Quotes from Sarah Hodgson

fearful puppy needs a guardian and protector to step up and direct them: Here's your curtain call. Avoid the temptation to bend and soothe your puppy, because they may consider your reaction as modeling their behavior. Instead, adopt a been-there-done-that attitude, acting courageous and calm.

To encourage proper greeting manners, wait to greet your puppy until they're calm enough to sit for a treat.

To encourage licking on command, spread a thin coat of butter on your hand and say "kisses" as you offer your puppy your open palm.

remember that even bad behavior is a sign of healthy development — it signals that your puppy is engaged, focused, and dependent on you.

EXPLORING A REAL WORLD APPLICATION FOR WAIT

And if you discipline an anxious pup, they'll become more stressed and destroy other items — perhaps your rug or the bed. Is this a sign of spite? No, never: puppies live in the moment and in moment's like these your puppy is just confused and worried, and they need your help to adjust.

Think of the Come direction as the human phrase equivalent of "Huddle," and encourage your puppy with that level of confidence. Convey that Come invites reconnection and that togetherness is the safest, most wonderful place to be.

It's the same with food or water: Wait to lower the dish until your puppy can sit still.

Imagine the baby has moved in. They're a cute little creature who's just weeks old. Your parenting instincts are in full throttle. Now enters your beloved puppy. Are they used to lounging on the furniture or jumping up for attention? Do they order you to give them a back rub by pawing, barking, or nudging you? Can you see the problem that's developing there? They won't stop this behavior just because you're holding a newborn

Use treat cups as described in Chapter 5 to help your puppy associate kids with fun and food. Toss treats down, saying "Find it" as you cast them to the floor; this helps to ensure that your puppy stays focused on your hands and looks down instead of up when kids are around.

Set new-furniture rules. I think it best not to keep your puppy on the furniture around a new baby, but if you wait to spring this rule on your pup after the baby's home, the puppy may feel confused or anxious. Keep a short freedom line on your puppy, and if they hop on the furniture, gently guide them off, reminding them to Go to Your Place. Remember that shouting or shoving them off is interactive and suggestive of a game.

If your pup has been resting by you for an hour and suddenly stands up and starts acting restless, they probably need to go to their potty spot. If your puppy chews on a bone for 15 minutes and then starts acting like a jumping bean, they're likely experiencing an energy spurt and needs time for a little play.

their whole day. If you have the time, ask your puppy to Wait and Sit. Only after you have them settled should you allow them to go and greet a new person.

In other words, when either the kid or the puppy is getting wild, you need to remain calm. Yelling at either puppy or child will upset the balancing act between them even more.

Allowing your puppy to drag you over to greet another dog is foolish and unsafe. Leashes modify a dog's natural posture, making them look confrontational even when they're anything but; also if your puppy were to break free from the leash, they would impulsively take off, putting themselves and others in danger!

Watch your words. If the phrases you use for baby and dog are too similar, your pup may get hyped up at the wrong time or be utterly confused. (Why are you looking at the newbie instead of me!) Change phrases like "What a good girl!" to "What a great puppy!

Help your puppy get used to being ignored sometimes.

Ease off confrontational games. No more tug-of-war or wrestling, and eliminate all in-home chasing matches. Play games outside and teach your puppy calm

In some circumstances, the puppy views the child as another puppy to bite and bully. At other times, a child becomes jealous of the attention the new addition is getting, which leads to sibling rivalry between the child and the puppy.

Condition them to erratic handling, such as touching, poking, and hair-pulling. Babies and small children like to grab and pull, and your puppy may be startled if the baby's tug is the first one they experience. Feed them a savory or lickable treat as you gently condition them to your mimicking of a baby's touch. Say gentle as you do this, and repeat this phrase when it happens in real time. Don't forget to make some baby sounds, too, for the full effect.

Spread some butter on a serving spoon and use it to lure your puppy some distance away until they have calmed.

Have the kids say "Wait" as they hold the toy in front of the puppy

The butter trick also works as you establish a bond between your baby and your puppy when the puppy settles down. Dab some butter on your baby's foot or booty and say kisses.

Think careful, not cool. While driving, keep windows cracked but not wide open. Some people think that letting a dog hang their head out the window is cool, but it's dangerous. Dogs can get hurled from the car in an accident or have debris fly into their eyes, causing permanent damage.