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Dogs, Diapers and Beyond… How To Help Your Dog Accept Your Newborn
By Dawn Geremia
“Dogs, Diapers and Beyond… How To Help Your Dog Accept Your Newborn” focuses on preparing your dog for the arrival of your new baby. This easy to read booklet discusses …
- four important, and useful, commands that your dog should master before your newborn comes home.
- How to incorporate those four commands into daily activities
- setting up the nursery
- introducing baby equipment
- setting up boundaries in your home
- appropriate dog toys,
- a ‘safe zone’ for your dog once baby has arrived
- step by step instructions for the first introduction of dog and baby
- the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT piece of safety advice you can receive
- how to make a smooth transition once everyone is home
Dawn Geremia worked as a veterinary technician for ten years before opening her dog training business in 2002. She has seen many dogs, and families, struggle with the adjustment of bringing home a new baby. Her first child, Madeline, and her dog, Dahlia, were the inspiration for “Dogs, Diapers, and Beyond… How to Help Your Dog Accept Your Newborn”. Her goal is to help educate expecting families, which will ultimately help keep dogs where they belong…with their families. Please understand that the information presented in this booklet is not a substitution for active supervision between dog and baby.
QUOTE:
"The dogs have been great for the most part, they are still extremely gentle with the kids (now almost 6 months old!), though they do like to sneak by and get a light kiss in...which makes Pierce giggle uncontrollably. Gillian just smiles. Both my children are now aware of the dogs, and if I have them on my lap and Bish or Rip sitting nearby, they'll reach out to pet them on the nose, which the dogs are very receptive to. I couldn't be happier with the relationship forming between my children and the dogs, and can't imagine what the alternative would have been if I hadn't never reached out to you for help."
:) –Geoff Martin
So, you're having a baby...
By Renée Lamoureux
So, you’re having a baby and you already have a dog. What’s the best way to introduce the two so that there are as few problems as possible? I’m sure you’ve heard that you should bring home a dirty diaper, or a blanket from the hospital after the baby is born, so that your dog will become accustomed to the scent of the baby. This is a good idea, but did you know there are multiple things you can do before you have your baby, and not wait until after you give birth, to help smooth the transition of bringing home baby to your family dog?
Follow Me Dog Training LLC offers a class for the expecting family. So much will be changing in your world as you prepare for and 9 months later, bring a new baby into your home. These changes can cause stress on your dog and you may notice some behavior changes. It is so much easier to be prepared! Contact us to set up one of these classes and we will discuss the preparations that need to be made as far as your dog is concerned. Friend and dog trainer Dawn Geremia has written a booklet, “Dogs, Diapers and Beyond…How to Help You Dog Accept Your Newborn”. Everyone that signs up for this class will receive a copy as well as other pertinent information to start things off on the right paw.
How to be a leader to your fuzzy family member.
By Renée Lamoureux
The idea of your dog receiving nothing in life for free is not a new concept, nor one that can only be used on specific behavior issues. All dogs have the genetic background of work that survives today. The job description for any dog may include having to guard the family, protect the flock, move the sheep, sit on a lap, or be a constant companion to the family. In today’s world the role of the family pet changes every day. With that change, the average pet owner needs to know how to keep their dog’s role as the family dog in perspective. This program, along with training, has shown positive changes in behavior. Some of those changes can be very subtle and others quite extreme. The shy, timid dog will understand that he doesn’t need to be in charge and will relax as he assumes his place in the pack. The dog “president” of the family will learn that this position isn’t the best position for him and learn to look to the owners as pack leader. Even if your dog isn’t showing any of those behaviors we consider as “bad” and the dog thinks of as “fun”, this program will help put the natural order of things into perspective for owner and dog. Building a solid foundation with your dog is very important and this foundation is more easily made with a dog who knows where his place in the family is.
The basic idea of this program can be thought of in terms of what the dog needs most and in what order. Exercise, leadership and then earned attention is a good starting point. This program does not mean that you need to take time away from your dog or to be mean in any way. We want you, as the owner, to initiate the dog into exercise, work and play. Many owners in today’s fast paced, busy world have a hard time building an hour into their schedule. Imagine how much easier it would be to spend time with your dog if he had a clear, stress-free understanding of when to play, when to listen intently and when to just relax with you. The goal of this program is to have fun with your dog with out losing the perspective of who is in charge, who really owns all those tasty treats, who buys the fun tennis balls and who keeps a roof over the dog’s head. Instead of the dog coming up and nudging your hand for a marathon of belly rubs, the owner can tell the dog, “Not now, we’ll go for a walk in a moment. Sit and be calm while I finish what I am doing.” This makes more sense to the dog, garners more respect from the dog and will allow you and your dog to come to an understanding of who the leader is.
