Whether you had the dog first or the children first it is important to have a cohesive house when it comes to raising children and dogs together. For many dog owners these furry pets are like children themselves. When you throw in actual human children it can get tricky, with both wanting to play with one another and vie for your attention as well.
You don’t want your child harming your pet, and you definitely don’t want your pet harming your child, so you need to do a few things to make sure that they can get along well together. That means teaching your children right and insuring your dog is well taught too. If you want a safe and happy home welcome to both kids and dogs, here are a few things you will need to do.
Introduce Them Immediately
It doesn’t matter who was in the house first, they both need to meet each other as soon as possible. If you are bringing a new baby home you want your dog to understand that this new bundle of joy is part of the family. If your child is already a toddler and you decided to get a puppy, you also want to get them introduced so that you can start setting those important boundaries for them.
Assert The Importance Of Cleanliness
Whenever you get a new pet in the house, you have to train the pet not to muck up the house, and teach the children how to keep the pet from getting dirty in the first place. The importance of cleanliness, therefore, cannot be overstated as the child and the pet are presumably going to be playing outside most of the time. This introduces the pet to the risk of catching fleas, which it could bring into the house and cause an infestation. This kind of infestation could only be cleaned up by professionals similar to these Pest Control Experts (https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/). So, it would be in everyone’s interest that both the dog and the children learn how to keep themselves clean.
Set Boundaries For Both
When it comes to the boundaries of your dog when it comes to your children, the main thing that comes into effect is your training of them. You want to make sure they aren’t jumping on your children, which can knock them over and they can get hurt. You also want to discourage any kind of biting, even if it’s just played.
For the kids, you want to teach them to be gentle with pets, letting them know that being rough with your dog can hurt the dog and when they are hurt they may fight back.
Ensure Safety
Safety is paramount when raising a dog in a household with children. Ensuring both the dog’s and children’s well-being involves several proactive measures. Teach children to interact gently and respectfully with the dog to prevent accidental injuries or fear-based reactions. Create safe spaces for the dog, such as a crate or designated room, where they can retreat when feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, installing fencing — by availing of local handyman services in Clinton Township (or elsewhere) — around the house can prevent the dog from wandering off. Supervise interactions between the dog and young children at all times to mitigate risks. Regularly check the dog’s health with vet visits and maintain up-to-date vaccinations. By fostering a safe and harmonious environment, you can nurture a positive relationship between your dog and children, ensuring their mutual safety and happiness.
Raise Compassionate Children
A compassionate child pets a dog, they don’t pull their ears, tails, or hit them. Teach your children to love the dog, and that it is not a toy. Dogs are step ladders, they aren’t ponies, and they aren’t too be rough housed with when it comes to little children. Show them, that just like they need to, pets have to be fed and watered to be healthy. You can get your children to give them their food and water daily, as well as show them what type of products, such as Wellness Core, for example, are good for them so children can be aware of their different needs.
Bonus Tip: Raise A Well Trained Dog
A well trained dog just might tolerate a child that gets a little rough or gives them too much affection. They will also sit and stay, or lay, in a corner and stay out of site when the child and them are not getting along so well. It is really important to get the proper training for your dog or puppy, whether or not you have children in your household – but it’s even more important when you do.
