Dogs are much more than just household pets. Having a dog is a commitment. You can’t just introduce some random dog to the family and expect everything to fall into place, especially if you have children. If the new dog doesn’t get along with the kids, your furry new family member could very easily turn into a safety risk. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to prevent this from happening. 

Adopt a Pup Instead of an Adult Dog for Easier Training 

Image Source

Welcoming a puppy into your home instead of an adult dog in its peak is easily the best way to ensure your children’s safety. Apart from the fact that they’re small and relatively harmless, domestic puppies less than 16 weeks old are in a crucial stage of mental and emotional development. This is when they’re just beginning to get accustomed to the world around them, including the adults and children in the family or pack that they now belong to. 

Who or what the puppy meets during this formative period is likely to stick with it throughout adulthood. That’s why it’s extremely important to introduce them to the children as well as to the rest of the family while they’re young. The more your kids socialize with the puppy during this early period in its life, the more it will treat the kids as part of its pack. 

Canine experts and trainers swear by the effectivity of this early socialization period in ensuring the safety of children as well as the healthy development of the pup. If a puppy is raised and socialized around children correctly, it will instinctively know how to be gentle with small, young humans, even ones outside its family. 

Some even say that socializing a puppy is more important than picking breeds that are known to be ‘kid-friendly’. As experts will tell you, canine safety and childproofing is more about training than the actual breed of the dog. Even feared breeds like the doberman or the pit bull can learn to be sweethearts when it comes to kids and other family members, you just have to start ‘em young and train ‘em right. 

Image Source

While some dogs can be averse to training and discipline, most of them are literally born and bred to be trained - that’s what domesticated means. The dogs that you see now, especially the puppies, are the latest products of generations upon generations of dogs that have been tamed and trained for human companionship. 

Being in a pack led by humans has literally been in their DNA ever since the first wolves allowed themselves to be tamed by humans. But as you already know, this doesn’t mean that all dogs are automatically childproof. It just means that they can be highly receptive to the proper training, whatever domestic breed they may be. 

So if your new dog is not a puppy that can be easily molded and safely socialized, don’t worry. You can teach an old dog new tricks. Even those who are well past the first formative weeks can still be socialized and trained. And the best way to start training both pups and adult dogs are through basic commands and child-friendly habits. 

‘Sit’ and ‘down’ are easy enough for first-time trainees to follow. Reward them with treats as well as love and affection whenever they properly follow commands; this is what’s known as positive reinforcement. 

On the other hand, you can also use negative reinforcement, which, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t need to involve hitting or any other painful punishment. Simply distancing yourself from or ignoring the dog can be a highly effective form of negative reinforcement. 

For instance, when training your dog to stop jumping up on you when it’s excited or when you’ve just come home after work, you can firmly say ‘stop’, and when it insists on jumping, simply walk back out the door. Repeat this until it learns to keep all four legs on the ground when greeting you or any other new person. 

While an excited and jumpy dog is undoubtedly adorable, this type of behavior can be problematic when it comes to children who could be accidentally injured and traumatized by an overly-friendly dog. So train your dog and commit to teaching it some discipline; it’s the only way to ensure that it’s safe to be with children. 

Pick a Dog with a Good Personality Instead of a ‘Good Breed’ 

Image Source

If you have no choice but to get an adult dog, it could be easier for you if you pick one from a breed that’s considered by trainers to be child-friendly. This includes dog breeds like the boxer, labrador, golden retriever, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. While training is more important than lineage, dog breeds can often determine how affectionate and non-violent a particular dog can be. 

At the same time, don’t forget that all dogs are basically domesticated wolves. All of them, from the smallest to the biggest breeds, have strong jaws and predatory instincts. And while some domestic breeds are known to be child-friendly, it’s still better to observe their actual training and personality. 

Think of a dog’s breed as a template of its potential. It’s predisposed to certain behaviors, but ultimately, experience, training, and the dog’s personality itself will determine how it follows and strays from that template. Just as a big, muscled pit bull can be extremely gentle with infants, so can a toy spaniel be aggressively mean towards humans closer to its size - it’s all about training, experience, and personality. 

BONUS TIP: Be Ready to Clean Up After the Dog 

Your behavior towards the new dog will greatly influence how well it socializes with your family. In short, you need to be as patient and as friendly with the new dog as you can. This means being ready for any messes that your furry new baby is bound to make. 

Toilet training and basic household discipline is not that easy to instill, especially in curious and excited puppies. Be ready to clean up the carpet, remove new stains, fix tooth marks on wooden furniture, and scoop up some poop. It all comes with the territory.

