Clipped from: doggonesafe.com (share this clip)

While I’m on the subject of Doggone Safe, here is a link to their blog article about why dogs really aren’t that fond of being hugged.

Clipped from: doggonesafe.blogspot.com (share this clip)

Halloween and Hugging Dogs: Two Topics from Doggone Safe is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

Colleen Pelar, the author, has been rasing kids and dogs since 1991. Those initials after her name mean that she is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, and that is no small feat.

The paperback is available at Amazon by clicking on the image, and here it is at Dogwise, a great online dog bookstore which also published it. Dogwise has also begun offering some of their popular titles as immediately downloadable ebooks, and here is where you can get Living with Kids and Dogs without Losing Your Mind as an ebook.

To read more on this topic without getting a book, see doggonesafe.com, a site run by Joan Orr.

Living with Kids and Dogs without Losing your Mind is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

Most of us would agree that we are frightened of a snarling guard dog, but those with a true fear of dogs are terrified of even a small fluffy pup. Even the sound of a bark can cause anxiety and distress.

As with most fears and phobias, fear of dogs usually starts in childhood. It may stem from being bitten by a dog, or even just being knocked down by an exuberant puppy. Sometimes a child will become frightened of dogs if they see their parent is anxious or worried around dogs – they may think if their parent is concerned, there is a real reason to be afraid.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why a child becomes afraid of dogs. One child may still love dogs after being bitten, yet another may become very fearful if a little dog jumps on them.

If a child is afraid of dogs, it can cause difficulties in their day to day lives. Dogs are everywhere and it won’t be possible to avoid them forever. It’s worth working with your child to overcome their fear.

A commonly recommended method of getting over any phobia is with a slow, gradual and highly controlled exposure to what the person is fearful of. Some children are just too frightened to be within sight of a dog. In this case, you can start with watching a television show or movie that shows friendly happy dogs. The old Lassie movies would be ideal for this.

When your child is happy and relaxed while watching a dog movie, the next step is to show them some baby puppies that are under 6 weeks of age. At this age, the pups aren’t jumpy or yappy, so shouldn’t cause any anxiety. Your child may then be willing to touch or hold a pup, but be sure to do this away from the mom, as she may be protective of her babies.

If all is going smoothly,  take your child to where they can see real dogs, butat this stage be sure  the dogs don’t have access to them. They can then get used to seeing dogs running and jumping, and can hear their noise without having to actually be too close to them. A great venue for this sort of exposure is a dog obedience competition. The dogs are all well trained and under control, so you’re not likely to have a dog rush at you.

The final step is to have your child interact with a quiet adult dog. Choose a calm breed such as a whippet or a cocker spaniel, and allow your child to stroke the dog when they feel ready to do so.

One warning – don’t be tempted to rush through any of these steps, or be in a hurry to solve this problem. If you do go too fast, and your child becomes fearful, you can set your progress back significantly.

Although the fear of dogs can be  frustrating and may be persistent, in most cases you can overcome it with a slow and careful exposure to dogs.

If Your Child Is Afraid of Dogs is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

American Cocker Spaniel
This variety of Spaniel is cheerful, even-tempered, and enjoys being around children of all ages. As a plus, their small size (less than 30 pounds) makes them unlikely to frighten younger children. Their long coat, however, means that they need regular grooming which can be inconvenient for a time challenged mom.

Golden Retriever
Nearly always listed among the best breeds for children, Golden Retrievers have an exceptional love for kids and like to spend time playing with them. They’re intelligent, eager to please, and often exuberant, so obedience training is usually easy. There are a few genetic diseases present in the breed, so choose your pup carefully to avoid heartache at a later date.

Labrador Retriever
The Lab is laid back, sociable with humans, and happiest when it can tag along with family members throughout the day. Its friendly look makes the dog’s size a little less intimidating, too. Although this breed is excellent with children, it’s often boisterous and high-spirited, and needs training to allow it to live harmoniously with young children.

When it comes to child-friendly dog breeds, small dogs do offer a lot of advantages. Children can walk and play with little dogs without fear of being knocked over and their size won’t intimidate shyer children. Small dogs are also easy for an older child to wash and groom. Here are a few dog breeds small enough to play gently with children, but not too small to stand up to a little rough-housing.

Pug
Sturdy and spunky, the pug dog is a lot like most kids. Pugs love people and will most likely follow your children around whenever possible. Playful by nature, they seem to enjoy entertaining their owners with silly antics. They’re also sensitive and intelligent enough to take to training without much trouble. The only drawbacks are that they’re prone to certain health problems and their wrinkles require special care.

Miniature Schnauzer
With its compact size, solid build, and friendly demeanor, the Schnauzer makes a great companion for small children. Although they’re as rambunctious as terriers, they’re less aggressive, which makes them a better choice around kids. Schnauzers aren’t yappy, but they are natural guard dogs and will sound the alarm when any stranger approaches the house. They too need regular grooming to maintain those charming Schnauzer eyebrows!

