Children and Puppies
Quote from the Dog Whisperer:
Few images are as evocative of trust, loyalty, and friendship as a child with a puppy. Bonds formed between humans and dogs can be made incredibly strong when the relationship is formed early on, but it's very important that our children be taught how to interact safely and responsibly with their canine companions.
Greeting a puppy:
1) Teach the child about "No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact."
(Note: Eye contact can be a valuable communication tool later on, but save it until after a trust has been formed between your puppy & family members. Used properly, Eye contact can help you communicate a message to your pet and increase the connection, making the lesson even more effective. But it is not something to use irresponsibly, because like words, it is a form of communication, and must be used appropriately.)
2) The introduction between puppy and child should be delayed until the child's excitement has passed and he or she is in a calm state of mind, able to focus on adult instruction. Never allow the child to make the first move.
3) Keep an eye on the child's energy levels and note the puppy's reactions. Once you are satisfied that the situation is safe and under your control, show the child the proper way to give affection.
4) Safety first! Don't be afraid to say no... if the situation appears unsafe for puppy or child, inform the child that the dog is in training and can't be pet.
Playtime:
Keep an eye on the scene at all times! Puppies and children should never be left alone together without adult supervision.
1) Set some ground rules for off-limits play. Be sure that the child understands not to pull the puppy's ears or tail.
2) Keep watch for signs of rough play, and correct the child or redirect his or her energy when needed.
3) Observe the puppy's body language. Step in when you believe the puppy has had enough of playtime.
A child's interactions with a new puppy can be a huge influence on your puppy's development.
As a part of the puppy's new pack, children will need to fulfill their position in the pack as a responsible role model.
Before picking your puppy up, children must understand the importance of following the rules
You don't want puppy to go to the bathroom while he's spending time with you...
Do Not Pick up your puppy if he was sleeping or just woke up, has eaten, or drank something.
First He will need to go to the bathroom on his paper or outside within 5-10 mins after waking up, eating or drinking. Let him go first so that he won't need to leave you while you are playing with him
You don't want to confuse your baby puppy, and you don't want to give him a reason to bite you.
Do Not tickle or roughhouse with your new puppy, he might think you are "biting" him.
He must first learn to trust your calm hands. He must also first learn how to be responsible, so that he will play fair.
You don't want your puppy to get tired of you...
Do Not overwhelm your puppy with too much attention
Give them their own time & space to relax, so that they feel better when they are with you. Its kind of like a grandma pinching your cheeks, after a while he can get tired of the constant handling. Too much play time will keep him from getting enough down time, and then he might get a little cranky or annoyed by too much attention. Let them learn to miss you a little, and will look forward to being with.
Be considerate of your puppy's needs, but Don't let your puppy boss you around
Do Not put your puppy down every time he wiggles or whines.
Since you waited for him to go to the bathroom, he doesn't actually have an excuse to get down. If he is wiggling, he is just testing your strength and seeing if you are wimp if you will let him tell you what to do.
Wait until he is being still to let him down, so that he knows that it was your choice to put him down, and he can't boss you around for the rest of his life.
A puppy is not big enough to scare you yet, but if he becomes a big biting dog, you won't be able to stop him.
Do Not allow your puppy to bite or try to dominate you.
The Puppy is breaking a rule when he bites, and he is seeing if you will let him bite you. If he gets away with it, then he will think that he can bite you when he is all grown up. Teach him he can't bite you while he is little, so that you won't have to deal with him biting when he gets bigger.
Do Not Scream or run from the puppy
Screaming and running makes him think he won, and makes you look like a wimp who is losing.
If he thinks he can beat you, then he will think you are wrong in the future, and won't listen to you, even though you really know more.
Be calm and confident around your puppy so that he feels like you are a good leader, and will want to listen to you in the future.
Do Not give the puppy a toy if he bites or does something bad.
He must be told that he was not supposed to do that, and he must learn that being bad is not fun.
If he thinks he will get a reward for being bad, he will like doing bad things to get what he wants.
As a part of the puppy's new pack, children will need to fulfill their position in the pack as a responsible role model.
Before picking your puppy up, children must understand the importance of following the rules
You don't want puppy to go to the bathroom while he's spending time with you...
Do Not Pick up your puppy if he was sleeping or just woke up, has eaten, or drank something.
First He will need to go to the bathroom on his paper or outside within 5-10 mins after waking up, eating or drinking. Let him go first so that he won't need to leave you while you are playing with him
You don't want to confuse your baby puppy, and you don't want to give him a reason to bite you.
Do Not tickle or roughhouse with your new puppy, he might think you are "biting" him.
He must first learn to trust your calm hands. He must also first learn how to be responsible, so that he will play fair.
You don't want your puppy to get tired of you...
Do Not overwhelm your puppy with too much attention
Give them their own time & space to relax, so that they feel better when they are with you. Its kind of like a grandma pinching your cheeks, after a while he can get tired of the constant handling. Too much play time will keep him from getting enough down time, and then he might get a little cranky or annoyed by too much attention. Let them learn to miss you a little, and will look forward to being with.
Be considerate of your puppy's needs, but Don't let your puppy boss you around
Do Not put your puppy down every time he wiggles or whines.
Since you waited for him to go to the bathroom, he doesn't actually have an excuse to get down. If he is wiggling, he is just testing your strength and seeing if you are wimp if you will let him tell you what to do.
Wait until he is being still to let him down, so that he knows that it was your choice to put him down, and he can't boss you around for the rest of his life.
A puppy is not big enough to scare you yet, but if he becomes a big biting dog, you won't be able to stop him.
Do Not allow your puppy to bite or try to dominate you.
The Puppy is breaking a rule when he bites, and he is seeing if you will let him bite you. If he gets away with it, then he will think that he can bite you when he is all grown up. Teach him he can't bite you while he is little, so that you won't have to deal with him biting when he gets bigger.
Do Not Scream or run from the puppy
Screaming and running makes him think he won, and makes you look like a wimp who is losing.
If he thinks he can beat you, then he will think you are wrong in the future, and won't listen to you, even though you really know more.
Be calm and confident around your puppy so that he feels like you are a good leader, and will want to listen to you in the future.
Do Not give the puppy a toy if he bites or does something bad.
He must be told that he was not supposed to do that, and he must learn that being bad is not fun.
If he thinks he will get a reward for being bad, he will like doing bad things to get what he wants.
Correctly interacting with the new puppy is important, so that he can learn the appropriate behaviors and develop positive lifelong habits, becoming your trusted best friend for the many years to come.