We have just selected our little lab pup Peppa who will be joining our family in September (she will be 9 weeks). We have a 2 1/2 year old toddler at home and I am excited and terrified at what is to come. I grew up puppywalking for guidedogs but this is the first pup I am solely raising. Has anyone else had a toddler and a puppy together. How was it? Needing some reassurance that it will be okay.
I am in the throws of this right now. Our puppy will be 10 weeks old tomorrow. I have 4 kids: 8, 6, 4, and 22 months. So basically I keep the puppy and toddler apart as much possible unless puppy is in a calm mood. Puppy will bite at the toddler's face, hands, clothes. When he is like this I assess...does puppy need to be exercised? Or nap? Usually puppy needs a nap. So I'll put puppy away in the play pen with toys, love, and even sit with him till he's asleep if possible. But yes, you have to always watch puppy diligently when the two are together. Puppy will bite toddler and toddler will maybe over excite puppy. Pippa's article here was very very helpful when it comes to understand the WHYs of puppy biting. http://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-puppies-biting/ It's constant training puppy how to play (with toys, not with teeth) and constant supervision. A play pen or crate or safe place behind a baby gate will be essential when you and your toddler just need a break. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Labmama0701 has said it all really. We made extensive use of crates, playpens and baby gates. Everyone survived
I'm currently in the research phase, but our youngest will probably be 18-24 months when we get a puppy, glad I'm not the only one considering this madness
Thank you! I had a read of the article. If you can do it with 4 children I'm sure I will manage. I've been reading alot of training and puppy advice and it's all a bit intimidating. You start to forget the nice side. We are getting a crate and playpen which alot of people have recommended. I do wonder if we're doing the right thing but I believe a dog is for life so we wont give up on her.
Everyone tells me it's hard work. My toddler is very clingy and attention seeking so I am worried about how I will manage to give them both the attention they need and the time needed to train the puppy so we have a nice dog. My mum's advice was. Dogs are hard work and on paper there are more negatives than positives so you have to really want it. If you do you'll put up with anything thought that was pretty true.
It will be very hard, but the pup could really help your toddler to come out of his shell. You will need baby gates everywhere so that you can separate them. Those puppy teeth are very sharp and very persistent and the crocodile stage lasts a few months. Have puppy toys ready on every surface to put in the pup's mouth instead of skin, he'll still prefer skin, so be more determined than he is. But I don't think you'll regret the hard work.
I'd guess all toddlers have a clingy and attention seeking phase (or phases!!). I'm hoping that between me and my wife can tag in and out with the kids and dog! I'm happy to spend my evening as needed, so potentially puppy training once the kids are in bed, etc. so I'm hoping it will work! Growing up with a dog is an amazing experience in my eyes, so I want to do my best to give that to my children too! Our house is riddled with baby gates! a playpen will blend in seamlessly
When we started having a lab dog we had also 4 children. Our youngest was 2,5 years of age, our oldest was 10. We never regretted the choice we made. It was our little puppy blessing....Our youngest used to play with her in the garden. When she was chalking the pavement our yellow lab had all colors of the rainbow...! She (our lab doerak) was very gentle with our youngest, with the elder children she could play rougher. They used to throw a ball. When our youngest did this our daughter could pick the ball out of the labs mouth and she was very gentle. I used to let the pup sleep several times a day in a crate. I called it nappy time, so they could have a rest, both of them...Of course it needed constant serveillance. But it was fun!
A highly recommended book that may help is "Babies, kids and dogs: Creating a safe and harmonious relationship" by Melisa Fallon and Vickie Davenport
Our first child came when puppy was three months. He seemed to instinctively know she was off limits. Never even investigated her at first. Now she's 1and he's 15 months, they are best of friends. He has resource guarded his food bowl a couple times but she can pick food out of his bowl and feed it to him no worries. It's amazing how gentle he is. My daughter just stole his chew toy of day and he's like , meh, and then very carefully took it back. He's never once closed his mouth accidentally on her hand. I used to freak when she went at him but now I'm fine with it. Toddlers and kids is a whole other story.
As a trainer/behaviourist I have a minor heart atrack when I read or hear statements like this . A child, regardless if age shoukd be prevented from emiving foid from a dog's bowl - it is the dog's food and he should be left to eat it. Again taking toys can be a recipe for disaster - they are his toys. Just because he hasn't reacted doesn't mean he won't and it's what leads to children being bitten by the family dog. A thought I hold to heart is by Jean Donaldson in The Culture Clash which goes - any dog can bite, if he hasn't today it's just because the buttons weren't pushed in the right order. My girl is as gentle and laid back as they come but I fully accept that she could bite -we all have bad days
Children and dogs are a wonderful mix , I think growing up with a dog/dogs , gives children a kindness and tolerance of animals on the whole, plus they usually end up the best of pals . I was brought up with dogs, my children were brought up with dogs and my grandchildren have been brought up with my dogs . The one consistent thing that all the children have been taught, it to respect the dogs , respect their space , feeding times and need to rest . Sam is the most gentle giant, adoring children with a passion , but I would not leave him alone with a child , not because I don't trust him , but because I don't trust the child to maybe accidentally tread on a tail or paw . A baby gate or playpen is a great help , plus teaching children from a very young age , to leave the pup/dog alone, and never leave them unsupervised . It is hard work , but also so very rewarding , to see a bond between a child and a dog is a joy to behold x
I don't have any experience of children with my dog Stanley really. But I know he love love LOVES them! But I have experience of being the child with the dog. We got a rescue when I was about 4 and my mam was so so strict with us with the dog. You didn't bother the dog (especially in his bed), you didn't go near the dog when he was eating and you didn't take his toys. He was definitely the favourite child I grew up to be best pals with that dog and I think it was good to have him around. But I think it's very important to put the boundaries up straight away, so both know what is acceptable. They'll be best friends for life in no time I'm sure
For myself I think the above quote says it all. This goes along with what I was taught as a child and what I taught my own children.
I am training through resource guarding with my puppy just in case. I usually feed our puppy in the play pen or the crate. I only do this to prevent the possibility that my younger ones will innocently approach puppy while eating or chewing bones. My puppy has never once growled during this. So I'm basically reinforcing his already good behavior and attitude. Like I said, I feed him where kids cannot get to him right now but he's obviously going to be integrated fully into the family. Training both kids and puppy has to happen I think. Respect and good behavior has to go both ways.
Thank you, do you have any advice on how to help train the puppy against food aggression or is it a problem to tackle if it arises. I did plan on training the puppy to wait when I put food down (once she is settled) until I give the whistle but that was to help with recall later. When she is eating we will all be leaving her alone.
