When we discovered that our first human baby was due, we thought about all the things we should teach the dogs in anticipation. One thing we didn't really want was an overly maternal German Shepherd interrupting "tummy time" or accidentally stepping on baby when a parental back was turned. I guess we also didn't want an overly gastronomical Golden stealing baby chow either.
So we put up a baby gate between the kitchen and the main living area. With any luck, both dogs would just accept it as a barrier and no extra training would be required. We got lucky with Django, the Golden, but (predictably), not so lucky with Sabella, the GSD.
How do you teach an athletic dog not to jump over a low gate? "Baby Gate Zen"!
This is simply <cough> a matter of having Sabella stay behind the gate for a short period while we are on the other side, then letting her through as her reward. Each trial, we increase the time at a rate which she can succeed with.
In theory, this could be taught without the gate, but then you would also have to teach baby not to enter into the dog's territory as well. Dogs are more obedient.
Training didn't progress so well. We repeatedly put Sabella into situations where she would fail and jump the gate. You really have to commit to leaving the gate open unless you are going to train, and well, having a new rug in the living room made it very attractive to shut the gate when Sabella's paws were muddy. Besides, the baby seemed like such a long way away...
Foolish unrealistic expectations and time-distortions aside, we either got our act together just enough, or Sabella decided to take pity on us. Baby was due two days ago, still waiting. Cath went to bed early last night, I stayed up in the living room. I hadn't realised, but Cath shut the baby gate on her way out. I thought Sabella had been shut outside, but when I went to bed a couple of hours later, there she was, waiting patiently on her mat by the baby gate!
Such a good girl :-)
