Kids and dogs can live together wonderfully, but the first step is understanding that it should be a respectful relationship on both sides. Your dog should respect your rules and boundaries, and your children should also understand what is appropriate behavior around dogs. If you have the expectation for your dog to be well-mannered around children, but do not show your children how to properly interact with your dog as well, only half of your job is done and can lead to some frustrating and potentially dangerous interactions. This week’s post will cover some guidelines for your dog. Be on the lookout for the next post, where we will go over different ways to ensure your children are learning the correct manners as well.
1. Do not reward jumping, nipping, pawing, or any demanding behaviors. Instead, teach your dog to sit to be petted. If he stands up while he gets petted, attention stops. Once he learns to hold that sit while he is getting scratched, it will make it much easier for everyone to love on him.
2. Make sure that your dog has a designated spot in the house where he can settle down and that is off limits to kids. Keep him busy with a toy or chewy while on his bed, and he will not be in the middle of what you are doing such as watching TV, homework, or playing a board game.
3. No chasing! Dogs love to chase fast moving things, especially little kids running by, squealing with delight. If you know your dog has a tendency to fixate or chase, correct him early before he gets zoned in on the chase. Exercise your dog properly to channel that energy elsewhere. A tired dog is a good dog.
4. Go on walks as a family so that the dog sees all humans in the household as leaders, not just the grown ups. Not only does the walk show the dog to look up to his people, it’s also a great way for everyone to exercise together! Proper walking is covered in classes at http://www.nck9solutions.com if you are not familiar with this concept.
5. Spend time playing games together, supervising all interactions to know what is going on and proactively prevent issues. Being present is imperative so you can step in before things get out of hand. The moment your dog gets jumpy or mouthy, even if not malicious, you do not want your dog to see the children as littermates.
6. Regular walks near playgrounds, parks, bus stops, or other areas where there are big groups of children will help your dog get accustomed to being focused on you while the sounds and movements of kids become regular background noise. You can incorporate lots of commands on the walk, moving at a fast past so that your dog starts looking for your next direction instead of looking for something to fixate on.
7. Most importantly, be aware of what your dog is telling you with his body language. Does your dog have his ears pressed back? Is she turning her head away or turning her back to avoid what is coming closer? Sometimes ducking their heads or doing anything to turn away is saying “I don’t want to play, please leave me alone.” The best thing you can do for your dog is to stop whatever interaction is happening. A dog who is panting but isn’t hot or yawns but shouldn’t be tired, is showing signs of coping with stress. Other red flags that the dog would rather not play include growling, baring teeth, a wide wall-eye (where you can see the whites of their eye), a stiff body, or suddenly closing their mouth after panting. When a dog shuts his mouth after that type of panting, he’s saying “the next time I open it, it’s going to be worse!”
In the next post, we will cover things you can do with your kids to teach them proper dog manners, making it more pleasant and harmonious. Kids well educated on dog behavior at an early age will likely share their knowledge with their friends as well and be safer in other home environments that have dogs. This also helps them grow up to be responsible pet owners.
Kersti Nieto
Certified Dog Trainer
K9 Solutions LLC
http://www.nck9solutions.com
K9 Solutions 