The phone rang, I got a frantic call and headed straight for an emergency training. At the front door I was greeted by a barking Jack Russell Terrier. The woman had a crying newborn in her arms and it was clear to see that the couple were at the end of their wits.

We began with the session and I first started by observing. The dog didn't rest during my stay, he was extremely tense the entire time. The child's screams obviously put him in a hunting mode again and again. He could only be kept away from the baby with a leash.

The parents told me that the day before the baby and dog first met, the dog stood over the baby and stared at her. The situation was very serious and unfortunately my prognosis was not good.

We immediately started setting up rules and developing a concrete training plan. Giving up was not (yet) an option for the couple. Baby and dog weren't allowed to get together for the foreseeable future. I left the couple with a bad feeling.

After a week I came back and was pleasantly surprised. The father kept to all agreements and trained diligently. He slept with the dog in the living room and the woman slept in the bedroom with the baby.

The dog was no longer recognizable. Under my supervision, we reunited baby and dog, with the dog being relaxed this time. There were clear rules that gave the dog the necessary rest.

The dog politely approached the baby this time and picked up the scent. He no longer fell into his hunting behavior when the baby was screaming and was now controllable in all situations. A huge weight fell of my shoulders.

I would not have thought such an extreme change in behavior was possible in such a short time, but the owners surpassed themselves.

My work was done and I wished the little family well. They were relieved and overjoyed. Months later, positive news reached me with photos of the relaxed baby & dog.

However, the situation could have turned out very differently.

The sooner you start training your dog and preparing him for the changes, the easier it will be for you to adjust once the baby arrives.

This saves you and your dog a lot of stress. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that it will actually work properly, but this way you don't have to blame yourself later for not having done enough.

If there is a serious danger, persistent stress or excessive demands due to the additional workload, the “worst case” must be considered.

Since I get such requests, including short-term emergency training, more often now, I decided to create a baby & dog program and write it down here.

This program contains all the necessary preparations before the baby arrives, with exercises for the dog and instructions for the first time together.

Of course, you should always look at your dog individually, but with this book you get an overview and instructions on many different topics.

My goal for you: A stress-free and happy life together.