Reason 13567557 to prep your dogs for the arrival of your baby… it makes your life easier!! 😍
Yes, it also means less stress for our dogs but let’s not lie, who doesn’t want an easy life! And when you’ve got a newborn baby and all the things that go with that, I promise you’ll appreciate the work you put in while still pregnant ❤️
#dogbaby #dogbabyprep #dogtraining #gooddogs
Episode 5: prepping my dogs for a baby sibling
Another thing we have been preparing for is baby floor time. During this time it is important that the dogs stay out of the way… this is because big paws can cause injury very easily.
We have essentially been practicing a send away to their bed and building up distractions. I have gradually introduced kneeling on the floor with the baby, making noises and pretending to play. I have made all of these sounds and motions as over-the-top as possible to make sure they can stay on their bed despite anything else going on.
I have also linked this with baby crying sounds to get them used to the noises the baby may create. (Obviously I hope they don’t continually cry when I try and play with them 😂)
We practiced this on this day for around 20 minutes and the dogs stayed on their bed throughout. This behaviour has been built up gradually but they are now bossing it 😍
If the dogs showed any anxiety during this training, it would be important to take it back a step and build up gradually. If you are unsure, always seek the help of a force free professional 🐾
#dogandbaby #babyprepping #babypreparation #dogtraining #forcefree #forcefreedogtraining
Step Four: prepping my dogs for a human sibling 👶🏼
Today we are starting some desensitisation tracks. Baby crying sounds are extremely intrusive, can be quite explosive and can feel uncomfortable (and that’s just the human perspective). Crying baby sounds go hand in hand with a newborn as this is their main form of communication. Therefore, it’s really important that my dogs are not in distress when they hear these sounds.
This is a super simple way to help prepare them for some of the noises that will be filling our house. And hey, maybe it will help prepare me too 😅
If you ever see signs of distress with your dog, stop playing the sounds immediately. 🛑
If you need help preparing your dog for a human sibling, drop me a message! 📞
#dogbabyprep #preparedogforbaby #babydog #desensitisationtraining #babycrying #sleepingdogs #forcefreetraining #positivereinforcementtraining #preparationiskey
✨ Settlework in a public place ✨
Does your dog struggle to settle in public? You’re not alone! Many dogs require training/coaching to teach them how to behave in a public place. 🐕
The time to practice is NOW, especially with summer cafe (and pub garden!) trips right around the corner 🌞
If you want help with this, please drop me a message to arrange a session!
#settlework #dogsettle #settledown #forcefreetraining #calmtraining #rewardyourdog #positivereinforcementtraining #staffy #staffysofinstagram
Step 2 of using a doll to help prepare my dogs for a human baby sibling 👶🏼
Here I am reinforcing the boys going to their bed while I am sat on the sofa or walking round with a baby.
My boys are usually allowed on the sofa so they are used to joining me when I sit down to chill out. This is something we will practice over the next 4 months so that when the baby arrives, they are used to spending more time on their bed away from me 🐾
As well as when I’m holding the doll, we’ve also practiced them spending more time in general on their beds rather than the sofa. I want them to be prepared for this now so it’s not such a shock when the baby arrives.
As someone who loves a dog cuddle, honestly at this point it’s harder for me than them 😂
#dogbaby #preparingdogforbaby #humansibling #babydog #forcefree #positivereinforcementtraining #dogbabytraining
Part one of prepping your dog for pushchair walking and you don’t even need a pushchair! 👶🏼🐾
If you want some 1-2-1 help to prepare your dog for pushchair walking, to take the stress away after baby is born, drop me a message! 📞
#babydog #babyprep #preparedogforbaby #babytraining #dogtraining #forcefree #pushchairwalking #walkies #babyanddog
Step One: prepping my dogs for a human sibling 👶🏼
Here I am desensitising my dogs to a baby being carried in the house. The aim is to create a positive association with a baby being carried and rewards for having all four feet on the floor. I’ve started simple and will build on this behaviour.
You can see here they are interested, but ultimately the best reinforcement is on the floor 👌🏼
Message me if you are interested in prepping your dogs correctly for a new human addition 👶🏼🐕
#dogbaby #babydogprep #rewardyourdog #forcefree #dogtraining #babydoll #newbaby #humansiblingcomingsoon
Encouraging calm in the presence of a plumber with our skeptical rescue boy 🐾🐕
If you want some help encouraging your dogs to show calm behaviours in the presence of visitors, get in touch! 👍🏼
#plumber #plumbervsdog #rewardyourdog #forcefree #positivereinforcementtraining #calmbehaviour #rewardcalmbehaviour
Did I just order a baby doll for my dogs? Technically yes 😅
Having a baby doesn’t have to be SUCH a shock for your dogs. Why not take some time over the 9 months to help prepare your dogs for the absolute upheaval that is to come 👶🏼
Over the next few months I will be sharing all of the things we will be doing with our dogs to prepare them for their new human sibling. From visitor prep, to pushchair walking, to new equipment desensitisation and everything in between!
Follow me to stay in the loop! 🐾
Feeling a bit ill/rundown but still need a way to mentally stimulate your dog? Scatter feeding may be the answer! 👍🏼
✨ Recall Training Drill ✨
A fun and easy training drill to set up by yourself! Strengthen your pooch’s response to their recall cue with the high reinforcement game 💪🏼
If you would like help with your dogs recall training, make sure to get help from a certified and insured force-free trainer (like me! 👋🏼)
#recalltraining #dogtraining #dogtrainersofig #recall #callyourdog #rewardyourdog #trainyourdog #forcefreedogtrainer #forcefree #apdtuk #positivereinforcement
