Dogs and children are an incredible combination – but in order to make sure it’s a good relationship, you need to make sure your kids are ready.
- Teach them to be kind and to have empathy for dogs.
- Remind them that the dog will also need personal space, just like other people.
- Ensure that your children understand what responsibility is, and what that entails.
- Talk to them about how dogs too have feelings – and how those feelings should be respected.
- They should learn about how dogs communicate.
- Dogs do not have the same level of English comprehension we have.
- Make sure they learn to identify safe and unsafe situations with the dog.
- Always supervise each and every interaction between the two.
- Use videos to show your children examples of healthy dog-people interactions.
- Ensure they learn how to identify key dog body language signals.
- Remind your children that your dogs are not human, and can’t think accordingly.
- All dogs are different – teach your children to understand your dog on a personal level.
- Show your children the appropriate and respectful way to interact with your new dog.
- Give your dog an escape plan always, while you de-escalate any tense interactions between child and dog.
Feature Image Source: Pixabay