![\"Puppies](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/puppies-kids-700x525.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nIn this article, I\u2019ll discuss how to make the relationship between your new puppy and your children safe and rewarding. It\u2019s important to train both halves of the equation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Puppies And Kids: Tips From A Certified Professional Dog Trainer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When I was six years old, I got a poodle puppy for my birthday. We named him Pierre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My parents had to teach me to respect him as a living creature, not a doll. I was taught not to be rough with him\u2013and not to dress him in my doll\u2019s clothes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We had many fun years together. I really have happy memories of those years together, playing ball and running around the yard with my furry playmate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Children need to understand that the puppy\u2019s a living creature to be respected. And the puppy needs to be trained to have impulse control and the rules of the house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Managing the environment is important too. I\u2019m assuming in this article that the children are six years old and up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Much younger children may not be able to appreciate that the puppy\u2019s a living creature with feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, all interactions between children and puppies<\/a> should be observed for safety\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides the potential of a life-long friendship, there are other benefits to the child who grows up with a puppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Those are just a few positives off the top of my head for getting your kid a puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, the puppy you choose should be one that you want to live with for life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important that the puppy be healthy and have a great, steady temperament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A pet professional such as a positive reinforcement trainer or behaviorist can help to select a puppy who\u2019s appropriate for your family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A good breeder, rescue, or shelter should also be able to guide you in your quest for the \u201cperfect puppy.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n No one breed or mix probably fits your needs. But it\u2019s important to consider the puppy\u2019s needs and inherited traits when choosing your new furry family member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some sporting dogs such as labrador<\/a> or golden retrievers<\/a> can be great family dogs if trained and exercised properly. But they have high energy and are generally slow-maturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Herding dogs will be true to their roots and may attempt to corral your child. But many can be fine if trained and exercised properly. These include shelties and Aussies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Toy breeds such as Shih Tzus and Yorkshire terriers are fragile and must be handled with extra care when around youngsters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Working breeds such as Rottweilers and Doberman pinschers have a lot of energy and can tend to be protective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Terriers like westies and cairns were bred to hunt vermin and may knock a small child down in their quest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hounds like beagles were also bred to hunt and can have a lot of energy to burn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And dogs from the nonsporting group have many functions, such as Lhasas, who were watchdogs in Tibet and can have a suspicious nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The important thing to consider when choosing a puppy is whether you can meet the dog\u2019s needs so that he becomes a great family member. This includes physical and mental needs, training, as well as socialization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children and puppies can be BFFs. But it\u2019s important to make sure to manage the environment to ensure everyone\u2019s safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Never leave a puppy and young child alone together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A youngster can inadvertently injure a young pup. And a young puppy can knock over a toddler or young child\u2013and his needle teeth can be dangerous<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Always err on the side of caution so that accidents don\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you can\u2019t observe the two together, you can have a gate<\/a> separating your child and the new puppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The puppy should always have a safe space where he can relax, eat, and sleep\u2013both away from your child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Crates<\/a> are great places for a puppy to hang out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n They provide a way to have some downtime as well as help to housetrain the pup<\/a> and keep him safe from household hazards. It\u2019s his sanctuary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, you have to train the puppy to enjoy his crate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might have to place a barrier between the crate and the kids so that they don\u2019t disturb the puppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Young children need to be taught to respect the puppy, which I\u2019ll discuss in more detail below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also have an area such as an exercise pen<\/a> with a crate in it, as a safe area for the pup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppies and young children can\u2019t differentiate between each others\u2019 toys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, as much as possible, it\u2019s important to pick up the puppy\u2019s toys when he\u2019s not playing with them. Also, have the children play with their toys in a separate area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This separation can be important so that the puppy doesn\u2019t accidentally ingest or destroy the child\u2019s toy. And it can help prevent any resource guarding by the puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s very important to teach a puppy to readily give up any items, including his toys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Management is key to having toys intact and not ingested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And hygiene is important for children too. Young children may put the puppy\u2019s toys in their mouth\u2013which can potentially make a child ill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both sides of the equation must be trained. Your new puppy needs to learn how to behave. I\u2019ll discuss this in more detail below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And the child needs to learn how to behave around the puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Young children can view a cute little puppy as a toy\u2013literally a living doll. But the puppy is a living creature with feelings and needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Young children have limitless energy. I wish that I still had their boundless stamina. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But they must be taught to be calm around the pup. Running, squealing, and jumping should be off-limits when around the puppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Children smell different than adults. And they have high-pitched voices and move in unpredictable ways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These can appear to be threatening to a puppy who\u2019s not used to this. If children run around screaming in play, the puppy will feed off that energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The unwitting pup may even knock a little child down. And the pup\u2019s needle-like teeth can injure the child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make it a game. Tell your child to \u201cbe a tree\u201d when around the kid. This means that she has to be still when around the pup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Positive reinforcement works for both humans and canines. So have a reward system in place in which your child receives something she wants when she behaves around the puppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is especially important when the puppy becomes overly excited and playful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Teach the child to stay out of the puppy\u2019s way then. She can go sit down until the canine calms down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before the puppy joins your family, teach your children that a puppy is a living being, not a toy. And the pup may growl or bite if mishandled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Set boundaries that a child must respect in dealing with the puppy. Doing this will help build a positive relationship with the puppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ground rules are really important. