M&T Puppy Palace Yorkies with Happy paws

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M&T Puppy Palace Yorkies with Happy paws Hello I love my dogs and give them the best they are loved socialized and taken very well cared of .

I have APR ,AKC,CKC I have Yorkies , shih Tzu,Maltese ,poodle my puppies will come with health records shots deworming new toys starter food potty pads.

I will have a litter of Morkies in September if anyone maybe interested
20/08/2024

I will have a litter of Morkies in September if anyone maybe interested

I will have two litters in October if anyone wants to think about a puppy .
14/08/2024

I will have two litters in October if anyone wants to think about a puppy .

Let's play
07/08/2024

Let's play

Daylan loves his bed
07/08/2024

Daylan loves his bed

Past puppy she is still less than 1 year old love her
07/08/2024

Past puppy she is still less than 1 year old love her

3 weeks. 4 days old she is doing great I think I will name her Gracie 😁 she is ckc Mom is a chocolate blonde. Love all m...
07/08/2024

3 weeks. 4 days old she is doing great I think I will name her Gracie 😁 she is ckc Mom is a chocolate blonde. Love all my babies 💕

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Do you free feed your baby?  Let’s look at 5 reasons not to free feed. Com...
30/07/2024

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Do you free feed your baby? Let’s look at 5 reasons not to free feed. Come on đŸ‘€đŸ«ŽđŸ»

5 Reasons NOT to Free-Feed Your Dog
The benefits of feeding your dog meals VS. leaving food out.

By Stephanie Colman - Published: February 11, 2016Updated: January 20, 202032

Taking responsibility for sharing your life with a dog brings many choices: How to train, what equipment to use, what are the best toys? When it comes to feeding a dog, the options are just as varied: Kibble or raw, with grain or without, meals in a crate or loose in the kitchen, free feed or meals served only at a certain time? In my years of teaching manners classes, the last question has come up a lot.

Free feeding is the practice of making food available to your dog at all times. Some people who free feed offer the dog’s full daily ration at the start of the day, while others make sure the bowl is never empty, adding more food whenever it starts to look low. It’s the canine version of a Vegas buffet – there is always something being served, at any time of day or night, and the dog can eat whenever he chooses.

Convenience is typically cited as the reason some owners choose the free-feeding method. Others believe that constant access to food can prevent food guarding, particularly with adopted dogs who might have come from a situation where food was limited. In reality, constant access to food can create ongoing stress in a guarding-prone dog, as he potentially feels he must always be “on guard” to protect his buffet.

Choosing to be a responsible dog owner means doing what’s best for your dog, even if it’s not always the most convenient option. Most animal professionals agree that meals versus free-feeding is the better option for our dogs, for many reasons, most importantly, the following:

1. Meals help teach and maintain clean house habits.

Simply put, if you don’t know when food is going into the dog, it’s much harder to know when it will need to come out of the dog! This is especially important when initially housetraining a puppy or newly adopted dog, but it holds true throughout the dog’s life.

When a dog is fed on a reasonably consistent schedule, it’s easy to determine his bathroom needs and develop a routine that is easy to follow. Even better than a set routine is to feed your dog in a “window of time.” This helps prevent stressing an anxious dog when life throws a curve ball and he can’t be fed at the exact time he’s used to; it also helps prevent the creation of a clock-watching, demanding, reminding dog.

2. Appetite is an important indicator of health.

Lack of appetite is often the first sign that a dog is not feeling well. If your dog has a habit of grazing throughout the day, it’s harder to know if he hasn’t eaten yet because he’s preoccupied by life or his stomach is bothering him.

In contrast, if your dog has been conditioned to exhibit signs of being hungry within a certain time frame, and readily eats when his meal is presented, you’ll have a reliable sign that he’s not feeling well if he turns up his nose at the bowl. At that point, the owner knows to be on the lookout for other signs of illness, and can decide if a vet appointment is warranted. Plus, if you do visit the vet, you’ll be able to accurately report how long your dog has been off his food.

