Brody and Baby-L – How this beautiful relationship got started
In August of 2018, Jessica reached out to me regarding her dog Brody and her son (aka Baby-L).
She kept me updated over the years and has given me permission to share her story of love, safety, and success.
“When we brought Baby-L home I felt like I was drowning in fear and anxiety because of our dog, and I honestly thought I would never come out of it. Obviously, I still manage and watch them carefully, but I do feel confident and I am much more emotionally relaxed while I help them build their relationship.”
Jessica’s note from September 2020
All Three Dogs Training’s clients fill out a behavioral questionnaire. Some of the items from Jessica’s questionnaire were:
- “Brody’s overexcitement/anxiety makes him very jumpy, barky, and all worked up when something out of the ordinary happens (guests, car rides, etc.).
- I do not believe that my dog would hurt my baby but…
Brody had a history with a toddler in the family.
- “We cannot close Brody off in his own room without him crying and barking and digging at the door (he dug a hole in the upstairs carpet …)
- I want to help him learn it’s okay to be away from us and have him learn to relax away from the action. We joke that he has FOMO (fear of missing out).”
Brody’s FOMO was going to get in the way of the positive association exercises he needed.
Jessica worked on teaching Brody skills to be comfortable around Baby-L while separated by a gate or play yard, or very focused oversight.
When a dog is on the other side of a baby gate or play yard he can watch baby’s development and learn to be okay with a crawling, toddling child. It also allows us to be able to give our dog commands and rewards for being quiet and calm around the baby.
More details on this can be found in Please Don’t Bite the Baby and Please Don’t Chase the Dogs, Gates and Crates! pg 52
Skills Jessica worked on:
- Settle
- With and Without the Treat n Train
- At first with Jessica was in the room with Brody
- Then Brody was on the other side of a
- She worked short departures like going upstairs or visa versa while leaving Brody with GREAT toys (stuffed with food)
- She encouraged any calm behavior around the Baby-L
- With and Without the Treat n Train