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as the child needs to learn how to act around the puppy, the pup also needs some training regarding how to behave. This is very important for the two to have a successful, long-lasting friendship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Important matters to consider when determining the puppy\u2019s needs include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important that you \u201cread\u201d the puppy\u2019s body language and teach your child to do the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If the puppy\u2019s uncomfortable, the child shouldn\u2019t be permitted to interact with him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If a puppy\u2019s pushed beyond his limits, he may growl or even bite to protect himself from a perceived threat. Signs that a puppy is uncomfortable include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Separate the child and the puppy at the first sign that the pup\u2019s uncomfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Always, always err on the side of caution to keep everyone safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When such signs are ignored, a tragedy can occur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can redirect the puppy to another activity, such as performing an obedience command or playing with a favorite toy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The come command can really save the interaction from escalating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to teaching the puppy and child the proper ways to interact, there are some health considerations to keep everyone safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The puppy should have regular vet visits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This should include an examination as well as any required vaccines, deworming, and other required medications such as one to prevent heart-worm disease or flea or tick infestations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to housetrain the puppy so that your child isn\u2019t exposed to urine or feces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clean up any accidents immediately. And clean up the pup\u2019s potty area regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The child should also wash her hands before and after each interaction with the pup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And the puppy should be bathed and groomed when necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important for the child to regularly interact with the puppy assuming the above precautions are taken. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Children of about seven or older can take on some duties\u2013supervised of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children can help stuff Kongs. And, depending on the child, she can participate in some of the training. After you\u2019ve taught the puppy to sit, you can have your youngster participate in training the dog to sit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n More mature children can help fill the pup\u2019s water bowl or even help groom the pup after you\u2019ve trained him to accept handling and grooming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A mature child can participate when you walk the puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t leave a young puppy alone with a child. Things can happen in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A young child who inadvertently scares a puppy, risks being bitten. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t let a child be rough in any way with the puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I see pictures all over the internet of children riding the family dog as if he were a horse, hugging a puppy, or grabbing a puppy\u2019s face and staring into it. These are definite no, no’s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, don\u2019t let the child disturb the puppy when he\u2019s sleeping, relaxing, eating, or chewing a favorite chewie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No! The general rule for the safety of both the child and the puppy is for them to always be supervised when together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And kids should learn that puppies are living creatures, not toys. After the puppy is taught to respect the puppy and his area, they can be together when observed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Leaving puppies and children alone together can lead to tragic consequences in which either is injured. Consider safety first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to teach children to respect the puppy as a living being. You can train your child to be gentle around your puppy, not noisy or rambunctious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And treat her to recognize that she should leave the puppy alone when he\u2019s in his crate or other safe area, when sleeping, when eating, or when chewing on a bone or other chewie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure that your puppy\u2019s had a sufficient amount of exercise before interacting with your children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, teach your puppy basic commands such as how to pay attention to you, sit\/stay, down\/stay, come, and leave it. And teach your puppy to accept being in a safe area such as a crate or exercise pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We recently added a puppy, Anna to our family with three children under the age of 4. We carefully manage both puppy and kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We manage our puppy with leashes, tie-downs, crates, and ex-pens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our rule for the kids is they must ask us before interacting with the puppy. This allows us to say “yes” when the puppy is calm and well-behaved and “no” if she is rambunctious, excited, and bouncing around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, far so good with the relationship between our puppy and kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children and puppies can be a great combination, forming a life-long friendship and be BFFs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But the relationship must be carefully managed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And both the child and the puppy should be taught to respect each other\u2019s limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppies and kids can be best friends forever growing up together. It\u2019s an idyllic picture: a child and his furry best friend trekking along on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":32204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-puppies"],"yoast_head":"\nBenefits for Children of Having a Puppy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What Type of Puppy\u2019s Best?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Managing the Environment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Safe Place for the Puppy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Whose Toys Are They?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Teaching the Child Puppy-Safe Rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Calm and Steady<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Teach Respect for the Puppy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Teach the Puppy Boundaries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Learn the Puppy\u2019s Body Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Health Considerations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Activities for the Child to Participate in Caring for the Puppy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What NOT To Do: Don\u2019t Try This at Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can I leave my puppy and toddler together playing alone?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How can my child learn to interact correctly with my puppy?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How can I teach my puppy to play well with my children?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Our Puppies And Kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Save To Pinterest<\/h2>\n\n\n
![\"Puppies](\"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/puppies-and-kids-700x1050.jpg\")
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