3. Meal manners for multi-dog households.

In homes with multiple dogs, free feeding can make it nearly impossible to monitor each individual dog’s daily intake. It can also create situations where more assertive dogs are allowed to intimidate housemates into surrendering their portions. This often happens without the owners realizing. They may not intervene until the problem has persisted long enough that it’s noticeable due to a change in the dog’s weight. The longer a dog rehearses an unwanted behavior, the more challenging it can be to modify.

When feeding multiple dogs, it’s wise to teach them to mind their own business when it comes to food bowls. We all deserve to eat in peace. Even when a dog doesn’t seem to mind the intrusion of a visiting housemate under normal circumstances (say he responds by calmly switching to the un-manned bowl, instead), the stress of the other dog invading his territory may lead to snarky behavior – especially if the intrusion occurs on a day he isn’t feeling well or when there are other stressful things going on in the household.

When dogs are fed meals, it’s easier for the responsible humans to gently remind everyone to stay at their own bowl and not interfere with housemates. Adopting this routine also simplifies things when different dogs are on different diets.

4. Meals are more hygienic and prevent unwanted pests.

Ants are cunning little creatures. If you’ve never lived in a place where the very thought of a dropped morsel of food would lead to an invasion, consider yourself lucky – and don’t tempt the immortal insect gods! Food left in bowls is an open invitation for ants and other insects.

5. Meals can be used as valuable training opportunities for life skills.

Unfortunately, the Internet is rife with bad advice when it comes to feeding rituals for dogs. Much of it centers on the ill-conceived idea that humans must somehow assert their status over their dogs by demonstrating control over food and eating. Suggestions typically range from making sure owners eat first, while the dog watches, to ridiculous – even dangerous – ideas, such as spitting in a dog’s food or randomly taking it away as he eats, in an attempt to communicate the idea that it’s really your food and you’re kind enough to share it with him.

At best, such ideas are silly and unnecessary and, at worst, they can erode a dog’s trust in the owners and create the very guarding problems people think they will prevent.

My goal is not to achieve status over my dog. My goal is to teach my dog how to handle himself, as a dog, in the human world. When a dog is motivated to eat a meal, I can use feeding time to help teach several valuable behaviors, such as:

Come When Called.

Coming when called is the most valuable skill any dog will learn. It’s a behavior that might literally save his life. While I use several techniques to teach and maintain a strong recall behavior, simple classical conditioning is always on my list, and is something I practice during every meal.

Classical conditioning is about creating strong associations in a dog’s mind. When I know a dog loves food, and is excited about mealtime, I can easily transfer some of that love and excitement onto my recall word by saying the word a split second before reaching for and feeding a bite of food.

It doesn’t matter what the dog is doing at the time. He can be sitting, standing, etc. What matters is that he hears his recall word and food magically lands in his mouth no more than two seconds later. I can easily rapid-fire my way through 25 rounds of “Saber, here!” in about a minute, and consider this a valuable piece of our recall maintenance training.

Impulse Control.

Some dogs really love mealtime, and, as a result, quickly become over-excited, working themselves into a barking, spinning, jumping frenzy. This often prompts the owners to work faster in an effort to hurry up and deliver the food so as to quiet the chaos.

Unfortunately, delivering the bowl to an out-of-control dog rewards the out-of-control behavior! There are many ways to ask your dog to exhibit self-control in anticipation of receiving his meal, from expecting that he simply wait calmly and quietly, to requiring that he hold a formal stay. At the very least, I teach my dogs that overly excited behavior will backfire, causing me to put food away and walk out of the kitchen!

Formal Stay.

When a dog is motivated to eat, earning a bowl of food is a powerful reinforcer. After my young dogs have learned that remaining calm is the key to keeping me on-task with meal prep, I use feeding time as a prime opportunity for teaching the sit-stay.

Start small, by asking for just five seconds of self-control via a sit-stay as you hold your dog’s bowl of food. If the dog breaks position – including calmly lying down or standing up (since you specifically asked for a sit-stay) – simply set the bowl on the counter and disengage from your dog for 30 seconds or so. It’s wise to busy yourself during this time so that it’s easier to remain disengaged from a dog who might try and pester you as he works to figure out what just happened.

Also, there’s no need to reprimand or otherwise correct the dog when he breaks position. The goal is for your dog to realize that his action (breaking position) is what’s causing the dinner delay.

