You’re about to get a dog but you’re afraid that it won’t get along with your kids? Well, that’s exactly what a lot of people fear, but we’re here to show you that it doesn’t have to be as challenging as you think. Here are three useful tips on how to train your dog to be kid-friendly, so check them out and get down to business!
Make sure to socialize your puppy in the first place
In case you weren’t aware of it, puppies go through a critical period of development between the ages of two and four months, which is exactly when you should start with the process of socialization. Similarly to people, dogs are more likely to accept and be comfortable with a variety of people and situations if they’re introduced to them from an early age. That’s exactly because you should make sure that your cute pup meets a lot of kids of different ages in all kinds of situations, so that it can gradually adapt to such situations and feel good around children. Of course, if your dog had great experiences with well-behaved kids, it’ll associate them with good feelings. On the other hand, if you have an adult dog, you should take one step at a time and socialize it really slowly and gently. You should also offer valuable treats and praise, so that your dog knows that it’s doing fine.
Start an obedience program as soon as possible
When it comes to the safety of children in your home, we have to say that having a well-behaved dog is the key to success. Well, that’s exactly why you should start an obedience program as soon as possible. The first step you should take is teaching your dog basic commands such as ‘sit’, ‘wait’, ‘stay’, and ‘lie down’, which are essential if you want your dog to be disciplined. This is particularly important if your dog tends to jump up to greet your visitors, which is why you should teach it to lie down instead and direct it to more appropriate behavior that way. Besides that, you can also get an ET-300 dog training collar, which is designed to get your dog’s attention without hurting it. Even though the stimulation provided by an electric collar is a static shock, it’s actually equipped with safety mechanisms to protect your dog from a prolonged or dangerous shock. Instead of the static shock, you can always go for vibrations and audible tones which will allow you to fine-tune the collar according to your dog’s temperament, so give this product a try and you’ll see what we were talking about!
Introduce your dog to children’s toys and act like a kid yourself
Yes, children’s toys often make dozens of funny, high-pitched noises, which can be really tempting for your dog to steal, chase, or chew. The same goes for balls that get tossed across the yard and other kinds of toys your dog can’t wait to explore, so be wise and introduce your dog to kids’ toys when kids aren’t around. Commands such as ‘stay’ and ‘leave it’ can be very helpful here, so use them to keep your dog from stealing the toys or chasing after them. Apart from preventing the toys from being destroyed, you’ll also protect your kids from being knocked over, which is absolutely essential. Another thing you should do is to act like a kid yourself in order to introduce your dog to some of the most common kids’ behaviors. Everyone knows that children love to run, yell and move at an unpredictable pace, so do your best to show your dog some of these behaviors. First of all, you should teach your dog to stay in one spot while you run around and yell in a high-pitched voice. Another useful thing you can do is to take your dog to a park or playground, where it can learn about the ways children tend to behave. Of course, don’t forget to use lots of treats and praise, too!
As you can tell, there really are a lot of ways to train your dog to be kid-friendly, and these three are undoubtedly the best ones out there. All you have to do is to stick to our tips and guidelines and you’ll do a great job, that’s a promise!
Author Bio: Mia Taylor is a lifestyle blogger from Sydney and writer for www.highstylife.com. She loves writing about her life experiences. Travelling and enjoying other cultures and their food with her husband is a big part of her life. She is always on the lookout for new trends in fashion and beauty, and considers herself an expert when it comes to lifestyle tips.
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