How to avoid problems between dogs and young children.

Dogs see the world differently than humans do. They have their own way of responding to situations and people. You might be worried about how well your new dog will behave with your young children, or you might be concerned about how your four-legged friend will respond the new baby you'll be bringing home in a few months. To a dog, growling and snapping are simply forms of communication, which say, "Back off." To a human, however, this seems like dangerous aggression and should not be tolerated, especially with children. It's important to remember that young children can be just as stressful to a dog as they can to a parent. You don't need to worry if you take the time to teach your dog and your children how to behave around each other.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog crate
  • Dog bed
Show More

Instructions

  1. Introduce Your Dog to a New Baby

    • 1

      Take the dog into the yard before you bring the baby into the house. This gives you a chance to introduce the baby to his/her new home. If the dog can see the new addition through a window, it will also give it a few moments to prepare itself for a new experience. The dog may also expend some of its excited energy (after all, it hasn't seen you in a while) before coming in the house.

    • 2

      Sit on a chair while holding the baby and give your dog a chance to meet the new member of the family. It may be your instinct to be protective of your child, but remember that a few sniffs (and even licks) from a dog are not going to hurt a baby. Giving your dog a chance to investigate this tiny new person lets it know that the baby is not a forbidden object and helps prevent jealousy.

    • 3

      Remove the baby from the dog's reach if it starts to get too excited. You can let the dog back outside if you need to. When you do this, you teach the dog that unless it is calm around the baby, it cannot be around the child. Be consistent with this rule, but be careful not to scold or punish your dog for getting excited. You don't want to turn the baby into a negative experience. That can create jealousy and resentment. Simply remove the dog from the baby's presence.

    • 4

      Set boundaries for your dog. It needs to understand that it still ranks below the baby. Don't, for example, allow the dog in the baby's room at all. This restricts access to the baby's space and lets the dog know that it has to respect even this miniature human being.

    Make Rules for Dogs and Children

    • 5

      Teach your children appropriate ways to interact with your dog. This teaching should start from the time you bring a new dog into your home, or even when your new baby is a few months old. Don't allow your children to pinch your dog, pull on its fur or annoy it while it is asleep. Teasing the dog can upset it, so your children should learn to respect the dog's space.

    • 6

      Restrict the types of games your children can play with your dog. Accidents do happen, and if you want to avoid injury, you should make sure your children do not roughhouse with your dog until they get older. Dogs use their teeth when they wrestle and risk accidentally nipping a child. Tug-of-war is another game that should be saved for older children.

    • 7

      Give your dog a space of its own. This can be a crate or a blanket in the corner. Dogs often go to a certain area when they need a break, so make sure your children know not to pester your dog when it does go to its "room."

    • 8

      Make rules for your dog. Don't allow the dog to play with the children if it is too excited or give it a place of its own to sleep instead of letting it sleep with the children.

    • 9

      Supervise your children and your dog when they are together. Never let young children, especially toddlers who may not understand the rules, spend time alone with your dog. If you watch them interact, you can teach your children how to treat the dog nicely. This also gives you a chance to watch for signs that your dog is getting upset, such as stiffening, dropping the tail and flattening the ears.