After 30 to 60 seconds, return to the kitchen, pick up his bowl, ask him to “sit” and “stay” and try again. Chances are good that his “Ah-ha!” moment will come within three tries. When he’s successful, and you reach your five-second count, be sure to use a clear release word (I like, “OK!”) before inviting him to eat. The release word lets him know that this time, getting up won’t result in you removing the bowl.

As he gets the hang of things, be sure to change up how long you ask him to stay, sometimes asking for more, sometimes surprising him with an easy, short stay, but always ending with the release word.

Prevent Guarding.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I much prefer to prevent food guarding problems than to fix them. Mealtime is the perfect opportunity to condition a dog to enjoy his owner’s presence while he’s eating. It’s easier when a dog eats at a reasonable pace, rather than inhaling his food at warp speed (which, in some dogs, is an early sign of guarding).

To buy yourself some time with an enthusiastic eater, try spreading his kibble onto a cookie sheet, adding a large obstacle to his bowl (a small, upside down terra cotta pot works well) to create a “kibble moat” of sorts, or try one of the commercially available bowls designed to slow a dog down by making it harder to inhale large mouthfuls at a time.

As the dog is eating, stand a few feet away and toss several pieces of a high-value treat on the floor near the bowl. He might not even notice at first, and that’s fine. You want to be far enough away so as not to disturb the dog.

Repeat this process during every meal. If there’s room, sometimes walk by, dropping the treat as you pass the dog. Don’t say anything. Just toss or drop the high-value treat. Eventually, he will realize that the “good stuff” is coming from you, and you’ll likely see him pause, in eager anticipation of the treat, as you walk by.

The idea is to build a positive association with a human near the dog and his food. We want our dogs to want us nearby when they’re eating – our presence becomes a predictor of good things. As he eagerly looks to you for the treat, sometimes ask him to “sit” and hand him the treat, then release him back to his bowl of food.

This method works well to prevent food-bowl guarding, or help reverse mild cases when caught early. If your dog is growling or snapping, or has already bitten somebody in proximity of his bowl, please consult a qualified, positive-reinforcement trainer before attempting to modify the behavior on your own.

Say “Bye-bye!” to the buffet

A little tough love is often all that’s needed to transform a dog accustomed to grazing throughout the day into a dog who readily eats meals when they are offered. To begin, make sure you have a solid idea of how much food your dog actually needs. Remember that what’s printed on the dog food bag is only a guide – and is usually significantly more than most dogs need. Plus, it doesn’t take into consideration the calories consumed throughout the day via training treats and special chews. Your dog’s individual metabolism will also greatly affect how much food he needs. For example, my previous dogs included a 30-pound Whippet and a small, 40-pound Golden Retriever who ate the same amount of food thanks to the Whippet’s fast metabolism.

Once you’ve decided on a quantity, split it into as many portions as you plan to feed meals. In general, puppies should be fed three (or even four) times per day until they are about 4 months old, at which time they can be fed twice a day. Most adult dogs seem to do best on two meals per day, but some people find that their dogs do better on one meal a day.

When it’s time for a meal, present the food and set a timer for five minutes. Your dog now has five minutes to eat his meal. If he eats a bite or two and walks away, that’s his choice, but you’ll pick up the bowl at the five-minute mark, and he won’t be offered food again until the next meal. (The only exception here is for young puppies or underweight dogs, in which case I will offer food again in an hour – but only for five minutes. You want the dog to understand that the buffet has closed and he needs to eat when food is offered, or it will disappear.) You can usually safely store what wasn’t eaten after only five minutes, but wet food should be refrigerated or thrown away.

When the adult dog chooses to walk away from the food bowl, he has effectively made the choice to skip a meal. That is his choice. If you have a second dog who is an eager eater, try letting your picky dog watch the eager eater happily eat his left-overs! (Then cut back on the eager eater’s next meal so as not to over-feed him.)

When dealing with a picky eater, it’s tempting to try hand feeding or augmenting the food with table scraps or other toppers, but that can actually encourage pickiness. A little warm water can often jump-start a picky eater by enhancing the smell, and it’s OK to decide on a healthy additive such as a little plain yogurt, but you don’t want to keep changing things up in an attempt to entice your dog to eat. Now is when you need to be strong in your commitment to some necessary tough love. No healthy dog will starve himself when you are offering food at regular intervals.