When you first get a puppy, the excitement of bringing home a fluffy bundle can be a little overwhelming - especially when children are involved. The main points of focus when you initially get them will probably not be where to register them at the vets, what insurance policy to go for (if you decide to take out insurance which is another conversation entirely), and what food will be best, but will perhaps go down the route of what to name them, what colour collar will look the cutest and when you’ll be able to talk them on their first walk. It’s just the way it goes with kids; they’re not concerned about the nitty-gritty of owning a pet - that’s up to you.

If you can afford a huge, unexpected bill landing in front of you then by all means don’t take out insurance. If that idea sounds daunting, scary and like something you can’t afford, then an insurance plan is definitely the route to take. Do some searching on comparison websites to get an idea of what your best deal will be and take out the most cover that you can afford to pay on a monthly or yearly basis. In some cases you may find that you will never have had to rely on your insurance for a payout - but it’s always good to have backup, just in case.

Register with a good vet 

Word of mouth is vital when it comes to finding a vet that you can trust. Just as some doctors aren’t people persons, some vets aren’t animal people despite working with your pets for a living - they’re there to do their job and caring personalities are a bonus on top of this. If your dog does not feel comfortable with them or they are not giving you the advice that you are specifically asking for, consider a change. A simple request on social media for those who have had good or bad experiences with local veterinary practices will help you make your decision. 

Get training 

Basic recall is an essential for any dog. If you have had previous experience with training animals, then puppy classes may not be necessary. If you have had no previous experience, then it is good for you and, if you have them, your children to attend puppy classes, as it helps with showing them the responsibilities of keeping the puppy under control and will also help with the socialising aspect of your pet’s personality. You will learn some tips along the way, too. Learning to walk well on the lead is not something that comes naturally to a puppy, so be patient and go with the flow. Don’t compare your dog to others in the class; each breed is different and will require a different length of time to get to certain milestones, such as toilet training. Keep up the training outside of the classes and don’t leave it as a once-a-week activity - you may forget the training quicker than the dog does! If you make it into a habit to go over tricks and commands at least once a day, then you will be set for the long-term.

Let everyone know they’re yours 

Microchipping your dog is an important thing to do, both for your peace of mind and the safety of your pet. There are different laws for different states regarding the identification of dogs, but it is always best to err on the side of caution and get a tag for your pet regardless. Custom dog tags can be bought and engraved to your specifications so that if your dog were to escape and become lost, there will be an easy way for the finder to get in touch with you. Dog theft is unfortunately a growing crime, so making yourselves known around the neighbourhood will help should the worst happen - it may be that a neighbour or a friend has spotted them being walked elsewhere or noticed some unusual activity coming from your home. 

Get the right stuff 

Just as you would if you were bringing home a baby, make sure that your house is fully prepared. Don’t leave anything out that you wouldn’t want ruined; puppies are unpredictable little creatures that go through a period of teething just like children do! They may not ever grow out of it if not disciplined correctly. Ensure that you have the correct harness/collar and lead for their size and a safe place for them to go within your home. Get treats for training, toys for playing and the right food according to their size and their age. It’s a foolproof plan to a great start!

Check the background 

Some people are buying ‘pedigree’ puppies with forged papers or no papers of all - often handing over wads of hard-earned cash for the privilege to do so. A lot of puppy mills are operating across the country, so make sure that you are happy with everything you see when you purchase your pet. If not everything seems just-so, question until you know that you are sure of everything. Make sure that you see your pet’s mother - if there are excuses made that she is out on a walk or is afraid of new visitors, be persistent; she’s probably not there at all. Avoid buying puppies from pet stores and do your research into reputable breeders in your locality. There are so many groups on social media sites which are dedicated to providing you the best information that you can get about breeders in your area, and it’s all done to prevent more dogs going into shelters. If you are clued up about the highs and lows of owning a puppy, you will be less likely to place them up for adoption. When stuff comes as a surprise or as a difficulty, owners are more likely to part with their dogs. Make sure that you check the background of the puppy you’re getting and the breed you have chosen so you know you have absolutely everything covered - but most of all, enjoy your new member of the family!

The collar is something that every dog should have, as it gives you a way to quickly contain the dog if necessary and it holds vital information in many cases, such as vaccination information and contact information. You have many different options that are available for you, including jeweled collars, spiked dog collars and even the super collar, which is a collar with a built in leash. Choose one that is going to be comfortable for your pet while at the same time, providing it with a little bit of flair.

Dog jackets are ideal for certain types of breeds, particularly when the weather gets cold. If your dog tends to run a little bit cold in the winter time, he is going to appreciate having one of these items. You are going to need to judge for yourself, however, whether your dog is going to need to wear the jacket on a continual basis or if it is just going to wear it when it is outside. If you’re going to be taking it on and off frequently, make sure that you choose one that is not only fashionable, but is convenient for that purpose.