in their day.

The barking dog lunging at the front with a little manners training and love and patience out of this environment might be a calm house dog.

The dog huddled in the back corner might really be a happy go lucky pup, or they might be more of a fearful dog who has the potential to nip when it’s in a different environment where it may have more freedoms.

You don’t really know until you have them home and they have time to settle and acclimate to a new life.

In my opinion adopting a dog from a shelter is the most rewarding but also the most unpredictable for what your dog’s personality is really going to be like.

That being said I have a 10 year old dog, I got at 4months of age from Sacramento City Shelter and he is THE BEST.

AND MANY MANY other people who have adopted from shelters will tell you the same.

But, being in the industry I’m in, I get to see and help the people who got a dog from the shelter wanting to help a homeless dog and instead of the fantasy of bringing a dog home and living happily ever after...

They got a dog that didn’t turn out to be what they thought and wound up having to give the dog back after it bites multiple people in the family including the children.

Or the dog has dog aggression or just reactivity on a leash and these things are often no fault of the shelters or anything that could have been predicted.

They do a temperament test - and thats based on a moment in time. It doesn’t cover everything or all potential situations.

And like I said earlier with many dogs having Kennel Stress you really don’t know who they really are until they have time to decompress.

For sure adopting a dog from a shelter is the most rewarding but by far the most unpredictable for bringing an animal into your home.

RESCUE

Their are amazing Rescue groups out there, and then there are a few less than desirable ones.

So a few requirements for picking a good rescue:

• 1st and foremost they want whats best for their dogs. So they will likely screen YOU and want to know about your life in making sure this is a good match between you and the dog your interested in.

• Many good rescues also require a home check to make sure your fencing is secure etc. (not all have the resources for this - but many do)

• Their dogs should be spayed and neutered and up to date on shots when you take them home. If they aren’t this should be a big red flag.

• They require in their contract that if anything ever happens - the dog comes back to them.
  • Of course we hope you’ve planned ahead and are ready to fully commit to your new pup. But in the event you for any reason need to give the dog up they want to ensure the dog doesn’t wind up in the shelter.

Those are a few good rules to go by, when looking at rescues.

The real value of getting a dog from a rescue is their choice in the dogs they bring into their organization and that the dogs live in homes before you get them.

They hand pick the dogs they bring into their organization.

• Owner Surrenders (Like we discussed above in Shelters - but the difference is they can choose who to help - often times wont help the back yard breeder unless they agree to get both parents fixed)
• Pick dogs out of the Shelter environment
• Their are dogs at the shelter that are “RESCUE ONLY” Not available to the public because of…
  • A medical condition (Mange is a common one -missing hair - needs meds - not contagious and heels with love and time) , emaciated etc.
  • Behavioral Concerns (Didn’t pass Temperment Test )
  • Challenging Breed (If an option they will put some dogs aside to get pulled by breed specific rescues before being put on the adoption floor, someone who goes looking for a specific breed in a rescue group is likely going to be more equipped or prepared for the challenges of that breed )
• Real Rescue - help with hoarding situations, help trap a loose dog etc.

The dogs live in foster homes with families in a home environment so you have a much better idea of the dogs true personality when you adopt it.

Many of them even live with other dogs, cats & children so you know for sure if they will be a good fit for your home.

MANY rescues offer the option to Foster to Adopt. You can take the dog home for a week - month and see if its a good fit before making a full commitment.

When people ask me about Rescue - I always suggest they foster until they find the right dog.

I fostered for years its incredibly rewarding to have dogs come into your life that you really like but their not necessarily the right dog for YOU. But you get to help them on their journey and see the joy for both the dog and the people when they find the right home.

Each dog touched me and is forever in my heart but there have been a handful of them over the years that I hands down would have kept if I had been in the market for a dog.

I’m sure your perfect friend will come along and you could be helping out other dogs in the mean time ;)

Lastly is the option to Adopt a dog directly from an Owner trying to Surrender.

Again people surrender dogs for any number of reasons.

The main advantage and also the disadvantage of this route is they might have had the dog from a puppy and can tell you its history, where it came from and why they are rehoming him.

This information is only valuable to you if they are being honest.

If their sole goal is to get rid of the dog they may very well lie to you to get you to take the dog.

They should seem to be compassionate and broken up about having to rehome the dog regardless of the reason.

Their are many owners who get a dog and then realize the dogs not a good fit for their lifestyle, or they learn that a family member is allergic. Any number of things can come up.

I applaud owners who seek to rehome their dog especially when its in the dogs best interest but incredibly hard difficult decision to come to.

To choose to rehome the dog on their own INSTEAD of dumping the dog at the shelter or asking a rescue group to take it is a responsible decision.

How compassionate and broken up about rehoming their dog are they?

With an owner surrender the dog might not already be spayed and neutered, and might not be current on vaccines so keep those things in mind for potential expenses.

The dog in front of you
A dog acts and behaves based on a combination of the following...

• Their genetics
• Their past experience
• Their current environment

Keep this in mind when looking at dogs to adopt.

We likely don't know the 1st piece (but you might have an idea based on the breeds that your dog appears to be mixed with) and have zero control over the 2nd piece. So the 3rd piece may tell you a decent amount about the dogs ability to cope with stress in a shelter if it seems happy go lucky in that environment.

YOU have ALOT of power as an owner when you adopt a dog to alter the dogs environment, help them feel safe, give them structure in their life through training and house rules and to create better experiences going forward to help them flourish and be GOOD & HAPPY companions.

If you feel like your dog would benefit from more help in these areas please hire a professional trainer - don't wait until problems get worse.