While a healthy dog won’t starve himself, some take longer than others to understand the new game plan and decide to eat when you offer a meal. The longest I’ve seen it take is three days. Yes, three days! Thankfully the owner hung in there, resisting the temptation to offer training treats and other snacks throughout the day (or caving in all together), and we were all excited to see the dog finally choose to eat dinner on that third day – and all offered meals that followed. Her dog wasn’t being stubborn when he walked away from an offered meal – he was just getting used to the new routine. Just like any new behavior, learning to eat at a specific time, when the dog is used to free feeding, can take time.

After you’ve gained your dog’s cooperation when it comes to meals versus free feeding, how you fine-tune the feeding routine is up to you. Some people stick with the five-minute mark, allowing the dog to come and go from the bowl as he pleases, but only for a set amount of time.

I prefer that my dog stays on-task when at the bowl, so if something catches his attention and he leaves the kitchen, I pick up the bowl right then. So, as long as you’ve established a willingness to eat when a meal is presented, we see no harm in making minor adjustments to fit your lifestyle with your dog’s.

If you find that your dog isn’t consistently finishing a portion, you might be offering more food than he needs. Remember to factor in training treats or portions of kibble that are delivered throughout the day. Try reducing his meal portion by 25 percent and see what happens. If he mows through a meal and seems like he’s starving, its wise to observe for a couple of weeks to see if he’s losing weight – in which case, maybe he needs more food, or a different food – or if the hunger is all in his head.

With a little patience and persistence, your dog should soon understand that his buffet lifestyle has ended, and you’ll both begin to enjoy the benefits of daily meals.

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Today I’m going to talk about 12 healthy things you can add to your dogs d...
30/07/2024

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Today I’m going to talk about 12 healthy things you can add to your dogs diet and what they help with. Come on đŸ«ŽđŸ»

12 Things To Sneak Into Your Dog’s Food To Boost Their Health

Written by: Scott H
| Published on July 18, 2024

More dog parents than ever are paying special attention to what they’re feeding their dogs, and we couldn’t be happier about it. The times of cheap, corn-based kibbles are gone. Almost all dog-loving humans are spending time researching and purchasing the better diets.

Whether you’re feeding premium dog food or a homemade diet, there are still plenty of supplements you can add to your dog’s food to boost their health. Over-supplementation is something you should avoid, but if you’re looking for an immune system booster for your dog, check out these healthful options!

#1 – Fish Oil

Fish oil is an excellent source of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids improve your dog’s skin and coat health, boost your dog’s immune system, and reduce inflammation and pain. However, be careful about feeding too much fish oil because it can greatly reduce the amount of vitamin E in your dog’s system.

#2 – Vitamin E

vitamin E for dog immune system

Vitamin E is an important cardiac and immune system booster for both you and your dog. It also improves eye, skin, and muscle health. All these are essential for keeping your dog healthy and happy. After all, vitamin E shows no shortage of benefits. While an overdose of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E is possible, it’s rare. Thus, the benefits certainly outweigh the risks.

#3 – Rosemary

rosemary for dogs

Rosemary is high in iron, vitamin B6, and calcium. It has also proved to be a strong antioxidant. Adding rosemary or a rosemary supplement to your dog’s diet is an excellent way to add in some natural herbs. It will benefit your dog’s health and spice up their meals.

#4 – Biotin

Biotin deficiency is extremely rare in dogs. Yet, if you notice your dog has poor skin and fur, you might want to consider adding a Biotin supplement to your dog’s food. You don’t need to have a Biotin deficient dog to see the results from the supplement either. Its effects are often strong enough to see in healthy dogs that just have dry, itchy skin. It can taste bitter, so sometimes opening the powdered capsules and sprinkling them around your dog’s food will help them eat it.

