Are you raising kids? Both 2-legged & 4-legged kinds? Maybe this blog is going to interest you.
Many of us may have enjoyed viewing videos of kids & dogs growing up wonderfully together with endless laughter and uninhibited play. Apart from just pure bliss, research has shown that kids with pets have fewer health issues and, during the pandemic have also had lesser screen time with more physical activity. For most pet loving human parents, this is an easy sell to bring a dog into their lives.
However this is not all fun & games; being responsible parents AND responsible pet parents requires a lot of work. With proper training and under a parent’s keen watchful eye, dogs often end up being best friends with the kids in the household. We have a few key pointers for you to keep in mind when you have kids & K9s in the house.
Supervision: Although we may love our canines immensely, we cannot afford to leave them alone with our toddlers, babies or young kids at any time even if it means stepping into the kitchen for a minute or perhaps a quick shower. We need to understand that our dogs do not have endless patience to tolerate any misbehaviour of the kids and may eventually snap. It only takes a second for an avoidable accident!
Training: It’s not just about Fido’s training or associating with the child through positive activities, but our kids too need to be taught appropriate play behaviour and children need to be acutely aware of the dog’s body language as well as develop respect to the dog’s space at all times. In our training classes we have seen several instances where the dogs see the kids as their playmates, so it is vital that kids are active participants in the dog’s obedience training too. Remember, training has to go both ways.
Safe spaces: In homes with active kids, one must ensure that the dog gets a safe space of its own to unwind, sleep and get its much needed rest. We do suggest responsible usage of pens, crates or areas where the dog can recharge without feeling uneasy. Dogs like us like their space too, so we must teach our kids to respect those boundaries.
Anvis has actively been conducting workshops for children to help them learn and understand their dogs better. If you’d like to know more about these workshops, do reach out to us.