Training Family Dogs

family_dogs

If you have children and dogs, things can get out of hand pretty quickly. Does your dog jump on the children, or on your guests? Is he starting to get more insistent about it? Are you starting to worry about it?

Are you finding that the dog's assumption out on the walk is "EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF!" Leash walking can be absolutely miserable if your dog is a puller. This is very fixable with techniques that have been used for many years by shepherds and hunters whose dogs have to work close to them off leash. We teach the dog to stay close without taking off, in business for himself. You can end up with a blown out shoulder or a dog who never gets a nice walk if you don't fix this. And again, it IS fixable with no hitting, no yelling, no anger.

Does you dog nip or bite?

Even if you think it is play, this needs to stop before it becomes obnoxious at best or dangerous at worst. You need to have replacement behaviors for using the mouth inappropriately.

Does your dog refuse to come when called?  

This is critical. Coming when called will save your dog's life at least once. Often dogs have been pulled in the process of teaching come when called, and this creates big problems. Wouldn't you hesitate if the roles were reversed? I have a lot of experience teaching a joyful come when called and fixing a broken one.

I will help you place parameters on your dog's behavior, and help everybody in the family know what to do to help the dog succeed at being a good boy.  Taking the dog out of the home to train him only works for half the equation. The dog wants to know what you expect of him. Together we will clarify your requirements so the dog can behave with confidence. You will learn how to be clear, lessening everyone's frustration.  

The element of CONTEXT is missing from the dog training advice you find in the media. Behavior has everything to do with what is going on around the dog. You get nowhere when you consider a problem behavior in isolation.

Most of us get our dogs for the purpose of having a loving relationship. But dogs can bring a lot of conflict into a family when nobody seems to be able to control the dog. It is hard to quantify how much your quality of life will improve when you have a well-behaved dog! 

Do you need to prepare your dog for the arrival of a baby?

I will help you develop a plan of training so that chaos will be lessened when you bring the little human home!  There are specific skills that will make life easier if you train them before you are running around, sleep deprived with both arms occupied.

It is perfectly reasonable for people to need some guidance when confusion arises. Please call me and let me help you resolve household behavior problems. I can teach you the handling skills that will help you create the relationship you want with your dog.