The 7 Secrets to Being The Best Dog Mom Ever!
without losing your mind or driving your pupper insane
“It’s just the most amazing thing to love a dog, isn’t it? It makes our relationships with people seem as boring as a bowl of oatmeal.”―John Grogan
If being a crazy obsessed dog mom is wrong, then i don’t want to be right
Bringing home your new pup is exciting. It doesn’t matter if you’re bringing home a rescued senior or driving out of state to bring home a puppy. Being a dog mom is awesome, but if can also be overwhelming at times.
don’t worry, You’ll DO great
If you’re looking for advice on how to be a good mom to your senior rescue, adopted older pup, or brand spanking new puppy, you’re in the right place.
Who Am I?
Hi, I’m Trish, dog mom and momager to my sweet and sassy Sheltie pup, Bailey.
How I got here
I have loved dogs for as far back as I can remember, and always wanted a dog growing up. I never got one, so I had to make due with cats, and other people’s dogs.
I went to John Bowne High School in Flushing, NY; known for their agriculture and animal science programs. I wanted to be a veterinarian, but realized early on that I was too squeamish for that to be my go to career. I did manage to finally get a dog of my own when I met my future husband. I got married young and started my family right away, so wanting to work with dogs in any way, shape or form was put on the back burner so I could focus on my family.
Let’s skip ahead a couple of decades to 2018. This was the year I decided to start dog sitting. Actually, it went more like showing my husband this photo of these two beautiful Pekes that had been displaced because of one of the hurricanes that struck the southeast that year. I wanted to adopt them, but my husband said it wasn’t realistic because extra dogs cost extra money. I signed to be a dog walker/pet sitter THAT night on Rover.com. My thinking was: (a) Does he (my husband) really think he can stop me from getting another dog? and (b) I would earn the extra money we would need for extra dogs by looking after other people’s dogs. #winning
Within a week I had booked my very first client, a Sheltie puppy named Maggie. She reignited my love for the breed, and dog sitting, and dog walking really helped reignite my passion for working with dogs. Then the pandemic hit, and I wasn’t needed so much anymore. And now with so many people working remotely, I’m pretty much out of the pet sitting and dog walking business. BUT, I do have a multidog house now.
I did take note, during my pandemic downtime, that there aren’t a ton of dog mom blogs online, compared to the number of human mom blogs. Dog moms ARE moms, so I really think that needs to change.
My Best 7 Tips
“Okay, now with that out of the way, I’m super excited to share the top 7 secrets I discovered on
my OWN path to achieving dog mom success. Let’s start with #1
Secret #1: Be Consistent
Establish a schedule and routine right away. Dogs like routine, so keeping their playtime, feeding time and walk time similar each day is important. Being reliable is very important for your dog and every regular event in their day is something they look forward to.
Maintain a specific, constant tone of voice around them. Most dogs do not like shouting or screaming. If they have been mistreated, loud, sudden noises may remind them of previous negative situations. Dogs have very good memory and have the ability to read human behavior well. Avoid displaying angry, aggressive behavior in front of your dog.
Establishing a set schedule for your dog will help you stick to a routine.
Secret #2: Learn to speak dog
I don’t mean you have to bark and growl at your dog. Dogs communicate to us with their behavior, and recognizing the different behaviors which show discomfort and anxiety are vital. If a dog shows any of the signs listed below, stop doing what you are doing and give the dog space. You should never punish a dog for showing these signs. These behaviors are warning signs and we must react to them and stop provoking this behavior from progressing into aggression.
Dog behavior to look out for:
Dogs licking their lips, growling, barking, snarling, laying over onto their backs, tucking their tail between their legs, panting, avoiding eye contact.
Signs a dog is happy and trusting include:
Happily taking food from you, walking up to you, wagging tail, alert ears
Victoria Stilwell is my favorite dog trainer. You can look up clips of her show, It’s Me or The Dog on YouTube, or visit her site for more information about Positively Training.
Secret #3: Play with your pup, if they enjoy playing
The latter aspect of this point is key, as playing with a dog who does not want to be played with may result in aggression and the dog becoming wound up. Getting to know a dog and learning about their history before attempting to play with them is important. Playing games with a set end or goal is important. Playing with a laser can become very aggravating, for example, because they will never catch the prey.
Compare this to something like fetch or a tug of war, the end of the game is clear. Playing with hard toys can be a good way to knock plaque off your dog’s teeth while also building trust in a friendly environment making it a positive experience all around. Different dogs will have different temperaments and some dogs may behave more aggressively to certain genders or ages of people.
Play with the dog only if they want to. Remember, playing games with a set end or goal is very important.
Secret #4: Respect your dog. Please remember that not all dogs enjoy cuddling or being fussed over.
Dogs can love you without showing signs of affection towards you, the exact same way humans can. There are many different ways of showing affection and often a dog’s breed will play a key role in how they show their love. Some dogs may show it by guarding you, sitting by you, sitting near the door on watch, bringing you toys or simply acting more relaxed in your presence. Knowing how to act around these types of dogs is important.
Not all dogs are overtly affectionate. There are some breeds that are more aloof in their displays of affection.
Secret #5: Make your behavior dog friendly
Do not look your dog directly in the eye; this is intimidating to many dogs and could escalate any anxious feelings and possibly into aggressive actions. Allow dogs to approach you first. This puts them in control of the situation. Once your dog does approach you, allow them to sniff you keeping your hands by your side. This helps your pup to feel as though they are in control and your stance is in no way threatening. You should always make sure you have your knees off the floor so that if you do need to move away from them quickly, you are able to.
Respect the dog’s boundaries and let them know you aren’t a threat.
Secret #6: Rewarding good behavior is an excellent way for dogs to learn what kind of behavior is acceptable.
Positive reinforcement has been shown to be much more successful in achieving a specific behavior compared to punishing behavior you do not want to see. You can reward the dog by giving them some fuss following positive behavior. The rewards could also include giving treats, love and attention. Clicker training could be used alongside positive reinforcement training.
High value food (pieces of cooked chicken and/or cheese) can also be used as a reward for good behavior.
Secret #7: Greetings are important.
When you first greet a dog, you are both assessing each other’s behavior to see how to act and react. Often dogs will mimic a similar behavior to you upon greeting, for example, if you enter a room very excited and looking for attention, the dog will probably come and greet you, seeking love and affection from you too. Understanding that to a nervous dog, an excitable, grand entrance into their personal space may feel very intrusive and you should refrain from displaying this type of behavior.
You can never go wrong with a steady and calm approach when greeting a new dog for the first time.
You Can Do This
In conclusion, each dog needs to be treated according to their personality and their preferences. Learning how to decode their behavior and giving yourself enough time to do this is important.