#5 – Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is becoming more and more popular among dog parents and rightfully so – it’s full of benefits! It has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties which benefit your dog’s entire health. Coconut oil improves skin conditions, aids in digestion, and even helps control and prevent diabetes. If you’re going to pick one immune system booster for your dog, coconut oil is an excellent choice.
This is found in the baking isle of the grocery stores. Make sure you buy the organic and start with a small amt 1/8 tsp and work up to 1/2. Coconut oil can cause loose stools. So if you give your baby coconut oil and they get loose stools back down in the amount you are giving

#6 – Glucosamine/Chondroitin

glucosamine and chondroitin for dogs

Glucosamine and Chondroitin have long been used to help dogs suffering from arthritis, hip and elbow dysplasia, and other joint conditions. They have been proven to help in these areas for decades. Many are now discovering that glucosamine also aids in skin and digestive system ailments. With very few side effects and longtime use proven safe, these supplements are practically a no-brainer for many dog parents. If your dog doesn’t like supplements, there are many glucosamine/chondroitin treats available. Homemade bone broth is also full of the supplements, but don’t feed your dog the cooked bone pieces.

#7 – Peppermint

peppermint for dogs

Peppermint is a great choice for someone looking to freshen their dog’s breath, as adding it to their food will do the trick! But there are more benefits than nicer-smelling breath. Peppermint is a dog immune system booster that soothes upset stomachs and reduces gas and nausea.

#8 – Plain Yogurt

Giving plain, unsweetened yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and probiotics for dogs. If the yogurt has no sugar additives, it’s perfectly healthy to give to canine companions so they can reap the many gastrointestinal health benefits. If your dog is lactose intolerant, feeding live, active cultures is just as healthy!

#9 – Vitamin C

Vitamin C for dog's immune system

Vitamin C is naturally produced by our dogs, so supplementation is often unnecessary. That said, certain medical conditions can benefit from vitamin C added into your dog’s meals, including kennel cough, glaucoma, and other infections.

#10 – Pumpkin

pumpkin dog immune system booster

Raw pumpkin is an excellent immune system booster for your dog should they have any gastrointestinal upset. It is extremely high in fiber which makes loose stools firm and firm stools softer. No matter what kind of upset your pooch is having, pumpkin is likely to help. Just make sure you get plain, unsweetened canned pumpkin or puree it yourself. Pumpkin pie filling will most certainly make your dog sick!

#11 – Echinacea

Echinacea has long been used to treat many human illnesses with great success. So, it only makes sense that supplementing it for our dogs would produce similar benefits. Although only one study has been done so far, the results showed a very positive outcome in the treatment of chronic respiratory infections in dogs being treated with Echinacea.

#12 – Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth for dogs

Diatomaceous Earth, or DE, is a substance made from crushed fossils of freshwater and marine organisms. There are two types: food grade and pool grade. For dogs, you’re going to want to use food grade because the pool grade is toxic. By feeding the powder to dogs, DE kills and eliminates internal parasites of all types. It can also be spread in the yard and rubbed in your dog’s coat to kill fleas, ticks, and other insect pests. You can put it into your carpet and in your dog’s bedding as well. It can be used safely internally and externally and is a very cheap way to control parasites!

Here at Pawsitivley Precious Yorkies 2.0 we are big fans of food grade DE

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Do you have dogs and cats? Is it ok for your dog to eat cat food! Let’s ta...
30/07/2024

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Do you have dogs and cats? Is it ok for your dog to eat cat food! Let’s take a look 👀

Can Dogs Eat Cat Food?

By
Andrew Dickens & Nuala McHugh
Updated: July 17, 2024

To the untrained eye, cat and dog food can look pretty similar when they’re served up side-by-side.

What’s more, if you’re lucky enough to share a home with both cats and dogs, you’ll have likely witnessed the latter quite happily chowing down on food intended for the former when given even half a chance.

These observations naturally raise the question: Can dogs eat cat food?

Is It Safe For Dogs To Eat Cat Food?

The good news is, unlike garlic, chocolate, and onions, cat food isn’t toxic to dogs.

“Generally speaking, it’s not dangerous for dogs to eat cat food, but it is dangerous for cats to eat dog food,” says Laura Ward, DFA’s in-house animal nutritionist. Therefore, parents needn’t worry if dogs finish off a whole portion of feline food.

That being said, it cannot harm to keep an eye on your dog if it happens and call the vet if you notice any worrying symptoms, such as facial swelling, itchiness, or labored breathing. If they’re especially unlucky, your dog might have ingested an ingredient to which they’re allergic.

