A good number of dogs end up connecting strongly with a child, becoming both their best friend and guardian, but some dogs have difficulty interacting with children and if not handled correctly, the consequences can be awful. If you are a dog lover and a kid lover you have to find a way to make all your little ones co-exist, whether it’s a new dog or a new child coming into the house here are some tips on how to make it as seamless and as safe as possible.
If you have a newborn baby on its way you should be well prepared and your dog should be well trained. Dogs should be able to understand simple commands such as “sit”, “stay”, and “no” and should be trained not to snatch food or toys from a hand, especially the hands of young children.
If your dog usually spends a lot of time with you and a new child comes in to the picture the dog can be left feeling neglected and may have ill feelings towards the child, you should modify your usual routine before the child arrives so your dog can slowly adjust to the new way of life.
As silly as it sounds try acting like a child around your dog before the new arrival, focus on stroking the dog’s tail, feet and ears as children are usually drawn to this part of a pet, reward the dog for accepting this kind of petting.
You should also reward your dog when the baby first arrives, the dog will then associate the baby with happiness, do not lock your dog in another room or yell at it.
If you already have a baby but thinking of purchasing a family dog, making the right pet purchase is very important.
It is imperative to know as much history as possible about your new dog whether its puppy or an older dog, if it has any history of violence from previous owners it could act hastily round you and your child, it also needs to be adaptable around new people. When selecting your new dog, take your child with you, you will be able to gauge how the dog is around children quite quickly, such as aggressive barking or fear.
While you need to treat every dog as an individual the safest breeds of dogs for children are: Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Collies, Beagles, Basset Hounds, Pugs, Cocker Spaniels and the Bichon Frise.
Before you buy a dog, it is important to watch films, or documentaries including friendly dog interaction so your child can see a caring relationship between dog and human. They need to understand the dog is a new pet and not a new toy. Once the dog has arrived encourage your child to be involved with as many activities as possible such as coming along on walks and to the park.
The most important point is to never leave your child and dog alone, at such a young age they will need constant supervision, kids may unintentionally hurt the dog which could lead to aggressive behaviour from your pet such as harsh biting. It all sounds like a lot of hard work but the unbreakable bond and unconditional love between your dog and child is definitely worth it.
Posted By chantelle
Established in 2008 Australian Pet Shop is a family run, boutique, pet supply business that provides a range of products for your pet and strives to provide great customer service.
Updated : 16th May 2020 | Words : 548 | Views : 17476
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