The Family Dog
Guard dog, hunting dog, dishwasher, couch potato - Man’s best friend. Everyone seems to have differing opinions on training the family dog. Training the family dog to be your kid's best friend is a rewarding and transformative experience. We recently had a new addition to our Family, a bluetick coonhound puppy “Moxie”. She will be our family’s fourth dog and as with most puppies, she is full of Moxie (Pun intended). I’ll preface this post with saying that I am not a certified dog trainer, don’t have a dog kennel, or even a reality show on animal planet. But I have three children that have grown up with dogs, and up to this point has been a rewarding experience for both the kids and the dogs. This is my take on training the family dog.
A well trained dog is itself much happier and much more enjoyable to be around for the humans in its life
It is vitally important to understand before even picking up a new dog that this work, from the first day to the last day of owning a dog. By investing time and effort early in the dogs life however, the work will quickly become more like play and your risk for destroyed couches, rugs and angry neighbors can all be avoided, or at least mitigated.
In establishing a strong bond between your child and the dog, you create a lifelong friendship built on love, companionship, and trust. Begin by teaching your child how to interact with the dog respectfully, emphasizing the importance of gentle touches and clear communication. Engage in supervised play sessions, encouraging both the dog and child to participate in fun activities that promote cooperation and teamwork. Additionally, involve your child in the dog's training process, teaching them basic commands and using positive reinforcement techniques. As their friendship blossoms, your child will benefit from a loyal, loving companion, while the dog will find a faithful playmate and confidant in your little one. Through this dynamic partnership, your family's bond will strengthen, creating cherished memories that will last a lifetime.
An important note that I think is often lost in the world of youtube training videos and Caesar Milan is that we don’t all absolutely have to have a dog that can notify the authorities of Timmy falling in the well, and sign his name in cursive. The attempt at perfection or matching what we are told to be perfection in training is like many other things that are pushed in our faces through the various mediums. We are not chasing a perfectly trained show dog. We want a dog that can walk on a leash, stay home by itself without destroying everything we own, and not attack everyone that comes into the house.
The family dog needs to first be safe. Its vitally important that the dog and children have an understanding of what is appropriate. Second, very small children should never be left unattended with any dog, no matter how “easy going” the dogs are. This is an unfair and unsafe practice that is asking for trouble. Toddlers do not have the ability to distinguish between their stuffed dog that can be tossed across the room by the tail and Fido who certainly will not appreciate the misunderstanding, which could result in many different self defense tactics, including biting. Until you are comfortable enough that your child is able to respect the dogs space (age 5?) all kids are different), it is not worth the risk even for a well trained “easy going” dog.
Basic Obedience and boundaries are key. If you only take one thing away from this post, it is that a reasonably well trained dog is itself much happier and much more enjoyable to be around for the humans in its life. We all know that one family that as soon as you arrive at their house, they rush to lock Fido in the bathroom because he jumps, barks and bites strangers. That stinks, both for Fido and the people of that house. Early and regular socialization can make a big difference. Dogs are curious and like to know whats going on in their house. This will come up often, but like anything else in life that we want to be good at, it takes practice. Get the dog used to strangers, take it out of the house or go to the dog park. Staying locked in the bathroom only teaches it that when something new is happening they get locked in the bathroom, and I’ll reiterate, that stinks.
