CattleDog Publishing

The goal of confinement training is for the puppy to be comfortable in their crate or other safe haven, such as an exercise pen or behind a gate. This area should not be used as a punishment but as a relaxing place to go for nap time or to gnaw on a chew toy.

When you bring your puppy home, be sure to have the crate accessible from the family’s common space. For some people, it will be convenient to have multiple crates, such as in the living room, bedroom, and office.

Crate training can go wrong when people confine the puppy and then leave. Puppies should not be left to “cry it out” and crates should never be kicked or shaken to quiet a puppy. Begin by either removing the door or tying it back so it doesn’t startle your puppy.

Toss several treats in the back of the crate and allow the puppy to find them. Do this multiple times a day and when the puppy goes inside to check for treats, you can reward them again.

Next, add the door. As your puppy goes into the crate, gently close the door, and give your puppy a treat through the door. Open the door and allow them to come out. Only close the door for a few seconds at first, then slowly increase how long the puppy is confined.

To practice, have the crate nearby while you watch a movie, read a book or work at your computer. Your puppy should have a safe chew, or you can drop treats in the crate in the same spot each time so that the puppy can relax rather than hunt for them. If your puppy is relaxed with you nearby, try doing some activities with a little more movement, such as folding laundry or making dinner. Your puppy should still be able to see you and you should continue to give treats.

If your puppy remains comfortable, try briefly leaving the room, then return and give a treat. If your dog gets upset, leave for a shorter time and return before they become stressed, giving a treat before they vocalize. If they still seem upset, let them out. Don’t let the puppy continue to cry.

Before practicing crate confinement, be sure your puppy has been taken outside to the bathroom and is ready for a nap. Too much time in a crate can make the dog anxious.

Confinement can be scary and frustrating for your new puppy so go slowly with training. A negative experience in the crate can make training harder. Keep sessions short and positive. If you are concerned that your puppy is showing signs of separation anxiety, seek professional help.

Barking is a normal behavior and one of the ways dogs communicate. Some breeds have a higher tendency to bark, so barking frequency, volume, and duration vary by individual. 

Certain barking can be desirable, alerting your family to package deliveries, visitor arrivals, and potential intruders. But excessive barking can cause frustration, weakening the bond between you and your dog. Here are some behavior modification steps to help you and your dog gain peace and quiet.

Step 1: Identify what triggers your dog to bark such as other dogs, people, wildlife, garbage trucks, or door knocking. Keeping a log is helpful and can speed up the behavior modification progress.

Step 2: Find the situations causing your dog to bark such as perching on the couch, window watching during busy times when people and other dogs are passing by, kids playing after school or rabbits in the yard during the morning.

Step 3: Think about what you would like your dog to do instead of barking. For example, your dog can be taught to lie on a mat when the doorbell rings, grab a toy when a delivery arrives, hold a toy to muffle or stop barking, run to you for further instructions, or be quiet on cue after a certain number of barks.

Step 4: Identify how you can manage the environment. Move or block the couch perch, play music, increase the TV volume to mask the sounds of kids playing, or cover the window with opaque film.

Step 5: Set a time frame such as two weeks. Monitor your dog’s progress in your log.

Often people become frustrated with barking and try corrections such as yelling or throwing something at the dog, stomping feet and rushing toward the dog, or using a citronella or shock collar. These methods are rarely effective to stop barking, and, in some cases, may even make the barking worse. Your dog may become untrusting or fearful. It can be more effective to teach your dog what to do instead of barking. Management will be needed until your dog learns how to do something else. If your dog is anxious or has barking tendencies, or you are inconsistent with training new behaviors, it can be more challenging to stop the barking.

Some dogs might not improve despite consistently using these techniques. If you don’t find relief from barking, seek a consult with a certified veterinary behaviorist or other behavior professional. A positive reinforcement-based dog trainer can help speed your progress. A thorough assessment, customized treatment plan, and professional support might be your key to quiet.

Many parents mistakenly think a child-friendly dog means the dog should tolerate anything a child does. Although kids and dogs can, and often do, have great relationships, it may not be as easy as it seems. Children are unpredictable because they make loud noises and move suddenly, causing even the most mild-mannered dog to become frightened and overwhelmed. Any dog, even one who loves kids, can bite if they feel threatened, especially if they can’t escape the situation. Research shows that kids are most often bitten by a dog they know. In these situations, adults may not be watching or believe their dog would bite.

Inappropriate Interactions

Parents should actively monitor interactions between children and dogs for potentially dangerous situations. When interacting with your dog, do not allow children to:

• put their face in the dog’s face, hug, or kiss
• play roughly or wrestle
• tease
• take away, play or put their hands in the dog’s food dish
• run near or approach a dog who is seated or lying down because this may seem threatening to the dog

Prevention

Adults should actively engage with the children and dogs. When direct supervision is not possible, separate the dogs and children using barriers. Provide your dog with their own space. This should be a closed room or secure crate with everything your dog needs. Baby gates can be used to set up this safe haven. Teach your dog to love their special place and teach the children to never approach when the dog is resting there.

Learn Your Dog’s Language

Children are more at risk of dog bites because they haven’t been taught how to read a dog’s body language and can’t assess the danger. Dogs will often display subtle signs of discomfort, such as yawning and avoiding eye contact, before escalating to more obvious signs such as growling. By watching for these signs, you can step in to safely manage the situation by guiding your dog away from the child. If ignored or punished, then your dog is more likely to bite “out of the blue”.

Teach your children to recognize your dog’s body language by using children’s books, videos, and coloring pages. Adults still need to manage all child/dog interactions.

Structured Interactions

Show children appropriate ways to interact with dogs so they can be safe. Structured, predictable interactions between dogs and children can build positive relationships. With adult supervision, the following activities are appropriate for children with dogs who have never shown aggression:

Fetch –
Using two or more toys, older children can play fetch without needing to take toys away from the dog. The child tosses the first toy and when the dog returns, they toss the next toy.

Flirt pole –
For dogs who love to chase, attach a plush toy to a rope and stick that your child can hold. Using the flirt pole the same way you would a cat wand, let the dog chase the toy. Always finish the game with a treat.

Training –
Involving kids with the dog’s training can help create a strong, positive bond between them. Start training sessions with cues the dog already knows, like “sit”.

Tossing treats or kibble –
Another simple but effective game is to have kids toss either treats or kibble across the room for the dog.

Teach your child to freeze in place if your dog starts chasing or jumping at them. More movement or noise from children will encourage the dog to continue. If you have taught recall or “touch”, call your dog to you. If your dog does not come when called, they should be leashed.

Visitors

Visitors can mean more excitement and activity in the house. Visiting children may have little experience or be overly comfortable with dogs, leading to inappropriate interactions. Even kid-savvy dogs may be uncomfortable sharing their home and space, leading to a growl or bite. When visitors with children come over, use the dog’s safe haven, and keep them away from the excitement.

Avoid Punishment

When creating happy, peaceful relationships between children and dogs, punishment is never appropriate. In scary situations, punishing a frightened dog can ruin relationships and doesn’t change the underlying issue.

Safety is the priority when managing relationships between dogs and children. If you are having a hard time creating positive interactions or your dog has shown aggression, contact a behavior professional for assistance.