There is a magical bond between pets and children, with many pets thriving from the attention and fun times.
But children grow up fast, and with their changing bodies comes unpredictable movements, unusual body language that a pet struggles to read, not to mention the noise!
Consider how children grab and tug your hair and clothes, hug you, lie on top of you, even slap you – they will do that to the pets as well, but you have the capacity to understand them, pets do not.
The important thing is all pets have a limit, and everyone, and every pet, has days they don’t want to be disturbed.
Teaching your puppy and children to live in harmony
Even if you don’t have children yourself, it is crucial that your puppy meets many sensible children of all ages, so try and meet up with friends and family to do some supervised training.
It is important puppies learn that children are not a threat, and children learn to treat puppy with respect and not as a plaything.
- Don’t allow children to chase your puppy around.
- Don’t let them pick it up if your puppy seems afraid.
- Allow your puppy to retreat to their bed or crate if they prefer and, if this happens, do not allow the children to follow them. Having a little den will give your puppy some where to go back to if he is feeling insecure or wants to have a sleep.
» Read our article: Puppy essentials: Crates and playpens
- If your puppy is sleeping, make sure the children understand they are not to disturb them or make sure they do not have access.
- Never disturb a dog when they are eating. If your children are young, maybe put up a stair gate to keep them separate during meal times.
It can be a great to involve children in your friends and family circle with training your puppy, under careful supervision. This will help create a lasting bond and help your puppy to gain confidence with them.
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