Hi I am just looking for a bit of advice. Alfie is now 11 months old and still quite bouncy when played with, we are heading to see family friends tomorrow who have a four year old daughter and I am not sure how to manage her and Alfie together. Alfie has never shown any aggression towards children when he's met them in the park or on walks he really likes them but I am not sure how best to manage him with Charlotte in a smaller space together. Any tips would be very helpful, I am already intending to take his pen with us. Thank you
My experience with a puppy was that the kids couldn't wait to see him - which lasted all of 1/2 a second until they realized he wasn't a stuffed inanimate toy but rather a bouncy big animal with a licking tongue and scary teeth AND scratching claws. AND who really, really wanted their toys. It was mostly disappointing to introduce young children to Snowie. If kids came to our house, the kids went into the lounge and Snowie stayed on the other side of the baby gates with us in the kitchen-dining area. I refused to lock him away - many a kid asked for this if they wanted to come to where the adults were - I explained this was his house. At friends he was kept on a leash and I made sure I brought his toys and treats with. On the odd occasion a child adored a big, bouncy puppy, it all worked out beautifully because they weren't upset the dog slobbered on their teddy or licked their face. And Snowie was definitely calmer when the kids were comfortable with him. He got extra hyper when they shrieked and ran away. Good luck!!!!! Preparation - especially emotionally - is key! And be prepared to leave early if necessary. But don't avoid the experience - it's all part of important socialization.
Now that Ella is used to her own human little "brother" she's a changed girl but we used to have a bit of trouble when we spent time with our friends and their 3 year old. Ella used to find the 3 year old the most exciting thing ever and would constantly play bow and bark at him. We used to pop her lead on, put a piece of vet bed at our feet and make her settle on it. However, I don't believe all dogs find kids to be exciting like Ella did. I know that @snowbunny's older dogs were a little reactive around children so I'd just be ready for any reaction. Taking his pen is a great idea though and I'm sure it will make the whole process easier
Understatement of the century Yeah, my dogs hate children. They're getting better, and don't rush up to them, barking, any more. But I wouldn't put it past them to snap at a child if they did something silly - which is normal child behaviour. I will always be on my guard when there are kids around.
My biggest fear when the nearly four year old in our family is around is the big, powerful, waggy tail might knock him down the stairs. Oban is not mean but he's not careful either. I watch constantly. It's funny, the child has his own dog. Well his Grandma's dog but he sees a lot of Bonnie. So he wasn't very interested in Oban, as others noticed with children. But now he is and wants to play and kiss and hug with him, funny, we don't know why the change.
Quinn loves kids, probably because she sees them as easy targets to steal food/toys from their hands, and kids ALWAYS chase...so it makes it extra fun to do. When we arrive at friend's homes we spend some time with the kids showing them how to tell Quinn to sit, leave it etc. They will throw the ball for her and tell her to sit on their own and then we are off to the races - she will listen to them and then lots of playing fetch ensues. She even listens to 2 year olds and the kids think it's so fun. She has never knocked a toddler over and is really quite good with small kids. The food grabbing...we try to call Quinn away when kids have food but inevitably she will get a few grabs in! Usually they all lose interest in each other after a couple hours. With some of the scared kids, we show them her tricks (paw, hand touch etc) and they pet her a bit and give her a treat and some of the most scared of our friend's kids will play a bit with her now, or at least don't cry when she comes near them.
Jura adores children. However as we don't have children and there aren't that many young children in our extended family and friends, I'm very careful with her around them as she hasn't really spent that much time with children especially in an enclosed environment. We recently had friends visiting with 2 young kids (4 and 2) and to be on the safe side Jura was in the utility room with the pet gate up, giving her her own safe space. She was on a lead when they arrived so got to greet them but was then quite happy to settle down with a kong in her bed. Made it a more relaxing visit for all concerned.
Sam loves children , really loves them and has been brought up with one of my younger grandchildren who lives just over the road from us . I think a lot depends upon the child in question , and would certainly be asking that the little one doesn't shriek or jump about around Alfie ! Be prepared to slip a lead on if he becomes too excited , try to keep relaxed about the whole meeting, relaxed but supervising all the time to watch for sensory overload ! Good luck
I find most adolescent dogs and kids don't mix well at all. I've actually been scolded for telling a mother who ran over with her small child to "pet my dog" that she couldn't. We both have a responsibility to the child's safety and I'm ultimately held responsible for my pets actions so I don't risk it. Thst and I'm always working on something so that he can be well behaved in all situations when he's older. That being said, even consentual greetings usually end up in tears. Our expectations of the post card picture of child and dog being best friends are far from reality in most cases. And another consideration is the meeting won't be on familiar ground so he'll be occupied with other stimulus as well. I'd keep them apart until Alfie settles a bit. I also ageee with Kate above. A lot depends on the child as well, but 4 is kinda young to teach about how to act around puppies. Good luck.
We have three year old twins in our family. When they visit I have to manage Tatze - because she's big, bouncy and exuberant. I have to manage Mollie because she's little and still sometimes crocodilian. It's pretty hard work when they are around, but the twins are brilliant. They love the dogs but don't expect to play with them. I manage the dogs using baby gates and plenty of Kongs. When the twins first arrive I have them on their leads, once the dogs are calmer I let them off but only under very close supervision. If I'm not right there the dogs (or the kids) are behind baby gates. ...
Mabel is the same, dispite so much socialisation, although now she is two she is unbelievably better. I too am always on my guard and always will be.
Mmmmm thanks for the replies - wish I'd said we will leave him at home now :s. Hopefully he will just settle down in his pen! All this has concerned me about the future - one day I might actually be grown up enough for a real baby :s
I think it's different when you have your own human baby. Firstly, you don't suddenly have a 3 year old. You start with this teeny tiny thing that just lies there. That gives the dog months to get used to it before it starts to move at all. Each step is so gradual that the dog has time to adjust. Now we have to protect Ella from our 12 month old son as he keeps trying to climb on her and give her toys (he hasn't worked out how to give her a toy without ramming it into her face)
It's worth looking up Nando and Jo-Rosie's videos of how they introduced their dogs to the whole shebang of parenthood. It's not something I will ever have to worry about, but interesting to see the care they put into it.
Labradors are loving and gentle and therefore can be great with children. But i always advocate for supervision and especially with children because sometimes they may misinterpret cues. Wish you the best this weekend. I believe all will go well.
Bailey adores children, but because he is big and bouncy and loves licking everybody, he can unintentionally be very scary. We supervise at all times - more to protect Bailey from some kids (I'm not a kid lover myself) than them from him. That said a friend of mine and I were chatting the other day and her 4 year old daughter who has CF and had only met Bailey once before went and laid down next to Bailey, put her arm around him and two minutes later both were sound asleep on his bed! I so wished my phone was next to me to take a picture because as soon as I moved both of them woke up and moved! Tia and Bailey are now after three meetings the absolute best of buddies. I wouldn't however be as relaxed around some of the other children I know.
