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"Drool School" |
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Introductions:
To introduce
your dog to new children, such as your child’s friends, allow the
child to observe the dog first, preferably doing an easy command
like sit. If your dog knows a trick like shaking hands,
demonstrating the trick will put them at ease. Ask the child to
hold out his hand to be sniffed. Children want to put their hand on
the dog’s head right away, but dogs need to sniff first. Watch your
dog’s body language to make sure he looks relaxed. Ask the child to
hold his hand still and not to snatch it away. If the child is
nervous, you can have the child hold a biscuit in a flat hand to
give to the dog, but never force the child to interact with your
dog. Sometimes just observing the dog behaving politely will help
the child relax around the dog. Tell your children that only one
child at a time can pet the dog. Safe Interaction:
Avoid situations where the children
and the dog become over-stimulated, as this is how accidents
happen. Examples of over-stimulation include rough play among the
children that the dog observes, play using toys like bats or
racquets which can appear threatening to the dog, and loud screaming
or yelling which the dog may interpret as an injury or distress call
that he may act upon. Instruct your kids not to encourage chasing
games, which can cause the dog to “herd” them with nipping and
barking. Also, parents can use the Come command to re-direct the
dog’s attention away from the kids. Praise the dog for following
your lead. Appropriate Play: Make up games for your kids to play with the dog. Hide and Seek is a great game to play with dogs and kids. Use a favorite toy or treat. Ask a child to show the toy to the dog, and then hide it in a fairly easy place, in full view of the dog, while you restrain him with a leash. Then say “find it” and let the kids lead the dog over to the hiding place, until he finds it. Once the dog gets good at it, the kids can hide, holding the biscuit or toy. Both kids and dogs love this game, and it works indoors on rainy days, too. Your dog wants to be included in family activities. Showing your dog, and your kids, ways to play safely together will help solidify the bond and reap rewards for years to come.
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