Can Dogs Eat Wet Cat Food?

Your dog will probably love the smell of the meaty wet cat food, and if they manage to eat some, don’t panic as it’s not necessarily dangerous or harmful. However, wet cat food is made with a cat’s nutritional requirements in mind so no matter how moist and delicious, your dog will not receive a balanced diet with this food.

Can Dogs Eat Dry Cat Food?

Many pet parents prefer to mix wet and dry food for their pets. If you’re already buying dry cat food, it might seem convenient to mix it with your dog’s wet food. However, dry cat food does not provide the necessary nutritional requirements for your dog.

Can Dogs Eat Cat Food In An Emergency?

Dogs can survive on cat food if in a tough spot, but they won’t receive the nutrient balance needed. Eating cat food is likely to cause gastrointestinal upset, and if a regular occurrence, can lead to more serious conditions such as obesity or pancreatitis.

So, if asking “Should you ever feed your dog cat food?” The answer to this is no, not really. It might be stating the obvious, but cat food is uniquely formulated for a cat’s specific needs.

“Cats are obligate carnivores,” says Laura. “This means they require meat in their diet and have a higher requirement for protein and fat, as well as other nutrients — including taurine.”

Given that it’s richer and full of tasty meat, you can’t really blame your dog for having their head turned by cat food, but you shouldn’t let them indulge themselves. If you’ve ever overdone it at the breakfast buffet, you’ll know why.

What Can Happen To Dogs That Eat Too Much Cat Food?

“A dog’s nutritional requirements tend to be oversupplied by feeding cat food,” says Laura. “If an adult dog eats cat food occasionally, this isn’t usually an issue, but the oversupply of nutrients is likely to cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs with sensitive digestion.”

If these digestive woes continue for longer than 24 hours, you should give the vet a call.

Unfortunately, the problems don’t stop there.

“The oversupply of nutrients in cat food could cause weight gain and obesity in some dogs, while the higher fat would also be an issue for dogs predisposed to pancreatitis.”

Can Small Dogs Eat Cat Food?

Although they might resemble the size of a cat, it can actually be worse if a small dog regularly feeds on cat food.

Any dog can be diagnosed with pancreatitis, but breeds with a higher risk of developing the condition tend to lean on the smaller side, such as Miniature Schnauzers and English Cocker Spaniels.

Small dogs tend to benefit from food optimized for their higher rate of metabolism, and smaller physical size which is what small-breed dog foods cater for.

What’s The Difference Between Cat and Dog Food?

Just as cat food caters to the nutritional needs of cats, the same can be said for dog food and dogs.

“In contrast to cats, dogs are carnivorous omnivores, which means that their diet is more flexible,” says Laura.

Sure, this means dog food will have its fair share of meat, but there’ll usually be some carbohydrates and vegetables in the mix, too. It also tends to be less heavy in calories and fat than cat foods.

How Can I Stop My Dog From Eating Cat Food?

As many parents will know all too well, dogs can be greedy creatures and strangers to self-restraint, so cat food needs to be kept as far from intrepid snouts as possible.

Parents looking after both cats and dogs are recommended to feed them in separate rooms to avoid your dog being tempted by what’s in a cat’s bowl. If that’s not possible, you could also consider putting cats’ bowls on surfaces off the floor.

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Do you. Have a puppy and small kids? Your kids can help train your puppy b...
29/07/2024

Good morning dear family. I hope all is well. Do you. Have a puppy and small kids? Your kids can help train your puppy but you have to be on the same page. My granddaughter Hailey is 16 and has a German shepherd service dog. Her mom has done training with Nayla but because she is Hailey’s service dog Nayla had to learn how to listen to Hailey. Come on and I’ll share ideas on helping children to train your puppy. Let’s look 👀

Dog Training for Kids and Other Beginners
Did you recently adopt a new dog or puppy for the family? Here’s how to enlist and guide your kids and other beginning trainers in your household in the dog-training effort.