Mutts
Don’t forget shelter dogs. Sure, the mutts at your local shelter may not hold prestigious pedigrees, but many have already been socialized with babies and children. Because they’re almost always adults, you won’t have to guess at their personality like you would with a puppy. Remember, a lot of people give up their dogs because of a move or financial problems, not because there’s something wrong with the dog. Also, most shelter dogs will have been neutered and temperament tested before adoption.

While the best breeds for children are naturally even tempered, affectionate and patient with little kids, temperament’s not everything. You’ll also want to consider the breed’s exercise needs, grooming and clean-up requirements, and potential health problems. Take your time to read up on the breeds that interest you, speak to reputable breeders, and you’re sure to find a dog that’s perfect for your family.

What Breeds of Dogs are Best with Children? is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

However, this isn’t always the case.

Different dogs have different temperaments, and from an early age children need to learn how to treat dogs respectfully. This will help reduce the incidence of dog attacks on children, and allow them to live peacefully together.

The term “temperament” refers to a dog’s general attitude and outlook. Dog temperament not only varies between breeds, but between individuals within a breed. For example, working breeds are known to be active and may not like to sit still, whereas terriers can be tenacious and quite strong willed.
When choosing a dog, take into account a dog’s temperament. If you have older children, you may be happier with an active dog that will rough and tumble with them. If you have younger children, you  may prefer a quieter dog. Puppies  and elderly dogs may be afraid of noisy children, and defend themselves with a nip.

Another important aspect of dog temperament is trainability. Intelligent dogs who are easy to train, and learn what’s expected of them quickly, are easier to teach to fit the family lifestyle. However, these dogs are often easily bored, and may be destructive if they don’t have enough mental stimulation.

It’s often easier to predict temperament with purebred dogs, as they tend to have a characteristic demeanor. Many breeders are now performing temperament testing to match each pup to the most suitable home.

After you’ve chosen a dog with a suitable temperament for your family, you need to teach your children how to behave around it.

Just like children, dogs don’t like to be disturbed when they are asleep. If a child takes a dog by surprise, then the dog may bite in fright. Teach your child not to disturb a sleeping dog.

Don’t let your child annoy your dog while it is eating. It may think your child is trying to take its food, and protect it aggressively. This can happen particularly if your dog is chewing on a bone. If your child is old enough, encourage them to take the dog to training classes. This will help the dog bond well with the child. Instead of classes you could use DVDs or books. See my review of Train Your Dog, an excellent DVD for both adults and kids.

Children also need to learn how to behave around unfamiliar dogs.

If your child wants to pat a strange dog, they must always ask the handler. Some dogs have a fearful or suspicious temperament, and may bite if approached.

Many youngsters are afraid of dogs, and for these children, the sight of a dog rushing at them is the stuff nightmares are made of. If a dog does rush at your child, teach them to stand very still, don’t scream and don’t look into the dog’s eyes. If the dog knocks them over, they need to roll into a little ball and be very still and quiet.

If you choose a dog with an appropriate temperament for your family, and demonstrate to your child that dogs need to be treated with care, they can live in harmony and share many happy times.

Dogs and Your Children is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

Children may think that they can hug any dog. After all, many dogs are so fluffy and cute! But as you know – even if your children may not – that some dogs really dislike being hugged. Young puppies who may accept being held gently may respond with a nip if a child tries too wild or strong a hug.

Being noisy and unpredictable are natural qualities of children, specially when they get into lively playtimes. This isn’t necessarily the easiest time for your child to be attentive to what you are saying, but they do need to learn that some dogs get frightened or annoyed by their rompings. You may have more success in talking with your child about this at a different time of day.

Teach your children to let sleeping dogs lie. If a child startles a dog awake, it may react without meaning to cause any harm. By the same token, never let children annoy dogs who are eating.

Now, here is a place where the training can go both ways, because it’s also a good idea to train a dog to allow people to be around its food bowl or to come up to eat while it is gnawing on a bone. Teach this first without children present, and begin by adding some food to your dog’s dish. But back to the topic of this article, training children!

Be sure to go over with your children how to act with unfamiliar dogs, specially that they should ask permission before petting or approaching the dog. Also teach them that if a dog does rush at them in a way that scare them, they should stand still, with their arms held in, rather than flailing around and screeching.

If you take your dog to training classes, and if the child is old enough, this is an enjoyable way for kids to interact with dogs, and for everyone to learn something. For home use, there is a nice straightforward set of online videos featuring a young woman dog trainer, Dove Cresswell, that you might want to try. Here’s a screenshot from the series. Clicking on it will take you to that website.

Teach Your Children How to Behave Around Dogs is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

The book is written for kids to read themselves, so it had to be clear and simple. (Hey, that is best for grownups too, and I’m sure this would be good for adults as well.) It is… I read some of it online, as you can do if you click the image or the link. I was pleased that clicker training is taught.

