Adding a Dog or Puppy to Your Growing Family
There is nothing more exciting than adding a new furry member to a family. It's many parents' dream to have their kids grow up with a dog to love and care for. How well this goes depends on a couple of things. Do your research before you decide on a breed or mix of breeds. Find out what the dog's exercise requirement is and how much training will be needed to have a calm, relaxed family pet.
Look at your own schedule and determine if you are ready for another baby. The process of teaching a dog or puppy to be a well-behaved member of your family is time consuming. Training, socializing, and exercising your new dog can feel like a full-time job, but it is necessary if you want a dog that can be with your children without incident.
Dogs don't come knowing how to act around children. They need to be educated and trained so that they behave in ways that are pleasurable and safe for all parties involved. Choosing the right breeder, shelter, or rescue is the key to having a smooth transition. Here are some tips for a rewarding experience:
Sign your new puppy or adult dog up for a well-run class right away.
Plan to continue to take classes all during that first year to make sure that yours is the dog that always comes when called and walks on a leash nicely and doesn't jump on every person she meets.
Plan family activities around socializing the dog. Plan to take your new dog to lots of new places — parks, hikes, pet stores, downtown areas, other peoples houses, dog parks, beaches, soccer games, and school pick ups.
Assign family members jobs so that the burden of work is spread out and everyone gets to enjoy the fun of owning the dog.
Make sure your family schedule has cleared for at least six months to raise the puppy or help the adult dog adjust. Have kids cut back on regular sports or activities and make dog training and socialization one of their activities for this period of time.
Plan ahead and don't allow your new dog or puppy freedom to practice unacceptable behavior. For instance, if she jumps at and bites the kids' friends when they are playing outside, keep her in or supervise her until you have trained her how to behave with kids.
Plan to use a crate to help housetrain and confine your puppy and adolescent dog until she learns the rules of the house.
Use your crate on a schedule so that your puppy has rest time and play time in a scheduled pattern throughout the day.
Kid-Proofing Your Pooch
The best way to kid-proof your new dog or puppy is to make sure she gets enough basic socialization. Ideally, you'll want the puppy to meet and play with 100 people and other dogs in as many different places as you can think of. The more good experiences the dog has, the better able she will be to cope with the stress of new, overstimulating, and exciting circumstances of family life. Attending a well-run puppy kindergarten or adult training class will also introduce you to tools you can use to help teach your dog that being handled is a good thing.
Building up tolerance for rough handling is a must have for any dog that will live with children. Poking, prodding, hugging, being dragged by the collar, being sat on or ridden, having a child's face close to theirs, loud noises, loud voices, running, bouncing, and jumping are not a dog's favorite activities, but they are a daily reality when they live with kids. Having skills to cope with this is essential. Giving your dog a good association with being handled and the normal rhythms of family life will pay off in years to come.
The joy of owning dogs is an enormous payoff for the amount of work involved in raising them. They are a lot of work, especially initially, when it is so critical that they are properly socialized. The benefit of having a dog that can play with your children, be dressed up for Halloween, attend tea parties and camp outs, and go on vacations is well worth the effort of the first year. Remember that the time you spend now is a forward investment. You will reap the benefits of this great new family member for years to come!
Many adult dogs that are adopted through rescues and shelters were given up for existing behavior problems. Jumping, barking, or pulling on leash may be easy to fix, but aggression toward other dogs or children and separation anxiety are much more serious. Get as much detail as you can from your rescue group, and choose a group that does a considerable amount of temperament evaluation and testing.
Older Dog
Depending on your dog's circumstances, you could be one of several new places she's been lately. You are just another change of scenery for her at first, and it will take some time for her to warm up to you and trust you. You may think you're giving her the greatest home ever, but she may still be mourning a past caregiver or finally feeling used to her most recent situation. Whatever your dog's past holds, she is leaving everything she knows to come to your home, and just as you would respect that change for a puppy, you need to appreciate it when it comes to your new, older dog.
The loving attention your older dog needs is similar to that of a new puppy. Be gentle with her, allow her to explore under your watchful supervision, don't pester her, and don't overwhelm her.
