Training A Dog For Children Keeps Them Both Safe

Unfortunately there are many unpleasant experiences with dogs and kids. Some kids don’t like dogs; some dogs don’t like kids; and sometimes the feeling is mutual. If you have kids and also want a dog, you may worry that they won’t be compatible which is why training a dog for children is key. Since the last thing you want is a bad-tempered dog that isn’t safe to be around kids, you might consider giving up the idea of obtaining a dog altogether.

Of course, in most cases dogs and kids get along great! After all, they seem to be on the same level and most develop a strong bond, but one can’t be too careful and an unfortunate incident can have long lasting effects. For this reason you want to take some extra steps to err on the side of caution.

Training a dog for children is not hard. However, it requires teaching the right behavior to both dog and children. You need to make sure your dog does not bite or nip – a task which may be a bit harder with a puppy as this behavior is natural to them. You should also be sure the dog is trained not to jump up as a large dog jumping on a small child can frighten the child and even cause injury.

Picking a dog that does not show inappropriate aggression is critical if he will be living with little kids. If he has a nice disposition, the dog may be taught to play nicely and cooperate with your kids as well as with you. It is also important for the kids to realize that a new dog is not a toy; subjecting a new dog to rough play right away may cause him to be nervous or aggressive. You wouldn’t want your dog to bite you kids believing that he must protect himself, nor do you want the dog to fear them.

Although it’s extremely important to teach your children to be gentle and thoughtful with your new dog, you should not leave him unsupervised with very young children. The best way to acquaint them and help them form a compatible relationship would be to let your kids and new dog gradually get used to each other while you are present.

If you have young children, you should consider the prospective pet’s personality before making a final decision. Training a dog for children should be part of your pets basic training, but choosing a dog who is both playful and relatively well-behaved is the most ideal choice for your kids.