By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA - Published: January 1, 20240

12 years old girl in backyard at home teaching her black labrador puppy to sit on command. Stay a home. Weekend activities
Gorgeous! This young girl is using beautifully crisp body language to cue her puppy, and is ready with a treat in her other hand as a reward. Teaching your children to use clear, consistent cues and quickly marking and rewarding the resulting behavior will help your dog learn the expected behaviors very quickly.

It makes good sense to have your offspring participate in your dog’s training program. After all, the kids and dogs in the household often spend the most time together. The level of your children’s participation in your dog’s training program will vary based on the age and abilities of the children. But even a toddler can hand feed a treat (or toss it on the floor if your dog takes treats too eagerly or with a hard mouth) when you mark your dog’s correct behavior in response to a cue, and the most dog-obsessed kids may even be able to do some of the training themselves under your direct supervision. Older children can do the training by themselves after they’ve been instructed by you or your trainer and you are confident that they are capable of doing it correctly.

Initial ground rules: Respecting the dog

I’m a huge fan of enlisting kids to help with the dog’s training at the earliest possible age, using positive reinforcement-based methods that teach children the importance of cooperation and respect. This interaction also strengthens the positive association between your dog and your child. Before you engage your child to assist with your dog’s training, however, they need to learn how to respect and interact appropriately with dogs (and other sentient creatures). It’s vitally important to teach children four important safety rules:

1. Dogs are not toys to be treated roughly or with anger.

2. Dogs have the right to keep their own possessions. Do not take bones, toys, or blankets away.

3. Dogs are not to be bothered when they are eating.

4. If the dog “asks” them to stop doing something (with body language such as stiffening, moving away, or growling), they must stop immediately.

If followed, these rules should keep your children and dog safe (because a dog who hurts a child in self-defense is likely to be surrendered or euthanized). If a child is too young to grasp these rules, the supervising adult must physically prevent the child from being inappropriate.

If your dog or puppy shows any sign of being uncomfortable with your child’s handling, like this Bulldog puppy is displaying (ears held back, worried expression, running away from chasing child), intervene on your dog’s behalf. Kids need to know that it is unsafe to pursue or restrain a dog who is trying to get away from their interaction.

First Training Step: Practice Known Behaviors

If your dog has already learned some behaviors, start with those. Teach your child the verbal cue for an easy behavior like “sit” (and the hand signal if the dog knows one) and then show her how to get the dog to respond. Although your dog may perform the behavior reliably for you, he may be a bit confused when the cue comes from a child. If that’s the case you can prompt or lure the behavior after your child gives the cue, and then teach her how to prompt or lure if appropriate (if she is old enough and capable).

Introducing your child to your dog’s known “sit” behavior might look something like this:

Tell your child what cue she will be using – in this case, “Sit!”
Explain that when the dog sits, the behavior gets marked and he gets a treat (depending on the child’s age and capabilities you may use a clicker or a verbal marker, such as the word, “Yes!”). Be sure to explain that you have to give a treat when you mark, so the marker must only be used when the dog has done what you’ve asked. If you’re using a clicker, and your youngster delights in running around the house clicking, you may need to put the clicker away when you’re not actively training!

Have your child practice marking and then giving a treat to an imaginary dog (or a stuffed one!) before asking her to try it with your live dog. (If your dog is grabby for treats, have your child drop the treat on the floor.)

Demonstrate (a few times) the sequence with your dog: Cue the sit, mark when he sits, and feed the treat – preferably moving the treat quickly to his lips so he is still sitting when he eats it.

Demonstrate also how to prompt or lure if he doesn’t sit when you ask him to.

If your child is old enough to be physically capable, have her practice the sequence. If she’s not old enough, keep giving the cues and marking and have your child feed or toss the treats, letting her participate more and more as she is able. The next step might be having her click the clicker or say “Yes!” after you’ve cued the dog and he sat.

Eventually show your child how to practice all the behaviors your dog already knows. I recommend creating a vocabulary list of all your dog’s known cues and posting them on the refrigerator for all family members who are participating in the training program to refer to so cue usage is consistent.

Worried about getting bitten (or maybe just covered with slobber), many children are tentative about giving treats to a dog or puppy, and may inadvertently draw the dog out of their cued position by holding the treat too far from the dog’s lips. Teach kids how to put the treat right onto the dog’s lips or have them toss the treat to the dog (the latter technique is recommended if the dog really is too eager when taking treats).

