Do you Need a Trainer?

When your family includes babies or children and dogs, it’s especially important to keep your home calm and safe for everyone.

Newborn babies come with new smells, sights and sounds, and your dog may be getting less attention than usual. Unsure of how to negotiate this new, topsy-turvy world, your dog may be thrown off balance and become stressed and nervous.

When baby starts crawling and walking, these new, unpredictable behaviors, so exciting to parents, can mean one adjustment after another for your dog.

I will show you how to help your dog through these changing times.

The Canine-Kid Connection Guide to Child Friendliness in Dogs will help you determine your dog’s response to children and tell you when you need help. Where does your dog fit in these scenarios?

1. Your dog’s body is relaxed, he approaches babies and children slowly and calmly, perhaps wagging his tail, and may lick the child gently.

If touched, he doesn’t jump back or appear startled. The dog can be easily called away from the child.

This is an ideal scenario:

The dog is calm around babies and children and shows no signs of stress. He responds to you whether or not he’s engaged with the child. Safe supervision is always important, but there are no obvious red flags here.

Relaxed dog

2. Dog and child ignore each other.

Your dog pays no attention to your child, and the baby or child shows no interest in the dog.

This is not a problem; your dog and baby have years ahead of them to form a close relationship. But even though they’re not interacting, it’s still important to supervise closely when they’re together.

3. Your dog wants to play with the child, doing play bows, nuzzling and perhaps pawing.

The dog appears excited and energetic.

While the dog’s energy is friendly and playful, dogs can be rough when they play, so it’s important to supervise and to teach your dog how to be gentle with children.

Contact me for help in teaching your dog gentle play behavior: Email caninekid@earthlink.net or call 510-869-3799

4. Your dog actively avoids babies or children,

watching closely to keep track of them and moving away if they approach, perhaps appearing startled if the child moves or makes noise. The dog may leave the room to get away.

This dog is nervous and needs help! He’s not comfortable around babies or children and needs support and guidance in handling his stress. I’ll show you how to make sure your dog has the space he needs so he doesn’t feel fearful when children are around.

Nervous dog

5. The dog appears wary and watchful:

His body and tail are tense, he stares at the child and doesn’t let the child out of his sight. If the child approaches him he may growl and become even more tense.

Please do not wait to see what happens next; this is a bite waiting to happen! Keep your dog and baby safely separated and call for help immediately!

Threatening dog

6. Your dog has snapped at, nipped or bitten your baby or child!

While there are many reasons that dogs bite, and not all bites are equally serious in intention or result, you need help FAST! Contact me ASAP and keep dog and child safely separated until we talk.

"I started working with Jane when Stella, my one-year-old Lab mix, became aggressive with my children. Jane impressed me with her holistic approach. She designed a training program specific to our needs, and we were able to keep Stella as an obedient and safe member of the family."

—CM, Berkeley

For help with these scary situations, contact me at caninekid@earthlink.net or 510-869-3799.

The Canine-Kid Connection provides dog training in: Berkeley, El Cerrito, Albany, Kensington, Richmond, Pinole, El Sobrante, Hercules, Rodeo.