Kids and dogs

There is nothing more wholesome and endearing than the image of a kid and their dog. As a parent of both dogs and kids, I can tell you the relationships they build can be enriching and beautiful for child and dog alike.

“Kids and dogs” is a subject that comes up often with my clients. They are looking for a dog who is a fun companion for little kids and can also go relax on their own. To achieve this, you’ll need to do a bit of training and not just for the dog or puppy in your life, the kids will need some guidance too. Their relationship, like any other, needs to be based on love and respect. Both the kids and dogs will need their own space to thrive, whether its playing with friends without the dog stealing your ball or munching on a treat without a little kid trying to pet your fur.

Here are some basic things I teach all the kids in my life:

·Stay away from dogs while they are eating (this includes meals, as well as chew toys and treats).

·Never put your face in a dog’s face, especially a dog you don’t know.

·Don’t feed the dog any of your food.

·Don’t take things away from the dog. Whether it’s yours or the dog’s to begin with.

As the kid-dog relationship develops, we can modify these basic guidelines. For example: playing fetch, which involves taking the toy from the dog so the game can continue. Or handing out dog treats during a training session.

I also like to teach them a bit about how to approach a dog (slowly, using a soft voice to make sure the dog hears them and isn’t startled) and how to pet a dog (soft, gentle strokes that avoid the feet, face and top of the head).

Now for the dogs, I love to teach dogs behaviors that will help them make good choices in the “real world” (situations with distractions).

One of my favorites is “wait”, wait means pause, take a moment before proceeding, don’t move forward. At our house we use “wait” a lot with our dogs: “wait” just because the door is open it doesn’t mean you run out; “wait” for me to put your food bowl down without knocking it out of my hand; “wait” for me to put a leash on to get out of the house or car; “wait” at the top or bottom of the stairs so you don’t trip the kids; etc.

I also really like to have a dog who can “leave it” on cue. Let’s face it, kids are messy and they come with a lot of extra stuff, from unattended food and toys to arts and crafts, even diapers and pacifiers. “Leave it” means you do not get it now or later. Leave it means move away from it and don’t try to get it a second later. A reliable “leave it” can save your dog’s life, preventing ingestion of toxic foods like chocolate and raisins, as well as preventing injuries for both kids and dogs.

Other dog cues I find useful in our day-to-day life managing kids and dogs are: “off” for getting off furniture and preventing jumping; “place” going to a designated area where the dogs are safe from the kid’s activities (like target practice or forts); and “gentle” for when the kids are a bit more mature and can offer treats and toys to a dog who will take them carefully.

As the kids get older, they can help train the dog. This is a fun, controlled way to develop that lovely relationship. The dogs are excited for positive reinforcement training and the kids love to have a dog that listens to them. Win win!

For further details on these or any dog training skills give me a call I’m always happy to help