Dogwise Publishing commented, “We’ve believed for a long time that someone needed to write a book about dog behavior and training targeted towards young readers in the 8-12 year old range. There are lots of “read-to” books for little kids, but as children become good readers and interested in actually understanding and training dogs there has been little to choose from. So we were ecstatic when we were presented with the opportunity to work with two amazing young women on this book – not only did they write the book, but they illustrated it as well!”

The premise of the book is that when kids teach kids about dogs, everybody has fun! Kids will learn how to watch a dog and figure out what he is feeling or doing by gaining an understanding of body language and calming signal basics.

And they can learn how to teach him cool things like “Sit,” “Come,” and “Stay” just like professional trainers do – and even learn how to use clickers and targets when they train!

And, perhaps most importantly, kids can learn how to be safer around dogs they may come in contact with.

So if you are not a kid, but know a kid who is showing an interest in dogs, check this book out and get him or her started off right working with dogs.

What Others Are Saying

“This book, created by kids who clicker train, tells other kids how to use clickers to understand and communicate with their pets: a great idea and a useful and amusing book, with illustrations by the authors.” — Karen Pryor, founder of clicker training

“We know that kids learn best from their peers—so it is surprising that it has taken so long to get a dog training book written by kids for kids. Good Dog! Kids Teach Kids About Dog Behavior and Training covers the real essentials of being responsible and effective in caring for and training dogs. The emphasis is on safety and empathy—two things often overlooked in the profusion of books by adults. A must-read for any child or teen starting out with a new dog, or trying to better understand a longtime companion.”
-Randall Lockwood, PhD, CAAB, author and Senior Vice President, ASPCA, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Where You Can Get This Book

book is available at Dogwise, who published it. Good Dog! Kids Teach Kids About Dog Behavior and Training

And here it is at Amazon:

Good Dog! Kids Teaching Kids About Dog Behavior and Training is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

Just read your note about the clicker and how to transition to another  cue.  In the classes that I teach, the students are given the option of using the clicker or using the word "yes" – to be perfectly honest, I often use both of these cues together.  What I have found is that I improve my timing as I have to say "yes" as quickly as I click.  Then, when I don’t have the clicker handy, I always have the "yes" with me and my dogs know exactly what it means.  

What I have found, over a period of  the last couple of years is that the students who were consistent about using  the clicker had more success that those who started out with the word "yes".  Eventually, most of these students came to realize that others in the class were progressing more quickly with the clicker so they decided to use it as well. 

The clicker can be "cumbersome" for some students who find it difficult to coordinate the leash, the treats, etc; however, once they get the hang of it, they are very excited about the outcomes.

I call it the "power of the clicker" since it makes no difference who uses it, it always sounds the same – whether it is Mom, Dad,  or one of the kids.  In one of my family pet classes years ago there was a 4 year old with a very exuberant Lab puppy.  This pup was a walloping 45 pounds and getting bigger and stronger by the minute.  The little guy was becoming fearful of the pup as it jumped on him in excitement and could knock him over very easily.  In one session, we resolved the problem with the clicker.  I taught  Josh (the 4 year old) to fold his arms and turn away as the Lab came toward him – for this first time, I had him standing near a wall that he could use for support.  The Lab came near, and Josh turned his back and braced himself on the wall.  The Lab jumped but got no attention for doing so.  Once the Lab had "4 on the floor" I clicked and Josh gave pup a treat.  We repeated this 4 times and each time there was improvement.  Finally, we were able to move Josh away from the wall and he was able to stand his ground and didn’t have to turn around at all.  The Lab would come near and now decided to sit and wait for the click and treat.  Josh went home that week and taught all of his friends this method and it worked!

In regard to the Clicker Expo – if one has the opportunity to go, this is a wonderful opportunity to hear from the very best trainers in the country.  I attended an APDT Convention in Denver a few years ago that lasted for a week.   To be in the presence of Ian Dunbar, Suzanne Clothier, Patricia McConnell, etc. was an experience that I will never forget.  I learned so much about dogs and how to work with them.  I didn’t take a dog with me but there were many demonstrations with shelter dogs that were amazing to watch.

[tags]dog clicker training, puppy clicker training, children and dogs[/tags]

The Power of the Clicker is a post from: Training Dogs Blog

Here’s the link to my review of the set of dog training videos featuring Dove Cresswell. On that page, a ways down, there are links to reviews I did of three of the short videos:

* Puppy House Training / Potty Training

* Dog Obedience Training

* Crate Training

I think these would be outstanding to use with children, but you don’t have to be a kid to appreciate clear, basic instruction. One neat feature is that once you’ve bought them you can view the videos from any computer (assuming you can remember your username and password), so you can be at a friend’s house and watch them together.

The Online Dog Training Videos of Dove Cresswell is a post from: Training Dogs Blog