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Children, dogs and puppies: some advice to help ensure that everyone is kept happy

08/06/2018

Children, dogs and puppies

It’s wonderful to see children and dogs grow up together and the benefits for both can be huge. Children and puppies can share a special bond that grows stronger as they grow up together.

However it can be challenging at times trying to manage a dog or a puppy and very young children, so we have some advice to help ensure that everyone is kept happy!

Firstly, don’t make the mistake of treating your dog or puppy as a sort of “baby sitter” for your child! Most importantly, actively supervise them at all times. You’ll need to show young children exactly how you want them to interact with your puppy, supervising them when they play together and encouraging gentle interaction at all times.

Crawling babies and toddlers can be very exciting for puppies, but they can also be very overwhelming. So, supervise them at all times to prevent them from accidentally hurting each other. Some puppies may be exceptionally patient with more hands-on contact, but never assume that they will always be so tolerant. It’s just not fair or responsible to expect dogs to cope with rough handling from your child such as tail or ear pulling; signs that your puppy is getting worried are moving away or growling. Your child may not be able to understand these signs, and may continue with his boisterous play; remember that children who are bitten by dogs are bitten by dogs that they know. So supervise actively when they are playing together!

Should I get a puppy or an older dog? If you decide to get a puppy, there are certain things you should bear in mind. Puppies (like children) have loads of energy; they use their paws and teeth to play and explore their environment (food, clothes, furniture and even parts of your body and your children’s toys); picking things up and chewing is one of the ways they like to find out about the world in which they live in! Young children can often be very unpredictable in their behaviour and squeals of delight, temper tantrums and boisterous play can be an exciting or frightening experience for puppies and dogs.

You’ll need to supervise your children at all times, showing young children exactly how you want them to interact with your puppy or dog, and encouraging gentle interaction at all times to avoid your puppy or dog from becoming irritable or defensive. An aggressive reaction from the puppy or dog, an accidental bite or scratch, may have a long-term negative effect on your child, making him become afraid of your dog.

Regardless of whether you get a puppy or adopt an older do, always take it immediately to the vet for a check-up and vaccinations.

Vaccinations are the most important way to safeguard the long-term health and wellness of dogs and puppies; remember that the diseases against which we vaccinate our dogs cannot be picked up by people.

It is also a good idea to use a tick and flea prevention product once a month to protect your dog, home and family.

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