Balanced Dog Trainer
03/29/2025
Advocating for Dogs in Families with Kids đž
This past week, my sister and her three daughters stayed with us. The girls are 2, 5, and 7 years old, and while theyâre all great with dogs, I noticed that my Ellie girl was especially uncomfortable around Luna, the 2-year-old.
I know Luna wasnât trying to be threateningâtoddlers are just naturally loud and unpredictable. Since we donât have kids in our home, my dogs havenât had much exposure to young children so this week we faced some challenges and practiced advocacy for both my dogs and my nieces.
Dogs and kids often form beautiful, lifelong bonds. However, while many people focus on keeping kids safe around dogs, itâs just as important to advocate for dogs in households with children. Ensuring dogs are treated with kindness, respect, and proper care benefits both them and the children who grow up with them.
Why Dogs Need Advocacy in Families with Kids
1. Respect for Boundaries
Kids, especially young ones, may unknowingly pull ears, grab tails, or climb on dogs, scream and run towards them which can lead to fear-based reactions. Teaching children to respect a dogâs space and signalsâsuch as growling, lip-licking, pacing or backing away, helps prevent misunderstandings and keeps everyone safe.
2. The Importance of Supervision
No matter how gentle a dog may be, interactions between young kids and dogs should always be supervised. Even the best-behaved dogs have limits, and accidents can happen if children arenât taught how to interact appropriately. Advocacy means ensuring families understand the importance of supervision and structured interactions.
3. Proper Training and Socialization
A well-trained, socialized dog is more likely to thrive in a home with kids. Families should invest in positive reinforcement training and expose their dogs to various environments, sounds, and experiences. This helps prevent fear-based behaviors and ensures the dog feels safe and confident around children.
4. Time, Attention, and Exercise
When a new baby or young child enters the home, a familyâs routine changes drastically. Unfortunately, this can lead to dogs receiving less attention, exercise, and mental stimulation. Dogs need continued enrichment, whether through walks, playtime, or puzzle toys, to prevent anxiety and destructive behaviors.
5. Preventing Shelter Surrenders
As many of you know, I worked at a local animal shelter for many years and in those years Iâve seen far too many dogs being surrendered because of behavioral issues that stem from stress, improper handling by children and in turn the family feels overwhelmed by the combination of raising kids and caring for a pet. Advocating for responsible pet ownershipâhelping parents understand the long-term commitment of a dogâreduces the number of pets abandoned in shelters.
How to Advocate for Dogs in Families with Kids
⢠Teach children to respect dogsâ boundaries and read their body language.
⢠Encourage positive interactions such as gentle petting, treat-giving, and supervised play.
⢠Remind parents that dogs need continued training, love, and exerciseâeven after a baby arrives.
⢠Support rescues and shelters by spreading awareness about responsible adoption and pet care.
By advocating for animals in homes with children, we help ensure that these loyal companions receive the care, respect, and love they deserveâwhile also fostering a safe, happy environment for kids to grow up in.
While the girls were with us we covered calm greetings, proper handling, leash walking, grooming, appropriate play, and understanding body languageânot just with our dogs, but also with our farm dogs, sheep, and goats as i feel every animal deserves respect. I was so impressed with how well these little ladies did, and I know the animals appreciated their gentle nature and respect for boundaries.
