Our Good Family Dogs — Establishing a Balanced Pack

 

It's all snuggles, kisses and playtime between my almost 11-month-old baby and our two small dogs, Chuck and Mila. Chuck is a five-year-old jack russell mix, while Mila is our seven pound chihuahua who will be three next month. We rescued Chuck from the pound when he was a little over one year old, and we've had Mila since she was eight-weeks-old and two pounds. As I watch our family dogs come up passively to kiss my baby on the cheek, quickly scurrying away as soon as her hands start grabbing at their faces, I am overwhelmed with love and pride. This has been such a relief considering Chuck's past.

Believe it or not, there was a time when I was terrified by the thought of my baby grabbing a toy straight out of Chuck's mouth. My fiance and I had decided to take our dogs to training while I was pregnant in order to have well-behaved animals. Going through formal dog training classes taught Josh and I how to change our habits at home, on walks and in public, which has in turn led to our success with Chuck and Mila.

Although we've always considered Chuck to be a well-behaved and smart dog, he doesn't have the smoothest track record. The first incident involving Chuck happened while Josh and I were in Vegas. Leaving Chuck at my parents' house, he bit my young niece while he was eating. 

Receiving the call, my heart was broken. Going forward we were forced to avoid situations in which Chuck may be provoked, especially when around children. A few years later, I found myself pregnant, and sadly one of the first things that came into my head was that Chuck could be a potential danger to the baby.

We took Chuck and Mila to a dog training course we found in our city's calendar. Train With Love was a 10-week course at a local park. After completing each class, both our dogs knew basic commands. They also became much more calm and submissive, even when leashed by other unfamiliar dogs.

My biggest piece of advice with dog training is to do your homework! Remember that TVshows with super dog trainers like Cesar Milan have great editing techniques that make dog training look effortless. In reality, when you're trying to break your and your dog's bad habits, it takes lots of time, patience and consistency.

Good luck everyone! Please share your stories below!!