Home Dog Training

In home dog training in Phoenix Arizona?

I'm expecting a baby in May and my husband and I would like to get our exuberant 7 month old australian shepherd/german shepherd mix some additonal training before we bring our son home. (We also have an 8 year old corgi mix but he's very obedient). We don't have any major behavorial issues with our puppy, we just think some lessons would do her well. (We already checked out Petsmart and their programs just won't work for us).

So recomendations, and approximate prices please.
To be perfectly clear, I would like to pay someone to come into our home and help us train her.

Great idea, go to a trusted site like this one:
http://www.apdt.com/
and find a trainer in your area.
A few ideas:
Prepare for the baby

1.Get a baby blanket that you will talk to and hold and ignore the dog while cooing
a.Your dog voice is probably similar to your baby voice…be sure your dog can hear it and not always respond.
b.The dog must get use to sharing your attention with the baby (or the blanket).
2.Keep the dog out of the baby’s room with a baby gate, so he can see you but stays
out of the room. Evenutally you will not need to gate it,,and the dog knows not to enter.
3.Teach the command “go to your mat” and practice while you hold the baby blanket – This will be important when you must get the dog out of the way.
4.When the dog comes over to sniff the blanket, say easy, then have the dog sit and reward.
5.Sit must be a solid command….. play the game frenzy and freeze. (play crazy, dance around, get the dog excited,,,,then suddenly command sit). Play rough with your pup and in the middle of play say sit! Then treat. On walks, suddenly say sit, wait for the sit, then treat. Practice these sit situations all the time.
6.Grab the dog by the collar in a fun game way all the time. This will help prepare for the toddler stage.
7.Touch the dog all over and occasionally grab the dog by the leg, or the ear, say gotcha and treat or reward
8.Be sure you have good leadership with your dog.
9. Put some amonia on a diaper and leave it in the baby room so your dog gets use to the smell (often like baby's elimination)

When you actually bring the baby home:


1.Bring the dog outside and walk behind the baby (and Mom) into the house.
2.Have the dog sit and down in front of the baby. Then bring the baby from above the dog down to let the dog smell the baby.
3.Have the dog in a sit and stay while you talk with the baby, then reward the dog for good, calm behavior.

Good luck

Al Holzer of Bark Busters Home Dog Training


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Pet Therapy Dog Training

The Right Stuff: The Makings of a Therapy Dog

Therapy dogs make people feel better, bring smiles to the faces of ill or sad people and are the "four footed therapists" in many hospitals and assisted living homes. They do a lot of good but there just aren't enough to go around. If you are thinking about training your dog to be a therapy dog, take a look at these guidelines and see if your pooch has "the right stuff."

Personality

A laid back, gentle personality is integral to the core of a therapy dog. It can be playful but should be relaxed and very gentle. It should also be very friendly to strangers, other dogs and other animals in general. It should not have an aggressive personality at all. It should not be nervous and be able to walk through a crowd without being distracted, upset or frightened. A therapy dog may be exposed to a variety of situations that could be distracting or even scary and he or she should have a personality that is not nervous or aggressive. It should handle these situations with a calm, friendly ease.

Health

Health is very important for a therapy dog. Dogs that are involved with therapy dog associations must pass regular, annual vet checkups and present a clean bill of health. He or she must be current on all shots, including rabies (mandatory by state laws). They must also have a negative heartworm test. The dog must appear healthy, meaning that his or her teeth must be in good condition and the coat must be well groomed, shiny and not have any bare patches.

Behavior

A therapy dog has to have very good behavior. It must respond quickly to its handler's commands and be very obedient. He or she must not have any bad habits, even licking. A therapy dog is to be petted, but they should not lick or mouth (a "doggie speak" behavior of putting their mouth gently on your hand, arm, etc. but not biting) people because this can be upsetting to some folks. The dog should be able to walk on a leash using a plain buckle collar without pulling or jerking its handler. When being petted, it should sit politely.

Training

It is imperative that a therapy dog go through obedience training. They should be trained how to sit on command, stay and walk on a loose leash. He or she must be able to come when called and be easily controlled. An undisciplined dog is not therapy dog material. Since therapy dogs can begin training as early as one year old, you should get your dog into obedience training early so that you can instill good, positive behaviors and not get started with any bad habits. A well behaved, well trained dog is very desirable when it comes to therapy dogs.

Handler

The handler of a therapy dog is just as important as the dog itself. It is the handler who keeps the dog "in check," making sure that he or she behaves correctly. The handler should be of good character, personable and good with people. They should not be nervous or edgy since these emotions often transfer to the dogs they handle. If you are thinking of becoming a therapy dog handler, check out some associations that deal with therapy assistant pets and read the resource material. If training is offered, it would probably be a good idea to take part in that as well. After all, you want to be the very best for your dog; he or she is depending on you.

About the Author

This article was written by Kelly Marshall of
ohmydogsupplies.com
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Therapy Dogs


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