The Kids Want a Dog - Help! Advice For Helping Your Kids Become Responsible Dog Owners
By Jonathan P Klein
It happened every summer, usually on the last day of school. I begged my parents for a dog, pointing out that I had the whole summer to care for him, play with him and feed him. "And what happens when you go back to school?" they'd ask. "It'll be okay...I promise."
- I'm sure parents throughout the Southland are hearing the same thing this summer. Dogs, of course, can have a very positive effect on children. Dog ownership teaches responsibility and commitment as well as helping to create a lifelong appreciation and respect of animals. But make no mistake -- there is absolutely no doubt that in the long-run, YOU will be responsible for the welfare of your child's pet.
Over my 23-year career as a dog trainer and dog behaviorist, I've helped hundreds of families pick out or introduce a puppy or dog into their home. I advise parents to take advantage of the many "teachable moments" for their kids and for the dog, including housebreaking, feeding, and training, by using positive reinforcement. How you handle those moments can be the difference between an additional stress in your life and a wonderful extension to your family.
- After you've made the decision to get a dog, it's time to break the good news to the kids. This is teachable moment number one. We're all aware of the parent that tells the child, "Ok...we'll get a dog but it's going to be your responsibility," only to find the parent walking the dog in the rain a week later. This is your time to sit down with the kids, explain all the responsibilities that come with having a dog and then include them in making a family decision. This will get them involved in the process from the start and help them to understand their role in the dog's life. You can use this time to teach the kids how their behavior will affect the dog. In other words, if they open the front door before the dog learns the "stay" command, the dog might run away, or if they leave their toys around, the dog may destroy them. Let them help you "dog proof" your home and let them know that certain foods, plants, and flowers are potentially lethal if ingested by the dog.
More than likely, the kids will have the breed of dog they want all picked out. Maybe they've seen a movie with a lovable breed or one of their neighbors has a certain kind of dog. But it's better to do your research and then get them on board with a breed that makes the most sense based on your lifestyle, including the fact that you will be responsible for the dog when the kids return to school. My personal recommendation is for parents to rescue a dog from a rescue group or shelter. There are many excellent websites and publications that offer listings of rescue groups and dogs available for adoption to help you make your decision.
- The big day has arrived. You've purchased a collar, a high-quality leash and healthy food. The water and food bowls are ready and you've got a crate, gates, bedding and you have stocked up on some fun toys. The dog will be excited and maybe a bit fearful when it arrives at your home so don't make things worse by letting your kids grab the dog and parade it around the neighborhood. Give the dog time to adjust to its new surroundings. Let it know where it is going to eat and sleep, and it's a really good idea to make sure the dog knows where to go to the bathroom on it's first try, not after it has one or more accidents. It is much better and easier for the dog if it is restricted in an area during the early introductory phase, so it never has the chance to learn habits you don't want it to have later in life. Teaching what you want the dog to do with patience and consistency is the key to training and it's also the key to integrating your new pet into your life. This is also much more effective than trying to teach the dog what "not" to do.
As an example, you may not want your dog to be allowed on the couch. And what does a dog think when it does get on the couch? "This feels really good!" Letting your new dog up on the couch just once will trigger a long lasting memory. The key is to prevent the dog from ever getting on the couch and teach it instead how to stay on its own bed. This lesson is something to teach your kids right from the start so they can help with the training when you're not around. Praising good behavior is much more effective than scolding for bad behavior. And if you use treats as rewards, remember - they need to be given along with praise for good behavior, not when the kids think the dog just needs a goodie.
- As your dog becomes more acclimated to its surroundings, you can also begin some training. There are many training resources available including enrolling your dog in a private or group class. I always encourage the whole family to come to participate in our training. This is a great shared family activity and will give your children a feeling of responsibility. When I work with families I always enjoy seeing the look of pride on a child's face when they successfully give a "Sit" or "Stay" command to their pet.
Bringing a dog into your home can be a wonderful, life-changing experience but it's not without its responsibilities. How you initially handle these responsibilities, both with your children and with the dog, will lay the groundwork for many years to come. It's all about leadership, gentle guidance, responsibility, staying positive, finding the teachable moments and, above all else, having fun and enjoying all the great times ahead.
This article originally appeared in The Pet Press - Los Angeles in July 2010.
- Expert Dog Behaviorist Jonathan Klein has successfully trained more than 6,000 dogs and their owners over his 20-year career. Jonathan Klein posts tips on training and answers questions on his website:
http://www.thedogbehaviorexpert.com/
He is the founder of the West Los Angeles-based, "I Said Sit!" School for Dogs http://isaidsit.com which was voted #1 Dog Training School in Los Angeles for 2009-2011 by the LA Hotlist. Jonathan was one of the first trainers to pursue the "causative" approach to training, which moves past correcting the symptoms of bad behavior and instead focuses on removing the cause, to successfully address behavior problems without breaking the spirit of the dog.
Jonathan holds numerous professional association memberships, and has given hundreds of presentations on dogs, training, and responsible ownership...all from a place of praise-based training methods.
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