7 Ways to Avoid Pack Issues

Having multiple dogs can be a rewarding (and therapeutic!) thing when you have peace in your pack. Issues can arise when you have dogs who are bossy or competing to be leader, especially when you yourself aren’t assuming the position. Without a doubt, humans are the leaders of the pack, allowing our dogs to relax, sit back, and follow our rules. Here are a few pointers on maintaining that leadership role to keep a happy household of dogs.

1. Always maintain a calm, confident, and assertive attitude. If you are freaking out and worrying about your dogs going after each other, stressing over how your relationship will be, then all you will have is a stressed out pack of dogs who are snappy with each other. Dogs feed off of our emotions, so always project confidence.

2. Regular exercise is vital for burning off energy. If your dogs get along great and you use playtime for them to exercise, that’s great! But don’t allow playtime to substitute for a walk. Walking as a confident leader (relaxed and in front with dogs loosely beside or behind) shows the dogs who they are supposed to follow and gets their brains concentrating on you.

3. Have your dogs respect thresholds. Practice by having everyone sit at the doorway. If you have lots of dogs, especially big ones, you can always just have them wait at the door before you call them through. Whichever dog is pushiest should come through that doorway last. Reward good, calm behavior. This will help your most demanding dog see that things happen faster when they are calm. Not rushing the door shows that you control all space, coming and going, and prevents a pack of dogs from hurdling past, through, and over you.

4. Balance your attention and affection. You may have a great pack of dogs, but don’t forget to treat them as individuals. Find the things that each dog enjoys most and then make time for that. For attention, make sure nobody is pushing anyone else out of the way. Spend time with one pup and then on your terms, call the next one over to you. Always show them that you dole out the affection on your terms and never reward a demanding, bossy dog.

5. Be involved in playtime! A rumbly tumbly pack can be having a wonderful time before Fluffy chomps Fido’s ear a bit too hard and then everyone joins in for a brawl. Get your dogs used to your presence between them, bump around while they’re playing happily and practice calling everyone, separating them, maybe have them sit, and then release them to play again. You can do this many times throughout playtime, always supervising and splitting them up when they’re still having a great time. This keeps them focusing on you, keeps playtime fun, and makes recall a part of play so it’s always fun to come to you!

6. Don’t let your dogs guard anything. As the leader, you are the only one who is allowed to protect anything – food, bones, toys, etc. Supervise feeding times and don’t let anyone steal from anyone else’s bowl. This lets everybody know that you are going to stick up for them and keep the peace. If a dog gets growly over a bone, claim the object by stepping on it and backing the dog away, and then they lose that bone. Be the mama dog and let the other dogs know you are keeping everything even.

7. Another great way to maintain calm is by having everybody sit for their dinner. If your dogs haven’t mastered this, you can practice sit for dinner one at a time before you graduate to everyone sitting before being released. Sitting for dinner is showing that you control mealtimes and that it’s no time for wild and crazy play. Like the doorway, the calmest dog gets to eat first.

Kersti Nieto
Certified Dog Trainer
K9 Solutions LLC
http://www.nck9solutions.com

7 Ways to Introduce Your Dog to Your New Baby

When bringing home a new member of the family, start thinking about introducing your dog well in advance for this lifestyle change. Don’t bring your baby home and expect your dog to automatically respond correctly or change bad habits overnight. Preparing your dog months ahead will help him accept a new baby in the house more easily when the big day arrives.

1. Think about daily life in the house with a baby. Are there bad habits such as jumping on you or laying on the couch that you would rather undo at this point? Work on these training loopholes now instead of when baby comes. Practice walking around with a baby doll so he gets used to you having a bundle in your arms that he is not allowed to jump on. Same with not jumping on the couch or the swinging chair.

2. Teach your dog the “Wait” command so you can have it handy for not going into any rooms that you want temporarily or permanently off limits such as the baby room while you change diapers or the kitchen while you feed baby.

3. Practice having your dog walk politely next to a stroller before baby comes, including by distractions such as dogs, joggers, squirrels, etc.

4. If your dog has never been around kids before, you can acclimate him to children by going for walks near parks and playgrounds. Be sure your walk is relaxed with your dog besides you.

5. Your dog still needs routine. A lot of times a dog is forgotten and begins to act out to get attention. As your baby grows, supervise all interactions and remember to never allow your dog to get involved when he is not invited or where you are not comfortable with his presence.

6. Have your husband/mother bring the baby blanket from the hospital to allow the dog to smell it to get used to baby’s arrival. When baby comes home, allow your dog to get used to the little bundle in your arms, chairs, etc. around the house and also by taking walks. Take your time to do the actual introduction even if it takes days or weeks.

7. If you are nervous about the actual introduction, wait until you are comfortable so the meeting is positive and happy rather than risk your stress or worry to affect your dog. This will reassure your dog that even though baby has brought a big change to the household, his leaders are not worried and are taking care of things.

Kersti Nieto
Certified Dog Trainer
K9 Solutions, LLC
http://www.nck9solutions.com

7 Steps for a Great Wait Command

Wait Command

This command could save your dog’s life by keeping them from lunging out of cars and doors unsafely.

It will also help you to keep them off the door while you allow guests in. You can keep them out of any room such as kitchen while cooking/eating, dining room during a party, guest room, kids room with toys everywhere, etc.

Finally, it’s a great leadership and self-control exercise.

Wait means “not another paw forward.” It’s okay if they walk off into the other parts of the house or car. They just can’t cross the boundary you have put into place.

 

1. At a doorway such as bedroom or kitchen doorway, face your dog and say Wait.

2. Walk backwards confidently into the room about 5-10 steps. Even less if this is very difficult for your dog.

3. Go back to your dog, praise him quietly as you walk by, and go about your business.

4. If your dog walks in, shoot back to him quickly and back him up into place with your legs, not hands. Do not knee him or hurt him. Just simply back him up and repeat again.

5. Practice on the fly throughout the day until you can cross the room and come back, then add longer times before you come back.

6. Practice at stairway, all doorways, garage doors, and any door that are not open to escaping.

7. Once your dog understands that Wait means “not another paw forward” then practice with the front door. Use a leash to step on or block the front porch if you are feeling insecure.

Sylvie Pleasant
Certified Dog Trainer and Behavior Consultant
www.nck9solutions.com