Everything I need to Know About Raising Children 
I Learned at K-9 College!
by Rachel Webb

Sometimes I would joke with others that my dogs obeyed better than my children. Then one day I listened to myself and realized to my dismay that it was true. My dogs DID obey better than my children! 

Several years ago when I was a dog breeder and a mother with several young children I was often discouraged with the process of teaching my children to obey. Sometimes I would joke with others that my dogs obeyed better than my children. Then one day I listened to myself and realized to my dismay that it was true. My dogs DID obey better than my children! I started a quest to find out why. After all, puppies and toddlers have many of the same traits. Puppies and Toddlers are easily distracted and highly excitable. Both need love and attention and most of all both puppies and toddlers have a great desire to please you if they are only shown how. The more I compared toddlers and puppies I started to understand that, everything I needed to know about raising children I had learned at K-9 College! The following tips were taken straight from k-9 college, so substitute the word "child" for "dog" and see how true it really is!

Treat your dog with the same love and respect you expect in return. Start working with your dog when he is a young puppy. Give him plenty of positive interaction, attention, love, touching and nurturing. This will encourage your dog to trust you and triggers their desire to obey and please you for positive reinforcement. 

Move slowly and talk quietly. A dog who is highly excited needs clam slow handling. A common mistake owners make is to move quickly, grabbing at the collar and raising their voice speaking in sharp tones. From the dogs point of view, the owner appears as excited as they are and sharp tones often sound like barking instead of calming the dog, this reinforces his excitement. By responding calmly, the owner sends a clear message that she is in control of the situation. 

Choose effective training locations. Begin working in a safe distraction free area and give your dog your full undivided attention. Gradually begin moving on to practicing your obedience techniques in a public area or around other dogs. 

Don’t nag your dog! Watch your dog’s body language. Listen to how your dog is responding to training. If your dog wanders, continue with less freedom of movement allowed until he has earned the right to train with a longer leash. This is a slow process but it is better to go slow and succeed than to hurry and fail. Remember you are the coach and it is important to help your dog look good. 

Train, don’t restrain. Taking a firm grip on the leash and collar teaches the dog nothing except that you can restrain him. Instead give him a simple command, such as sit, with a gentle reminder of what you expect of him if necessary. Remember you want your dog to succeed. Make your goals for him simple enough to reach. Remember a one minute perfect sit is better than a sloppy sit-stay. Go slow and succeed. Don’t set the dog up for failure. 

Ask for compliance, not submission. Avoid creating a struggle by asking the dog for more than he can do at one time. For example, if your dog is really excited, he may be unable or unwilling to lay down, but agreeable to sit quietly for a minute. Compromise, give the dog other options and be reasonable - most struggles between dog and owner are created when the owner attempts to dominate the dog instead of finding a solution acceptable to both owner and dog. 

Love him, practice patience, be creative and have fun with your dog. 

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