Teach New Behaviors

Older kids can certainly play a leading role in teaching new behaviors to the family dog, but even the younger ones can participate in the process. How much depends, of course, on both the child and the dog, but all ages of children can take pride in knowing they have taught the dog something new.

The process for teaching new behaviors is similar. Here’s how you might show your child how to teach a new “down” behavior:

Explain what cue you will be using (“Down!” – or
?), what you want the behavior to look like (dog is lying all the way down on the ground), and how you plan to help the dog understand what you want him to do (whether luring, capturing, or shaping
). Discuss “lure-shaping” – where you use a treat to get the dog to do small pieces of the behavior, encouraging him to lower his front end, marking and treating as you go, gradually getting closer and closer to the final behavior.

Demonstrate the process, starting with the dog sitting. Put the treat in front of his nose lower it a little bit, mark and treat as he follows it.

Repeat, gradually lowering the treat closer to the ground with multiple repetitions. (For a step-by-step tutorial, see “How to Teach Your Dog to Lie Down on Cue.”) Depending on your dog’s level of cooperation and your child’s abilities, you may be able to have her take over after a few repetitions of the demonstration with you continuing to coach, or you may need to continue participating more fully in the process. That’s your judgment call.
Now, expand your dog’s repertoire. Let your child help decide what new behaviors they want to help teach – and be sure to include tricks! Tricks are fun for all and are guaranteed to help strengthen the dog-child bond.

Also, be sure to show your young ones how to incorporate training into every day activities, using real-life rewards when appropriate. “Sit and I’ll throw the ball for you.” “Sit and we can play tug.” “Lie down and I’ll open the door for you to go out in the back yard.” “Sit and I’ll put your food bowl down.”

Supervise!

Children offer a puppy within a tug toy to chew and pull on.
If your kids find your puppy or dog to be too physically exuberant to feel comfortable playing or training, try using “protected contact” – having them interact while the dog is safely restrained by a baby gate, puppy pen, leash, or tether.

Young children should, of course, always be supervised when they are in the presence of the family dog. “Supervision” means not just being in the same room, it means also having eyes and mind on the dog-kid combination at all times. You constantly make sure the child is appropriate with the dog, and constantly watch and interpret the dog’s body language to make sure he is comfortable with the child. This iron rule is especially unbendable when the dog and child are actively engaged with each other – for example, if the child is playing with or training the dog. Not only do you want to be sure that the child is safe, you also want to be sure the dog is enjoying the interaction and the training is being successful.

While older children don’t need the constant close scrutiny that young children do, you still want to be sure the training is going well and being done correctly. Check in with the dog-kid combination on a regular basis to reassure yourself that your learners are enjoying themselves and that training progress is happening.

So – how old is “younger” and how old is “older”? It is suggested that children aged 6 and under require constant close supervision, ages 7 to 12 are more capable of being dog-appropriate with less supervision, and 13 and up are generally mature enough to be trusted with the dog. Of course, each child is an individual and you’ll need to make your own judgment calls for your own offspring, but I would urge you to err on the side of caution. It’s far better to over-supervise than under-supervise.

Protected Contact

You might consider using “protected contact” in your training program with your dog and young child. The concept of protected contact is widely used in zoos, where animal care attendants keep a safety barrier between themselves and dangerous animals who might injure them – or worse. You can do the same with a child who might be overwhelmed or inadvertently injured by an over-exuberant canine subject. You could have your child work with the dog on a tether, inside an exercise pen or the other side of a baby gate. It can also be helpful to make sure your dog is well exercised before engaging in a training session with a young child. Too much enthusiasm on the part of the canine learner can damage the dog-child relationship – which is the exact opposite of the goal we are trying to achieve.

You Might Be Surprised

Obviously, older children will tend to catch on more quickly and be able to participate more fully in your dog’s training than very young children. But don’t sell your little ones short – some young children can be surprisingly adept at learning and applying training skills. Our trainers are frequently impressed by how well some of their junior students do in their dog training classes – often better than the adults! Do remember to keep it fun – the goal is to strengthen the bond – and that’s most likely to happen if all species involved are enjoying themselves.

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