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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

Post-surgery enrichment ideas 💡 Ronnie is recovering from two big surgeries and therefore has been on complete rest (no walks). As an active dog that usually has around 90 minutes of off-lead time each day, staying at home all day has not been ideal. These are some of the things we have done with Ronnie to mentally stimulate him over the past 3 weeks. As well as these ideas, I have practiced place training and some co-operative care such as vet handling procedures, nail grinding and teeth brushing. He has also received a LOT of tlc ❤️❤️❤️ If you would like some more ideas of calming training or enrichment ideas to stimulate your dog, drop me a message! 🐾 #postsurgery #dobermansofinstagram #recovery #surgeryrecovery #dogtraining #dogenrichment #nowalks #dogenrichmentideas #forcefree #doberman #dobielove

Give yourself a break! ✨ Yes, training is vital for our dogs. Particularly for those of us that are working through behaviour issues. However, you have to prioritise your own mental health as well. This week I needed a little break… so that’s exactly what I had. The majority of walks this week have looked a lot like this: retractables on, in a field or VERY quiet country lane, no triggers, no training, just walking outside and providing my dogs with their daily exercise in the best way I could. And this is okay! Not every walk has to be full on. We can take a step back every now and then to recharge. Give yourself a break, you’re doing the best you can 💪🏼 #mentalhealth #dogtraining #forcefree #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmattersfordogstoo #dogtrainer #walkyourdog #getoutside

Learning never stops ✨ It really is true that dogs never stop learning. This can work both in our favour and against it as sometimes they learn things we never intended for them to. Show me an example of something you’ve accidentally trained your dog that actually works in your favour! For us, it was the word “Bally” which is associated to Ronnie’s @chuckitfetchgames ball — his most prized possession! This now means I can say this word at any point and Ronnie will immediately return to my side. Great for an accidental emergency recall cue! #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #doglearning #forcefree #challengeyourdog #challengeaccepted #bestdog

✨ How can you bring your dogs joy? ✨ I’m not saying you have to let your dogs go swimming on every walk, but try to think about what exactly brings them joy and incorporate more of this! If we can fulfil their needs wholeheartedly, they will experience fewer behaviour issues 💪🏼 Following this walk, I actually set aside more time during our next walk and we spent a good 20 minutes in and out of the stream 😍 #dogwalks #dogtraining #dogsbeingdogs #forcefree #swimmingdog #soggydog #rewardyourdog

✨ 3 Things To Help Your Reactive Dog ✨ Always work with a force free trainer when working with a reactive dog. If you are unsure about how to make sure a trainer is force free, drop me a message and I can point you in the right direction! 🐾 #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #reactivedog #reactivedogtraining #reactivedogsofinstagram #forcefree #forcefreedogtrainer

Celebrate the little wins along the way 👍🏼 If you want a guaranteed way to SPOIL the (already short) time you will have with your dog, then make sure to stick the blinkers on and only focus on the end goal you wish to achieve with their training. However, if you really want to enjoy your dog, and make the most of the time that you have — celebrate the little wins, enjoy the process, be silly and have fun with them! ❤️🐾 #dogtraining #dogsofinstagram #forcefree #enjoyyourdog

🚨 Reminder: dog walks are for your dog and not you! Sniffing is a natural behaviour and should be encouraged. 15 minutes of sniffing is equivalent to a 90 minute walk. It has so many benefits including bringing down their heart rate, regulating breathing and providing mental stimulation. 🧠 As frustrating as it can be when your dog is stopping every few steps to sniff an area, this may be their only time out the house today! Let them enjoy it 🐾 #dogtraining #dogwalk #enrichmentfordogs #letthemsniff #snifferdog #sniffsniff #forcefree

✨ Decompression walks ✨ Try one with your pooch today! 🐶 #decompressionwalk #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #dogsofinstagram #doglovers #bestdogs #reactivedog

✨ Social learning in action ✨ #dogtraining #dogslearn #sociallearning #forcefree #dobermansofinstagram #labradorsofinstagram #rescuedog