Few things can warm your heart more than watching your kids peacefully interact with the family dog. If you’ve grown up with dogs, you probably have fond memories of your first canine companion, that four-legged friend who followed you everywhere, guarded your closest secrets and maybe even tolerated your incessant need to dress him up in your ballet tutu and pretty pink ribbons.
Despite our Disney-esque memories, the reality is that living with kids and dogs can present a myriad of challenges. Dogs, especially young dogs, like to steal and chew what they find on the ground. Kids, especially young kids, tend to leave lots of stuff on the ground. Energetic kids running around can easily incite rambunctious behavior in a dog, which can lead to jumping up or nipping. Also, kids often don’t realize it’s not nice to play “rodeo cowboy” with the Labrador.
Proper training is essential to creating a safe and peaceful environment for two- and four-legged family members. In addition to mastering basic obedience behaviors, expectant parents should begin working on baby-specific skills as soon as they realize they are pregnant. As toddlers develop the physical dexterity necessary to physically interact with the family dog, they should be encouraged to practice gentle, respectful contact. All interactions between pets and children should be closely supervised at all times.
Problems often arise when life gets in the way of dog training. Parents often find themselves so occupied by tending to the children amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, that the dog is left to his own devices, at which point he becomes more likely to engage in unwanted behavior.
Set Him Up for Success - The best way to teach a dog what you want is to make that behavior super easy, while eliminating opportunities to engage in unwanted behaviors. If you don’t want the dog to jump up on the highchair and snatch the crackers, you, as your dog’s trainer, need to actively teach an alternate behavior for your dog to practice during snack time (like holding a down-stay on his dog bed) and/or physically prevent him from being able to practice the unwanted behavior. In a perfect world, we’d all have time to be Superhero Parents and Excellent Dog Trainers, but since most of us live in the real world, the following management tricks can help:
Chew-Proof Tether – Consider purchasing a chew-proof tether to help anchor your dog a safe distance from where he’s likely to engage in trouble. While he’s learning to master a down-stay on his dog bed, using a tether can serve as “insurance” against unwanted behavior when he breaks his stay. Never leave a dog unattended when tethered and always offer him something fun to do, like gnaw on his favorite chew bone. To learn more about tethering, or to purchase a chew-proof tether, visit: http://www.dogwhispererdvd.com/dog_training_tethers.shtml.
Baby Gate – They’re not just for babies anymore! Teaching your dog to be happily confined behind a baby gate can offer you the peace you need to be able to tend to the kids and other household responsibilities when you aren’t able to directly supervise interactions between your two- and four-legged family members. Most dogs, even athletic jumpers, can be taught to respect a gate.
X-Pen – Much like putting a toddler in a play pen, an x-pen is a portable play space for your dog. The advantage of an x-pen is that it can be set up in the family area. This allows your dog to be part of the action, playing alongside the kids, yet he’s physically unable to get to their toys or climb all over them.
Crate – Most dogs appreciate a break from the action, especially when living in active homes. When properly crate-trained, the crate becomes your dog’s sanctuary, a place where he can curl up for a much-needed nap or retreat from the grabby hands of the toddler. Children must be taught to leave the dog alone when he’s in his crate and should not be allowed to crawl inside with, or without, the dog.
Management doesn’t replace the need for training. It’s designed to provide a layer of insurance against problems during the training process (when the dog is still learning), or for those moments when we, as humans, can’t juggle the multiple roles of dog trainer and parent. Living with kids and dogs isn’t always easy, but training and management can help the benefits far outweigh the risks.
Recommended Reading:
Raising Puppies and Kids Together: A Guide for Parents, By Pia Silvani and Lynn Eckhardt
Living with Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind, By Colleen Pelar
Child-Proofing Your Dog, By Brian Kilcommons
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Stephanie Colman has been training dogs professionally for more than 10 years. She has successfully competed in more than seven different types of dog spots, earning more than 35 titles to date, with her two dogs "Zoie" (a Whippet) and "Quiz" (a Golden Retriever). Stephanie was the featured trainer for the long-running training series "Dog Bites" on KNBC's "Today in LA," and she and her dogs can be seen in "The Original Dog Whisperer DVD" with Paul Owens. You might even recognize "Quiz" from his starring role in the popular "Speeding Poem" campaign for animal adoption. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Public Relations from CSU, Northridge and is a regular contributor to The Whole Dog Journal, APDT Chronicle of the Dog, and many other well-known publications. You can view her work with KNBC online at www.CaninesteinTraining.com, and contact her at (818) 989-7996
