Dogs Behaving With Children

Being a parent to a child and a dog is one of the most rewarding positions to ever hold. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful human and canine family, and I am blessed that there are no issues between my child and dog. However, there are many people out there with kids and dogs that struggle with cementing the bond between the two. I’ve had many clients ask about how I can teach their dog to better behave with their children, whether they are an infant, toddler, or teenager.

Children of all ages should be happy to have a dog in the home, as dogs are some of the best companions for a child. But it is important that our children are educated on dogs, especially when it comes to dog behavior, body language, and boundaries. We would expect our dog to show restraint and manners when it comes to our children or guests. Children who are cognizant enough should understand how to act appropriately with an animal, even if it is the family dog. I’ve seen many parents be very careless with their children, allowing them to run up behind dogs and startling them, or letting a child pull on a dog’s ears and get directly face-to-face with them. This is such risky behavior and could end up with a child injured. Then a dog gets punished when this sort of incident could have been easily preventable.

With my training here in Boston, I am here to address ANY behavioral issue your dog may be experiencing. If a dog is showing aggression or no impulse control around a child, we need to work on that immediately! Child aggression can be trainable, and it is important to set the dog up for success in training, therefore keeping things safe for the dog and child.

Now there are also people who are going to be parents soon, but the baby has yet to arrive. However, it is never too early to begin training your dog to prepare for the baby’s arrival! This is why I have established the Cribs and Canines training program here at Colonial Dog Training. Through this, expecting parents will learn how to train the dog to behave when the baby arrives, readying the dog for the big inevitable change that will soon take place at home. A baby turns the world upside down for the whole family, including the dog! Cribs and Canines is to make the transition smoother for the dog, the parents, and the new baby. We will work on desensitizing the dog to certain situations, such as when the baby is picked up and is receiving all the attention from the parents. The dog will learn to show control when a baby is around, to respect boundaries, and will learn how to walk with a stroller and remain calm with the baby’s presence.

As a mother, being pregnant was a joy, but also stressful! Moms shouldn’t be dealing with the stressful emotions of pregnancy AND be worried about their dog acting poorly toward the new baby! Cribs and Canines will help any expecting parent and dog get ready for the big day and after. For parents with children already with us and are concerned about their dog’s behavior toward these children, get training NOW! There’s no need to wait until it potentially escalates into something worse!

Call 800-649-7297 to set up an initial consultation with any of my training programs! You can also write me at training@colonialdogtraining.com.