Make a new toy out of an old toy and get rid of one of those old t-shirts stuffed in the back of your drawer at the same time.

​The holiday season is almost upon us. Wait, Leave It and Place can keep your dog  from getting into trouble.  Spending time now teaching, proofing or fine tuning these behaviors can help keep your dog safe as well as a welcome part of the celebrations. 

Wait.  Wait tells the dog to wait a moment, be patient and something else is going to happen.  Wait while you hook their leash up, wait while your food is prepared, wait before going out the door, wait before getting in or out of the car.  This gives you time to do something safely and without mishap from a dog jumping, darting, even knocking things out of your hands. 
 
Leave It.  This cue prevents a dog from snatching or eating something they shouldn’t have.  With all the food , breakable decorations and even extra medications due to seasonal illnesses that are around knowing your dog has a rock solid leave it can save their life.
 
Drop It.  Teaching a dog to drop an item that they’ve already picked up, such as the random sock, wrapped gift, shoe, will end those unwanted games of chase.  With a solid Drop It cue the dog will drop the item instead.
 
Place.    A dog who knows to go to their safe spot while you answer the door, carry packages thru the room, clean up a mess, can alleviate a lot of tension.  This is a great way to prevent them from darting out the door when holiday visitors or deliveries arrive.
 
If your dog already knows these cues start practicing now.   Just a few minutes per day, adding them in here and there, will help the dog be ready to deliver the requested behavior when you ask for it.  If your dog doesn’t know these cues or they aren’t working like they should, then reach out for help. It can eliminate some of the stress of the season.

​Remember that cute little puppy you brought home a few months ago?  Where did he go?

The dog between 6 and 18 months of age is not quite an adult but no longer a young puppy.   Just because they are ‘full size’ doesn’t mean their brain is fully developed.  It may even seem all the work that you have put into his training has gone up in smoke.  No worry, tho, your sweet puppy is still in there, he is just growing up and going thru that ‘awkward phase’ that many trainers refer to as the Brat Zone, the adolescent.   Here are a few tips to get thru this time.

1. Don’t stop training.  Get out the treats, toys, games and train.  Keep the sessions short but fun.
2. Work for food.  Incorporate food puzzles, snuffle mats, kongs, find it games.  Mental exercises (brain games) will help your dog’s brain form the right connections and learn to make positive choices.  It lowers anxiety levels and lessens the chances for destructive behaviors developing.
3. Physical exercise is important and when incorporated with mental exercise you get more bang for your buck.  Take the dog for a walk in a new area, allow the dog to sniff and explore the area but also practice a few basics on the walk as well.   Focus less on heel and more on what your dog is getting out of the walk.
4. Socialize.  Many dogs that went thru puppy classes no longer have opportunities to socialize.  Arrange play dates with compatible dogs, attend classes just for the social, get involved in rally or Fit Dog clubs. 
5. Be prepared for ups and downs.  One day your dog may be spot on, the next day not so much.  This is normal.  And temporary.  Patience is the key. 
6. If you let the dog get away with something once he will expect it again. And again.  And again.  Example, if you let the dog jump on you now you will be setting up it up for the future.  Make sure you continue enforcing the rules you’ve already set in place. 

 
I promise this is temporary.   Talk to a trainer who is experienced and uses reward based training to help if you need to get a handle on wayward behaviors before they become a real problem. 
​©29k9  

Responsible dog owners do their best to prepare their fur babies for the new human baby coming.  Getting them used to the new gadgets, noises, smells and even carrying things  in your arms.  Reinforcing those old standby behaviors of sits, downs, stays... Sometimes bringing in a trainer to help or going the self-help route, trying to cover everything we can think of.

Recently, tho, I read an article in Whole Dog Journal by Tiffany Lovell, CPDT-KA, called When A Baby Changes Everything.  It addressed Postpartum Depression and the consequences for the family dog. 
This got me to thinking about how often I see the "Must Rehome My Dog" ads that mention new babies and no time for the dog.  With the stigma we see about PPD and how a new baby is supposed to be a blessing, a happy time, a wonderful experience, I am now wondering how many of these "must rehome" ads are really a reflection of PPD. 

One symptom of PPD can be a hair trigger temper.  Everything can set you off, including any noise.  Dogs are noisy.  Not just their barking but the crunching, squeaking, slurping, thumping noises that we may not even notice under normal circumstances.  Add PPD and a finally sleeping baby and these noises might just set you over the edge.  Then there is that moment you finally get to yourself only to have the dog right there, in your face and in your space.

Maybe the only thing they can think of doing is rehoming the dog.  This might not be 'just because they don't have time' but because they are trying to reduce their triggers.  Trying to find that quiet, not just environmentally but emotionally, to focus on themselves and the baby and getting thru a very tough journey.  And they don't want to tell the entire world, especially strangers, what is really going on.
​
There is help out there.  Address the Postpartum Depressing by talking to the doctor.  Think about doggy daycare or asking a friend to foster for a few weeks.  Talk to a trainer to help address environmental and behavior issues.