Many young families or families-to-be would love to have a dog to complete the pack. Great dogs are made, not born. Even if there are no plans for little two- legged additions to the family, all dogs need to learn how to tolerate children. Life can bring surprises! You may have relatives who visit with children in tow, walk past a bus stop, or want to enjoy some time in a park. It is better to be prepared, and have safe interactions.
If you are choosing to adopt a puppy, you want to start conditioning the puppy as soon as possible. Puppies have a “fear imprint” period from 7 to 17 weeks, where they should have as many positive interactions as possible with the real world. Take your puppy to where children are, such as a playground, pet store, etc., making sure the puppy never feels overwhelmed by all the attention.
Adopting an adult dog? Ask if the dog has been around children previously, or has had a behavioral evaluation. It may be beneficial if the dog was previously around children, but you don’t know if the original family’s interactions were pleasant. You want a dog that enjoys the presence of children, not just tolerates. If you have a dog already, and little ones on the way, start evaluating your dog’s behavior. Does your dog readily relinquish its food bowl, toys, or treats? Does your dog tolerate being touched anywhere: ears, tail, all four feet? Being patted, leaned on, hugged? How about loud noises, erratic movement, something startling? Children can be unpredictable in a dog’s eyes.
If you find that your dog reacts badly to any of the above, you must counter-condition them. By counter-conditioning, we are teaching your dog that what they may perceive as scary is a good thing. For example, your dog does not like having his feet touched. Hold a soft dog treat firmly between your fingers, and start letting him nibble at it. With your other hand, reach forward and touch the upper part of the leg. If he is tolerating you touching the leg, and continues nibbling at the treat, slowly, run your hand down his leg to his foot. If at any point he pulls away, or stops nibbling at the treat, allow him to pull away, but pull the treat away too. Try again; remember to start with the treat first, then touching the leg. You are teaching your dog that allowing you to touch his feet makes good things happen! If at any point you feel like your dog has had enough, or gets growly, stop and give them a break. This can take a little time and patience. Remember, never force or correct your dog. This should be as pleasant of an experience as possible. If you see behaviors that are potentially dangerous, contact a behaviorist.
Most importantly, never leave a child and dog together unsupervised. If your dog is working on any behaviors you may think could be trouble, it may be best to keep the dog confined to a kid- proof place while you work through any issues. Even if your dog is stellar around children, make sure he can retreat to a place that’s safe from the children. Dogs can tire of all that attention!
If you follow these tips, they can help create a happy home and family.
Written by Julie Jacobus A.B.C.M.T., owner of Training by Julie & Associates, LLC. Training by Julie offers private in-home lessons and group classes in Southern Maryland.