Minnesota Valley Humane Society

Socialization

Let’s say you took your puppy to puppy socialization class and he played with puppies and kids and had a great time. You still take him to the dog park and to family gatherings or other situations where all kinds of kids are running around. This helps keep him social. These are great preventative measures you need to do to keep your dog from fearing or bullying children. Maybe you haven’t been that good at working to keep your dog socialized lately.... well its never too late, so let’s start now!

Remedial Socialization

If your dog didn’t get the opportunity early in life to be around children, time is of the essence! You’ll want to seek out children of toddler to elementary school age to expose your dog to them as much as possible, under controlled supervision. First, determine your dog’s initial reaction to kids who are at a distance. Watch for signs of nervousness or avoidance. Too much interest such as intense staring is also not a good sign. Stay relaxed and happy, but in control. Avoid jerking on the leash and punishing the dog when you see children, as the dog could associate children with negative experiences. Keep a short by loose leash, as tension on the leash will cause the dog to become nervous. If your dog is reacting to children positively, you can move closer to them to assess your dog’s reaction.

You may want to get your dog used to a head collar such as a Gentle Leader for all walks so you always have better control. When you know you’ll be seeing children on a given day, withhold your dog’s breakfast and then hand-feed your dog when kids are nearby. If your dog is calm and happy around kids, they can gently pet him on the side of the body, not the top of the head. They could also give him a treat placed in the palm of their hands. Praise your dog in a happy voice and give him loads of attention and treats when kids are around. In other words, make praise and food more valuable by withholding them until you are in the presence of kids. This creates a positive association because children will predict good food and fun times! Introduce your dog to nieces and nephews, kids on playgrounds, neighbor kids, or children of friends, as long as they are respectful of dogs and will not do anything your dog would perceive as scary, such as attempting to hug, kiss or playfight.

In the Home

Get your dog used to baby smells such as diapers, lotion, powder and other baby products. Make sure you bring home a drool rag or other soiled piece of cloth directly from your baby and allow your dog to sniff it and get used to the scent before the baby comes home.

Make sure your dog is obedience trained. A refresher course never hurts. Choose a school that is humane, such as our Canine U obedience training program. Never punish your dog around the baby and make sure to give him lots of attention when you hold the baby, even if it is just by asking him to sit for a treat. Your dog can sniff the baby's feet when the baby is in your arms, or smell a used onesie before you throw it in the wash. Praise him for calm behavior. Place a special rug in the nursery where he can Down-Stay while you are feeding your baby. You can give your dog a rawhide or a stuffed Kong to work on while laying on the rug as a reward for staying. This will keep him out of your way, but still part of the baby-caring process. The whole idea is to make many positive associations with children and babies. This is to avoid fear of and competition with children and babies. Your baby should never be left alone in the same room as your dog - even for an instant - and your baby should never be set on the floor or a lower level than your dog stands.

Most people have trouble when the baby begins to crawl and walk and can pull the dog's fur, poke eyes, and do all those annoying things toddlers do. This is when you CAN give your dog an out and let him go in a secluded room or otherwise away from your child. Keep your toddler from doing this and continue to teach him or her "gentle." Again, never leave the room and never let your child corner your dog. This stage involves dual training of both the child and the dog. This is most often when people decide to rehome their dogs. It is good that you are thinking of these things now as prevention is the best approach. It is our hope that your dog will grow to tolerate and enjoy your child. Many dogs can be very loving toward little ones once they understand how to live with them. Isolation and punishment will only create problems, not stop them.

NOTE
If you currently have aggression issues with your dog or if your dog has shown any type of fear or aggression towards children such as shaking, growling, lunging and barking or snapping, please seek the help of a qualified dog behavior consultant.

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