Lesson 1: An Ounce of Prevention
Puppies and Children
Many times parents get puppies for their children to grow up with. Puppies can be good companions for children, raise their self esteem and teach empathy and responsibility. But ultimately, parents are responsible for both the children and the puppy, and a few rules are in order.
Most children love puppies but have not the knowledge or self-control to handle them properly so they should never be left with the puppy, unsupervised. When puppy first comes home you can help them to understand his feelings. Remind them that he will miss his mother and littermates at first and will need to be played with gently and quietly until he gets used to his new surroundings. Children should be taught that the puppy has likes and dislikes, just as they do, and that they will need to respect his feelings and his space.
Puppies do not like to be squeezed tightly. They do not like to be dangled in midair. They do not like to be stared at as this is sometimes interpreted as a threat. They do not like to be surprised when they are sleeping. Children should be taught to treat their puppy gently. Otherwise, Puppy can become defensive and bite.
Small children should never carry a puppy. They may sit down and hold the puppy on their lap while offering a treat so it will associate them with a pleasant experience, and have something to chew on besides the child's hands. If the child is frightened of the dog taking a treat from his fingers, and jerks back, show him how that he can hold it in his open palm. You can even hold your hand under his hand.
Children should be taught not to scream in the puppy’s face or pull his tail, ears, or any other parts, but to stroke him gently on the neck or chest. Some children instinctively pet a puppy on the head but are not aware of how rough they can be. Show the child how to pet a puppy gently. Children should never tease or scare a puppy. If puppies associate children with an unpleasant experience, they may become defensive and nippy. Children also need to know not to chase a puppy as it may become frightened and, later, may grow to be defensive.
Children should never be allowed to play tug of war or any rough games with the puppy as this may cause him to consider them his littermate equals and strive to dominate them. They should not be allowed to encourage a puppy's prey drive by running and screaming. This behavior may be cute when he is little but, as he gets older, he may play too rough. More constructive games such as ‘fetch’ or 'hide and go seek' will encourage the puppy to cooperate with, rather than try to dominate, his family. If the puppy is playing too rough, everyone should calm down so that he will too. If he doesn’t, it may be appropriate to crate him for a few minutes until he settles down.
Children should take a part in feeding the puppy so that he looks to them for food and considers himself their subordinate. If your puppy has had several days to get settled in, it’s not too early to begin, gently and pleasantly, teaching him to ‘sit’ before he gets a treat. This will be covered in a future lesson. When he gets the idea, the children can make him sit for a treat too. This will reinforce, in his mind, their dominance over him.
