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Are
you Expecting?
Are you expecting a new member of the family?
If yes, is your dog expecting a new member of
the family? Probably not. If you can answer
yes to any of the following questions then keep
reading t
find out what you can do to prepare your canine
friend.
- Does
your dog jump up or sleep on your bed?
-
Does your dog own the family sofa?
-
Does your dog growl when you approach its
food dish?
- When
your dog has a bone or toy does he / she growl
when
approached?
- Does
your dog jump up to greet you or your company?
- Does
your dog beg for food at the table?
You
are going to need to establish some “house
rules”.
The
dog should only be allowed to be on the furniture
when invited. You instruct the dog it is okay
to come up and you instruct the dog
to get off.
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Work with your dog during feeding time. Feed
your dog by hand. Discipline the dog for inappropriate
behaviour during its mealtime.
- Play
with your dog and his / her toys. A give and
take relationship is your goal. If you dog
reacts in a negative manner, discipline your
dog and remove all toys until later, and then
repeat until the dog gets the idea (continue
to practice on a regular basis).
- It
is important to establish a strong sit and
/ or down command to use when preventing the
dog from jumping up. If the dog is allowed
to jump up sooner or later someone is going
to get hurt.
- When
you are eating use the down command to prevent
the dog from begging. You want to keep the
dog away from the baby and / or children when
they are eating.
These new rule will enforce your control. The
control you establish before you bring your
newborn home is very important. Your dog will
try and establish a leadership role over your
newborn, that is part of being a dog. It is
your
responsibility to make sure all the family members
are “alpha” not your dog.
When you bring your newborn home, it is recommended
that “mom” greet the dog first without
the baby. Greet the dog and let him / her investigate
you (new smells), bring your hospital clothes
home. Then introduce the dog to the baby (diaper
end, not face to face). Your dog should be on
leash to give 100% control.
These new rules are important to prevent accidents
from happening. Dogs are pack animals and react
on instinct; it is up to us humans to understand
them and to have control over them so they understand
who the leaders are.
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