Bringing a dog into the home can be quite exciting. Dogs are wonderful pets and they bring so much joy. However, when it can be somewhat anxiety-provoking when you need to introduce your children to your new pet dog.
Below, you will find some tips to help you introduce your children to your new dog.
Tell Your Children You’re Bringing A Dog Home
One of the first things you need to do is to tell your children you’re bringing a dog home. Mention that you need pet insurance, food, water, treats, and toys for the dog.
Get your children excited about having a dog in the home and what it entails. Many children will be more than happy to have a dog at home.
Introduce Your Children To The Dog
Place your children and your dog in the same room together. Make sure that the dog does not feel cornered. Your new pooch should be able to escape from your children if they want to. The next steps you need to take are:
- Asking your children to approach the dog from the side. Let the dog walk toward your children if they wish to.
- Let the dog sniff your children so they can say “Hello”. Making sure they get used to the child’s voices can help them to feel reassured.
- When your dog looks more comfortable, let your children offer the back of their hands with their fingers curled in for your dog to sniff.
- When your dog is more comfortable let your children gently stroke the dog’s head and neck.
If at any time your dog or children get a little too excited separate them until they have calmed down. You can then re-introduce them.
Show Your Children Where The Food And Water Is
Your children need to know where your new dog’s food and water are kept. They also need to know that they belong to the dog and should not be moved.
Your dog also needs to know where their food and water are so be sure to show them where it is.
Introducing A Baby To Your New Dog
Introducing a baby to your new dog is different from introducing a child. When a dog is introduced to a child it may not know what to do. After all, the dog may be used to being the center of attention. Here’s what to do:
- Set up some baby gates and get used to leaving your dog in a room without you in it
- Let your baby stay on the other side of the gate so your dog gets used to having it there
- Let your dog sniff your baby gently so your dog knows it’s a member of the family
- Set up a crate so your dog can relax in it when you’re dealing with your baby
- Reward your dog for their good behavior so they keep it up
Use the above tips to introduce your children to your new dog. Take it slowly and let everyone get used to having each other around.
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