Wichita Dog Trainer Helps Prepare Family Dogs for New Babies
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I've been so excited to tell you all about this wonderful new professional service that improves the quality of life for dog-owning expectant families!
Kathrine Christ of
specializes in helping parents integrate their children and canines into the family so that they
thrive in harmony – not just survive.
I got the opportunity to ask her a few questions so we can get to know her and her business!
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1. Training dogs to happily accept new babies is quite a specialized niche! How did you get into this line of work?
“I moved to Wichita a couple years ago, and had the desire to start working on a business. I had already been training dogs for some time, but I realized that I felt strongly about helping families successfully integrate their dogs with their children. I became a licensed presenter of "Dogs & Storks" and Dogs & Toddlers" through
, which teaches trainers about both child development and dog behavior as well as how to work with expecting parents and kids.
By combining my background as a mother, my psychology degree, and my experience as a dog trainer, I knew I had a good opportunity to create this niche.
My ultimate goal is to give parents the tools they need to keep the dogs in their homes and actually enjoy them!”
2. What can parents expect when they work with you?
“I come into the home and teach parents all about preparing the household,
what to do ahead of time before baby arrives,
getting the dog used to the baby equipment, and teaching the basics of canine body language. I also work with the dog, teaching him or her to learn to deal with new sights and smells, good manners, and behaviors like “come”, “sit”, and “stay”. If there are already children in the home, I help them learn about safety around dogs, managing the environment, learn about body language to decode whether the dog is happy or irritated, and safe interactive games.”
3. How much time do you spend with each family?
“It depends on each family's needs, but
I start with a basic integration consult of 4 hours.
That goes over the foundation of what they need and how to prepare. If the dog has a more serious issue or needs a lot of training, I'm willing to keep working with them as long as necessary to really help them be successful. If a family feels like their dog is already well trained and they just need advice on preparing for the baby, my seminars are a great option to give them knowledge they can apply right away by themselves.”
4. What's your favorite thing about your job?
“The most satisfying thing for me is when a family tells me that I'm the reason they didn't get rid of their dog.
When they tell me that they actually enjoy living with their dog now instead of resenting them – that's the most rewarding thing. With my own personal dogs, I love that I can take them to an off-leash park or out in public and they will be well-behaved.”
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Kathrine M. Christ, owner of Hands Full Dog Training, with her family.
5. Tell us about yourself!
“I used to want to be a diplomat. I even have a degree in international affairs and interned at a U.S. Embassy. I have volunteered for the International Rescue Committee and am passionate about helping refugees! I love my family – my patient husband and four kids –
and have integrated 10 dogs into our home successfully.
I currently have three dogs: Ranger, a Labrador; Piper, a mini Aussie; and Stormy, a miniature American shepherd.”
Hands Full Dog Training in Wichita, Kansas is the perfect choice for you to get your dog ready to not just tolerate, but love your new baby. You can find out more at their
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