Dogs & Kids

Dogs, Babies, Toddlers, Kids…Oh My!

Parenting is hard enough. Add a dog to the mix and things can get really wild!

Helping kids and dogs cohabitate peacefully takes a bit of work and observation. If you are expecting a baby, this is the time to begin preparing your dog for the arrival of a new addition. As a baby develops, management strategies often change as well. Just as a dog needs guidance as to what we expect of them, so do children.

Many negative interactions could be prevented if parents and children were aware of the subtle communication signs that dogs send when they are anxious. An anxious dog is much more likely to bite than a happy dog. Learning your dog’s body language and what their stress signals are can make a world of difference in helping dogs and kids cohabitate successfully. Dogs communicate in "whispers" before they begin to "shout." By understanding a dog's stress signals, intervention can occur before the dog escalates to a growl, lunge or bite.