dog adoption Archives - Brisbane Dog Training & Pet Behavioural Specialist

Looking After Your Pet Dog & Kids

Choosing a Pet Dog Who Gets Along With Kids

A friend recently asked me what type of pet dog she should get that would be good with her two young children. Like most parents, she was concerned of getting any particular breed that could be dangerous to kids.

My main advice to her – choosing a dog who is suitable and safe to be with kids is not about the breed. Sure, the breed of the pet dog a person chooses is important. However mostly it is important for deciding if you can look after that dog’s welfare by meeting their enrichment needs. Instead, the decision to get a pet dog who will be good with kids is about if the parents are in a position to always be providing supervision whenever the dog and kids are in the same space.

Different Types of Supervision

This sounds easy, however maintaining the correct level of supervision can be challenging. Particularly when trying to juggle other priorities in life. The beautiful graphic below by Family Paws Parent Education outlines five types of supervision. To look after the welfare of our pet dog and kids, we need to practice the proactive and active levels of supervision only. Planning, commitment and time are all needed to do this well.

Why Proactive and Active Supervision?

These two types of supervision provide the dog and children opportunities to make good decisions about their behaviour. In the circumstance where the child is too young to make their own decisions, it provides the closeness of contact for the parents to intervene before any inappropriate behaviour happens from the dog or child.

Spotting the moment before inappropriate behaviour occurs can be difficult. This is also dependent on the individual dog and child.

We don’t want to wait until the child is overwhelming the pet dog by being overexcited and in the dog’s space. In the opposite situation we don’t want to wait until the dog is overwhelming the child by rushing up to them. If either the child or pet dog are overwhelmed, then they are creating a memory of when their interaction with the other party didn’t feel safe. When these overwhelming experiences happen too often, this is when our pet dog or child will start to view the other as unsafe or scary.

In the situation of our dog or child get a little excited, we want to intervene and redirect them to a different activity away from each other. This will give them an opportunity to calm down.

How To Tell If Your Pet Dog Is Overwhelmed

It’s easier for us to determine when the child is overwhelmed simply because we are better at reading human body language. With practice, we can start to learn dog body language to determine those early signs that our pet dog is not comfortable. In our next blog we will talk more about dog body language in the context of being around kids. To get you started, here is a great link about body language of fear from Lili Chin and Dr Sophia Yin.

Want Some Help?

We are here to help if you want support with your pet dog and kids living together safely. Get in touch with us for more information about what support will best suit you and your family.

New Puppy Checklist | 7 Things To Do Before Your Puppy Comes Home

Congratulations on getting a new puppy! Introducing a new puppy to your home is very exciting. But before you bring them home, make sure you follow the new puppy checklist.

Stock up on essentials

We know, it’s easy to splurge on your new puppy. Here’s a list of essential supplies you will need before you bring them home:

collar and leash
ID tag
bed
car harness
crate
food and water bowls
Long lasting chews and treats
chew toys, comfort toys and play toys
grooming supplies (brush and combs, ear cleaning solution, nail clippers, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrush and dog toothpaste, towels)
dog poop bags

Establish ground rules

Another item on the new puppy checklist is to plan for your new puppy’s care in advance. Make sure everyone in the household knows their responsibilities.

Who will feed them? Who will walk them? Who’s going to clean-up after them? Will your puppy be allowed on your bed? On the couch? Where will your new puppy sleep? All these things should be worked out before your new puppy comes home.

Puppy-proof the house

Your new puppy will explore their new environment and get into things. They will also chew things. Walk through each room of the house and check that it’s safe for them.

Make sure you regularly “sweep” the house once you have brought them home for hazards, toys or food laying around.

Set up their crate and living space

One of the most important items on the new puppy checklist is to set-up your new puppy’s crate and living space.

Dogs like small, confined spaces when they are feeling insecure. And we cannot stress enough the importance of crate training your puppy.

Their crate should be big enough for your puppy to stand up, stretch, turn around and lie down. Crates can be plastic, wire (which are collapsible) or collapsible fabric crates. We don’t recommend leaving your puppy in a fabric crate for too long because they may try to scratch their way out of it.

A puppy’s crate should be their “safe space” or “security blanket”. Outfit their crate with a soft bed or blankets. We recommend draping a blanket or towel over the crate to create a cosy, warm den in the cooler months.

Make sure you have plenty of goodies and toys for their crate too. Being in their crate should be a positive, fun experience for your puppy.

Also set up a temporary gated-off area within the house like an exercise pen or playpen. Exercise pens are a set of wire panels that lock together to keep your puppy in a confined area. Or you can use baby gates to create zones for your puppy within the house.

For your puppy’s area, choose a part of the house where there’s plenty of activity so your puppy won’t feel isolated. Make sure this area has easy-to-clean surfaces too.

Crate training and having a playpen for your puppy will teach them the boundaries of the house and keep them safe. Traveling in the car, visiting the vet or keeping your puppy settled after an injury or surgery, is so much easier if your puppy is crate trained.

We’ve written another blog about the secrets to crate training your dog, which you can read by clicking here.

Microchipping

Some rescue organisations and breeders provide puppies that are microchipped. Be sure the registration has moved to you, and that all the information is updated especially your phone number and address. If your puppy isn’t microchipped, talk to your puppy’s vet about getting them one.

Book a vet appointment

Your new puppy should see their vet within the first few days of coming home. If this is your first puppy and you don’t have a regular vet, then do some research and ask friends or family for a referral.

Your vet will be able to advise you about vaccinations, flea treatment and worming. Generally, puppy vaccinations start at 6-8 weeks of age. Boosters are given at 4 to 6-week intervals until your puppy is about 18 to 20 weeks of age.

Find a good puppy playgroup and puppy training school

The final item on the new puppy checklist is to register your new puppy for some basic puppy training courses. Basic puppy training courses are important for raising well-mannered, socialised and good-tempered dogs. It is also a great opportunity to spend quality time with your puppy and bond with them. Make sure you find a dog training school that uses positive reinforcement training techniques.

What you do NOT need for your puppy

Please do not include shock collars, citronella collars, prong collars, choker chains, sporn harnesses or spray bottles on the list of things you need for your new puppy. You never need these things. They are cruel and unnecessary.

Again, congratulations on your new puppy! Following the new puppy checklist and taking care of these things before bringing your puppy home will ensure your household is fully puppy-prepared.

At Fur Get Me Not, we offer small group training classes for puppies and puppy playgroups to help you and your new puppy adjust to a new life together and to build a strong bond. Register your puppy for a puppy playgroup by clicking here.